Rep. Salinas’s Statement on Border Patrol Arrest and Unconstitutional Treatment of Wildfire Fighter and Constituent

Tualatin, OR – Today, Congresswomen Andrea Salinas (OR-06) released the following statement regarding Border Patrol officials arresting one of her constituents—a wildfire fighter dispatched to Washington State—and denying him his Constitutional rights.

“On Wednesday, U.S. Border Patrol arrested two firefighters who were working to combat the ongoing blaze in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. At least one of those firefighters is a constituent from Keizer, OR. During his detention, my constituent was denied his constitutional right to an attorney and a phone call.

“I’m appalled that the Trump Administration is arresting firefighters to meet their arbitrary deportation quotas. These firefighters risk their lives to keep us safe, and this is how Trump treats them. It’s sick and twisted. This does not make us safer or stronger. Border Patrol should not be prowling our national forests to arrest firefighters.

“While I cannot provide the name of the firefighter, I can share additional details about his background and his unconstitutional detention. My constituent was brought to the United States when he was a young child and has lived here his entire life. The United States is the only home he knows. For the past three years, he has bravely served as a wildland firefighter, putting his life on the line to protect our communities.

“Additionally, seven years ago, my constituent and his family were victims of a federal crime. As a result of cooperating with federal officials during their investigation, my constituent and his family became eligible for a “U visa.” Their application has been pending with USCIS for the past seven years and if granted would provide them legal status and a pathway to citizenship. 

“On August 27, my constituent was working to combat the Bear Gulch Wildfire when CBP stopped his crew and arrested him. Over the next nearly 48 hours, the whereabouts of my constituent were unknown. He was not entered into the ICE detainee locator.

“I have since learned that my constituent was taken to the CBP facility in Bellingham Washington. His legal team called the CBP Bellingham station. The CBP attendant refused to confirm his detention location or grant them access. When they called again, the CBP attendant confirmed that he was being transferred to ICE custody but would not grant his attorney access.    

“On Friday, my constituent was moved to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA, where he was finally granted access to a phone call and called his attorneys, which is how we were able to learn his story.

“As of now, he is still not in the ICE detainee locator.

“I have also been in touch with my constituent’s lawyers. I’m deeply concerned that CBP has been concealing his whereabouts and has denied him due process. I’m working with my Congressional colleagues to hold the Trump Administration accountable and demand that they immediately provide details about the arrest and failure to honor my constituent’s rights.

“Immigrants deserve to be treated with dignity. Communities deserve safety from wildfires, and first responders deserve protections from federal immigration officials while they are putting their lives on the line to protect our Pacific Northwest communities.”

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