Immigration Raid At Bear Gulch Fire: CBP Detains Two Firefighters, 44 Contractors Screened; Incident Management Team Accused

Federal immigration agents raided an active wildfire response at the Bear Gulch fire in Washington, arresting two firefighters and sidelining crews for hours. Wildland firefighters and contractors say the operation broke long-standing protocol and allege that California Interagency Incident Management Team 7 directed crews to a remote staging area where agents could check immigration status. Officials said the action was tied to a Bureau of Land Management probe into time-sheet discrepancies, but sources say such mix-ups are common and typically handled internally. The targeted crews included many Hispanic and H-2B visa workers, raising concerns about racial profiling and chilling effects on contract firefighters. The incident has fueled distrust among crews, prompted criticism from state leaders, and raised questions about coordination between fire management and federal immigration authorities.