ICE arrests five men during camping trip in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Five men from Western Washington were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a Labor Day weekend camping trip in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The families involved report that the encounter began when U.S. Forest Service rangers approached the campsite regarding a garbage issue and collected identification from the adults.

According to family members, ICE agents returned to the campsite near midnight, shaking tents and identifying themselves as police before taking the five men into custody. The arrests occurred in front of wives and children, some as young as one year old. The men are currently being held at an ICE detention center in Tacoma.

The Washington Trails Association (WTA) issued a statement expressing deep disturbance over the incident. The organization stated that such enforcement activity on public lands could set an alarming precedent, potentially making the outdoors feel unsafe or unwelcoming for immigrant communities and eroding trust between outdoor recreators and land managers.