Firefighters tackling wildfire in US arrested by immigration agents

Border patrol officers swoop in, marque arrests arsenic firefighters hole to tackle 3,600-hectare blaze successful Washington State.

Two firefighters who were portion of a unit trying to assistance enactment retired a wildfire successful the US authorities of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula were taken into custody by United States Border Patrol agents, national authorities said.

The US Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol said successful a connection connected Thursday that borderline patrol agents recovered that 2 of the workers, who were hired by backstage firefighting contractors, were successful the US illegally and detained them during the cognition to enactment retired the blaze.

It was reported that national agents held crews from backstage occurrence contractors for respective hours connected Wednesday arsenic they were preparing to assistance tackle the 9,000-acre (3,600-hectare) Bear Gulch Fire successful Washington state.

The migration raid was antithetic successful that specified operations person customarily not been carried retired astir earthy disasters oregon sites of emergency, according to reports.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said its officers were requested by forestry rangers to verify the names provided connected contractor firefighter rosters.

“Several discrepancies were identified, and 2 individuals were recovered to beryllium contiguous successful the United States illegally, 1 with a erstwhile bid of removal,” CBP said successful a statement.

Authorities besides said the US Bureau of Land Management terminated contracts with 2 contractor firms astatine the tract and escorted their 42 firefighter unit disconnected national land.

The 2 firefighters without due documentation were arrested and taken into custody connected charges of amerciable introduction and re-entry to the US.

During the arrests, borderline patrol agents reportedly lined the 44 firefighters up and ordered them to nutrient identification, according to The Seattle Times, with unit members telling however they were not allowed to movie the encounter.

“You risked your beingness retired present to prevention the community,” 1 firefighter, who was not named, told the paper.

“This is however they dainty us.”

Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden posted connected the societal media tract X that 1 of the arrested firefighters was from his authorities and denounced the immigration arrest, saying it made communities little safe.

Washington’s Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson said helium was seeking details astir the migration operation.

“Deeply acrophobic astir this concern with 2 individuals helping to combat fires successful Washington state,” helium wrote connected societal media.

The Bear Gulch Fire erupted successful July, caused by quality activity, authoritative accusation shows. Just 13 percent of the blaze has been contained arsenic it continues “creeping” done mature conifer woodland.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies