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John, I want to make sure you were aware of two critical developments from the last few days. 1.) Customs and Border Patrol agents raided the firefighting crew at the Bear Gulch Fire and arrested two people. The Bear Gulch Fire has already burned more than 9,000 acres on the Olympic Peninsula. These firefighters are putting their lives on the line to stop homes from burning and people from dying. But instead of doing anything to keep our communities safe from fires and climate disasters, CBP agents are arresting our first responders.
2.) I was denied entry to the Northwest Detention Center, where the firefighters are being held. On Saturday, my staff and I arrived at the ICE detention facility in Tacoma. Upon arriving and providing ID, the Lieutenant on duty stated that, as they were uninformed of our visit and because it was a weekend, we could not enter. I stated my congressional authority to perform unannounced visits and cited legal statute. The desk officer called his supervisor, who also denied us entry. I again stated my authority and the relevant statute, but we were still denied entry. They confirmed the presence of the two arrested firefighters, but I could not see them or speak to them. It is illegal to keep a member of Congress from performing their oversight duty at a DHS facility. I made sure the desk officer and his supervisor understood that they were breaking the law. Please watch and share KING 5’s coverage of the incident → To arrest people who are putting their lives on the line to fight a wildfire is disgusting. To hold them in a facility without enough medical staff is unconscionable. My colleagues and I will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates. Please share this story with your friends and family so we can shine a bright spotlight on the actions of this administration. Thank you so much for your continued vigilance and support. — Emily More resources:
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Emily Randall for Congress
P.O. Box 1883 Port Orchard, WA 98366 United States |
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