• Border Patrol arrested two firefighters during their response to the Bear Gulch Fire in Washington State.
• The arrests were part of an immigration enforcement operation requested by federal agencies.
• Lawmakers criticized the actions as immoral and dangerous, highlighting concerns over community safety.
• The Bear Gulch Fire has burned approximately 9,000 acres and is only 13% contained.
• Contracts with the firefighters’ employers were terminated following the arrests.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested two firefighters during their efforts to combat the ongoing Bear Gulch Fire in the Olympic National Forest, Washington. The action followed an investigation requested by the Bureau of Land Management to verify the identities of personnel working on-site, leading to the detention of the two men who were found to be in the U.S. illegally, one of whom had a previous order of removal. Both firefighters now face charges of illegal entry and re-entry, according to SFGATE, HuffPost, and India Times.

The arrests drew sharp backlash from Washington lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Patty Murray, who labeled the immigration policy "sick." Murray emphasized that detaining firefighters during a crisis undermines public safety, stating, "This new Republican policy to detain firefighters on the job is as immoral as it is dangerous." This sentiment was echoed by others, including Senator Ron Wyden, who stated that the operation makes communities less safe, according to CBS News and Al Jazeera.

As part of the operation, all 44 contractors at the fire site were questioned, leading to the termination of contracts with the firefighting companies involved, Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions. The remaining workers were escorted off federal lands. The Border Patrol claimed that their actions did not disrupt firefighting efforts despite those on the ground expressing concerns about the impact on morale and operations, as noted by authorities and witnesses, according to HuffPost and India Times.

The Bear Gulch Fire has been burning since July, expanding to approximately 9,000 acres with only 13% containment, as reported by multiple sources. Historically, immigration enforcement has been limited during natural disaster responses, raising questions about the appropriateness and timing of this operation. Legal representatives for the detained firefighters assert that their clients were unlawfully held and denied access to legal counsel, asserting their constitutional rights, which raises further legal and ethical concerns, according to SFGATE and Al Jazeera.