Border Patrol detains two workers assisting Washington wildfire firefighting effort
Aug 31, 2025·Location: Tacoma, WA
Two workers assisting with wildfire firefighting in Washington state's Olympic National Forest were detained by Border Patrol agents on charges of unauthorized entry and reentry. One of the detainees had a pending U-visa application and a previous removal order. The detentions occurred while the workers were engaged in firefighting efforts on the Bear Gulch fire, an approximately 9,000-acre wildfire. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Patty Murray and Representative Emily Randall, made statements regarding the operation. Randall was subsequently denied entry to the ICE facility where the men were being held.
Timeline
Sources
- Lawmakers push for answers days after Border Patrol detains crew workers helping firefighters in Washington blaze
CNN·Aug 31, 2025·archived copy
- 2 firefighters battling Washington state wildfire arrested by Border Patrol
Associated Press·Aug 28, 2025·archived copy
- Democrats seek ‘immediate answers’ after reported arrests of firefighters by US border agents
The Guardian·Aug 28, 2025·archived copy
- komonews.com
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