According to an official CBP statement, BLM rangers asked Border Patrol agents to confirm that contractors on-site matched the rosters provided by their employer.
[snip]
During the process, officials identified discrepancies in records.
Two individuals were confirmed to be in the United States illegally, including one with a prior order of removal.
Both were detained and transported to the Bellingham Station on charges of illegal entry and reentry after removal under 8 U.S. Code 1326.
The remaining 42 workers were cleared and released from the scene.
[snip]
According to investigators, the workers had been hired by an independent contractor based in Oregon.
[snip]
Officials said they were performing non-firefighting duties such as wood chopping.
Despite the official account, reports circulated widely on social media claiming that Border Patrol had pulled firefighters from the front lines of a wildfire.
[snip]
Attorneys for one of the men said their client had lived in Oregon since childhood and applied for a U visa in 2018 after he and his family were victims of a federal crime.
His lawyer argued that the case had been delayed for more than seven years by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The attorney declined to confirm whether his client had deferred status.
The other man had previously been ordered removed from the United States.
Both remain in federal custody pending further proceedings.
[snip]
CBP officials, however, disputed the characterization that the arrests interfered with firefighting or endangered communities.
[snip]
The arrests highlight continuing debate over federal immigration enforcement and contractor hiring practices.
Officials said the case originated with contractor record discrepancies and was not part of a targeted immigration operation against firefighting personnel.
* Original Article:
https://wokespy.com/media-pushes-active-firefighter-myth-democrats-amplify-before-dhs-debunks-it-watch/