A roofing company in Bellingham, Washington, was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to the detention of three family members and dozens of co-workers. The workers were taken to the Northwest ICE Processing Facility in Tacoma as part of a criminal investigation into the “unlawful employment of aliens without legal work authorization.” The owner of the company, Mark Kuske, stated that he follows all federal and state hiring rules and regulations and had no reason to believe any of his employees were in the country without proper authorization.
A U.S. citizen worker, whose brother and cousins were detained, described the raid as “scary” with ICE officers in tactical gear and masks carrying long rifles. The man’s brother had crossed the border into the U.S. three years ago after fleeing from a drug cartel attempting to kidnap him. He expressed feeling terrible and considering returning to Mexico.
The unexpected raid prompted a rally in support of the detained workers, with community members expressing sadness over families being torn apart. People at the rally emphasized the importance of keeping families together and called the separation of fathers, sons, and brothers “wrong.” The worker, despite being a U.S. citizen, shared feelings of fear and uncertainty, mentioning the constant vigilance towards unfamiliar vehicles passing by his home.
The Trump administration, initially targeting migrants with violent criminal backgrounds, later expanded its focus to include families and children without criminal records. The raid raises concerns about the impact on families, communities, and the fear instilled in immigrant workers.
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