A U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation at the scene of an active wildfire in Washington state has sparked backlash from Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and others, after agents allegedly detained two firefighters working to contain the blaze.
The incident took place on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where crews have been battling a growing fire near Lake Cushman, according to The Associated Press.
While the specifics of the federal operation remain unclear, multiple firefighters told The Seattle Times on condition of anonymity that U.S. Border Patrol agents arrived at the site and demanded identification from crew members employed by two private firefighting contractors. Two individuals were reportedly taken into custody.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have not commented publicly on the matter, despite multiple media inquiries. The U.S. Forest Service’s Incident Management Team overseeing the response offered little clarification either.
“The Border Patrol operation is not interfering with firefighting activity and Bear Gulch firefighters continue to make progress on the fire,” Jennifer Risdal, a spokesperson for the team, told The AP in an email.
The wildfire, which has burned approximately 14 square miles on the northern edge of Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park, was 13 percent contained as of Thursday.
News of the federal action drew a swift and scathing response from Sen. Murray, who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration priorities and accused it of undermining public safety during an active wildfire threat.
“Here in the Pacific Northwest, wildfires can, and have, burned entire towns to the ground,” Murray said in a statement. “This new Republican policy to detain firefighters on the job is as immoral as it is dangerous.”
Murray went further, accusing the administration of weakening the federal wildfire response infrastructure.
“The Trump administration has undercut wildland firefighting by decimating the Forest Service,” she said. “Their immigration policy is fundamentally sick.”
The Department of Homeland Security previously issued a policy statement during the 2020 wildfire season assuring the public that immigration enforcement would not interfere with emergency response efforts. The statement, issued during Trump’s first term, emphasized life and safety as the top priority.
“In consideration of these circumstances, there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to the wildfires, except in the event of a serious public safety threat,” DHS said at the time.
The federal government’s actions in this latest incident appear to contradict that guidance, prompting concern not just about the detainees but about the message it sends to emergency personnel and communities vulnerable to wildfires.
Michael Kelly, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, confirmed that the agency was aware of the incident involving Border Patrol agents but referred all questions to federal officials. No further information has been released by the agency as of Thursday.
While firefighting operations have continued, the detainment of firefighters mid-operation could have serious implications for the state’s ongoing battle against wildfires, as well as for recruiting contractors who may fear similar treatment.
The incident also comes amid broader legal battles over immigration enforcement and the Trump administration’s policies. Earlier this year, members of Congress sued the Trump administration for allegedly blocking access to ICE detention centers, citing transparency and due process violations.
The wildfire in question remains active, and with containment at only 13 percent, fire crews are continuing their efforts despite the federal law enforcement intervention. The full impact of the Border Patrol’s actions on the fire response is not yet known.
