In Bellingham, Washington, federal immigration authorities conducted a raid at a local roofing company on Wednesday, detaining 37 individuals. The raid was carried out by officials from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit in collaboration with Customs and Border Protection. The operation took place at the Mt. Baker Roofing warehouse early in the morning, in a city located near the Canadian border.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as intimidating, with law enforcement personnel arriving armed. Tomas Fuerte, an employee at the site, recounted to Cascadia Daily News, “They approached as if we were criminals, herding us into a room at the back of the building. They had photos and details of those undocumented, and they singled them out.” According to Fuerte, who has been employed with the company for over a decade, this kind of raid was unprecedented.
ICE spokesperson David Yost explained in a statement that the operation was backed by a federal search warrant. The warrant was related to an ongoing criminal probe investigating unlawful employment practices involving individuals lacking legal work authorizations. Yost clarified that those detained during the operation had allegedly misrepresented their immigration status, submitting fraudulent documentation to secure employment.
In response, Mt. Baker Roofing released a statement asserting their cooperation with authorities while ensuring the fair and respectful treatment of their employees under the law. The company emphasized its commitment to compliance with legal standards throughout the process.
This operation highlights ongoing immigration enforcement activities, contrasting with varying administrative approaches. During the early days of President Donald Trump’s tenure, ICE arrests increased significantly, averaging 656 daily—a sharp rise from preceding numbers. Despite these figures, which surpass those during the Biden administration, they fall short of the extensive deportations Trump advocated during his campaign. Although there have been some scattered raids, they are less frequent and extensive compared to the large-scale operations that marked previous years.
While criminal charges against business owners in such cases are rare, financial penalties remain a common consequence for violating immigration-related employment laws.