Senator Patty Murray, representing Washington, has called for immediate clarification regarding the arrests of two firefighters who were detained by U.S. border agents while battling a wildfire in Washington state. The crash occurred as firefighters were working to suppress the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula. As of late Wednesday, about 430 personnel were still directly battling the flames.
The Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities have prolonged a national conversation about the role of immigration enforcement in emergency service provision. Murray decried the move, calling such policies “as immoral as it is dangerous.” Beyond the logistical difficulties, she brought attention to the immense emotional burden of what’s going on. Their comrades detained were not permitted to speak farewell to the firefighters.
The two contract crews had been fighting the fire on containment lines. As this deadly raid started, they were allegedly waiting on a supervisor when federal law enforcement arrived on scene. The incident management team overseeing the Bear Gulch fire reported that these Border Patrol activities did not interfere with firefighting efforts. The U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service both failed to respond in a timely manner. Consequently, much is still left in doubt.
Murray has represented Washington in the U.S. Senate since 1993 and is well aware of the critical role firefighters play during wildfire seasons. She highlighted that recent budget and staffing cuts at federal agencies have made the U.S. vulnerable. As a result, we find ourselves dangerously unprepared for this year’s fire season.
This administration’s immigration policy is fundamentally sick. Murray statement calling for answers on detained firefighters, and the administration’s wider immigration enforcement policies. As he explained, “Trump has illegally terrorized everyone from lawful green-card holders to American citizens—they should not have had to live under the assumption that this was acceptable or justified.”
Murray went on to challenge the real world impacts of the Trump administration’s approach to public safety and immigration. “What’s next? Will Trump start detaining immigrant service members? Or will he just maintain his current policy of deporting Purple Heart veterans?” she asked, emphasizing the potential fallout from such policies.