Claim:
In August 2025, federal immigration agents arrested two people fighting the Bear Gulch fire in Washington state.
Rating:
In late August 2025, a claim spread online that federal immigration agents arrested two people fighting a wildfire in Washington state.
The rumor spread on social media sites such as X, Facebook and Reddit. Snopes readers also wrote in to ask if immigration agents arrested "illegal immigrants who are fighting wildfires."
Federal officers did in fact, arrest two firefighters in Washington state who were at the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula, as first reported by the Seattle Times. Snopes confirmed the incident occurred via an email from Michael Kelly, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, and a statement from Customs and Border Protection. Thus, we rate this claim true.
As of Aug. 28, the Bear Gulch fire spanned 8,960 acres and was 13% contained, representing the largest wildfire in Washington state.
While some posts claimed the agents came from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the arresting officials were from Border Patrol, a part of Customs and Border Protection. According to CBP's statement, the Bureau of Land Management requested "assistance verifying the identities of all personnel present." CBP arrested the two firefighters on charges of illegal entry and reentry into the United States.
Here's the full statement from CBP (emphasis ours):
On Aug. 27, the Port Angeles Border Patrol Station provided assistance to the Bureau of Land Management on the Olympic Peninsula. BLM, working alongside U.S. Forest Service, requested assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol as work contracts with two firms were terminated. Contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc. were terminated following the conclusion of a criminal investigation by BLM.
Due to the remote location of the work site, BLM requested USBP assistance verifying the identities of all personnel present. The work crews, totaling 44 individuals, required identity verification to ensure that the individuals on-site matched the contractor rosters.
USBP agents supported BLM rangers in verifying the identities of the contracted personnel. Several discrepancies were identified, and two individuals were found to be present in the United States illegally, one with a previous order of removal. The two individuals were arrested and transported to the Bellingham Station on charges of illegal entry and 8 US Code § 1326 - Reentry of removed aliens. Forty-two individuals were released from the scene and escorted off Federal lands.
The contract termination and enforcement action did not interfere with firefighting operations or the response to any active fires in the area, nor did it pose any danger to the surrounding community.
"This cooperative effort highlights the coordination between federal agencies in ensuring the integrity of government operations and maintaining public trust in fiduciary matters," said USBP Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rosario P. Vasquez stated. "U.S. Border Patrol steadfastly enforces the laws of the United States and unapologetically addresses violations of immigration law wherever they are encountered."
The Department of Homeland Security remains committed to supporting our federal partners in ensuring the integrity of government operations and upholding the rule of law.
Kelly said the state's Department of Natural Resources did not find out about the incident "until yesterday afternoon, when we were trying to track down information after getting questions from reporters." Kelly noted that the federal Forest Service is the lead agency on the fire. A spokesperson for the Forest Service, Jennifer O'Leary Risdal, said in an emailed statement that the agency was "aware of a Border Patrol operation here on the Bear Gulch Fire" and Border Patrol was "not interfering with firefighting activity."
The Seattle Times, which based its reporting on firefighters at the scene who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation from federal authorities, said that the private contract crews had been sent to "cut wood for the local community" and federal law enforcement showed up while the firefighters were waiting for their division supervisor to arrive. Officials directed the firefighters to line up and show identification, according to the Times, whose reporting Snopes has not verified. As some of the claims above noted, the Times also reported that one firefighter said federal officials denied them the chance to say goodbye to the detained workers and an unidentified federal agent swore at the crew member.
Under former President Joe Biden's administration, DHS wildfire policy stated that "to the fullest extent possible," immigration enforcement would not be conducted in disaster and emergency response and relief locations. As of this writing, DHS has not released a statement clarifying its policy during natural disasters and other emergencies under President Donald Trump, according to the agency's landing page for statements on safety and immigration enforcement during emergency events.
Elected Democratic officials in Washington expressed concern and outrage over the situation. Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said in a statement that she was demanding "immediate answers" from the Trump administration "about the circumstances of this incident, the whereabouts of the detained firefighters, and the administration's current policy regarding immigration enforcement during active wildfires."
Sources:
@GovBobFerguson. "Deeply Concerned about This Situation with Two Individuals Helping to Fight Fires in Washington State. I've Directed My Team to Get More Information about What Happened." X (Formerly Twitter), 28 Aug. 2025, x.com/GovBobFerguson/status/1961094888428331388. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
Breda, Isabella, and Conrad Swanson. "Federal Agents Arrest Firefighters Working on WA Wildfire." The Seattle Times, 28 Aug. 2025, www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/federal-agents-arrest-firefighters-working-on-wa-wildfire/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
"DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement during the Fires in Los Angeles County, ca | Homeland Security." U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 8 Jan. 2025, www.dhs.gov/archive/news/2025/01/08/dhs-statement-safety-and-enforcement-during-fires-los-angeles-county-ca.
"DHS Statement on Safety and Immigration Enforcement during Emergency Events | Homeland Security." U.S. Department of Homeland Security, www.dhs.gov/dhs-statement-safety-and-immigration-enforcement-during-emergency-events. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
"Incident Web Information System." Inciweb.wildfire.gov, inciweb.wildfire.gov/.
Savin, Naomi. "Senator Murray on Trump's Border Patrol Arresting Firefighters Battling Bear Gulch Fire in WA State: 'This Administration's Immigration Policy Is Fundamentally Sick' - Senator Patty Murray." Senator Patty Murray, 28 Aug. 2025, www.murray.senate.gov/senator-murray-on-trumps-border-patrol-arresting-firefighters-battling-bear-gulch-fire-in-wa-state-this-administrations-immigration-policy-is-fundamentally-sick/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
"U.S. Border Patrol Assists Bureau of Land Management near Lake Cushman on Olympic Peninsula in Washington State." U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 28 Aug. 2025, www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/us-border-patrol-assists-bureau-land-management-near-lake-cushman. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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