State representatives voice concerns over recent US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Bellingham

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Agents with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) converged on a roofing business in Bellingham on April 2, 2025, to execute a federal search warrant “based on an ongoing criminal investigation in the unlawful employment of aliens without legal work authorization,” according to an ICE spokesperson. 37 people arrested were loaded onto buses and driven away according to witnesses at the scene.

The office of US Representative Rick Larsen, representing Washington’s Second Congressional District (WA-02, which includes portions of Snohomish County and all of Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan Counties) issued a press release on April 4, 2025, along with US representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Emily Randall (WA-06), Adam Smith (WA-09) and Kim Schrier (WA-08). The press release said the 7 representatives had sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem voicing their concerns over the recent raid.

Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:

We write to express our deep concerns over the recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across Washington State. We are especially alarmed at the recent ICE raid that took place in Bellingham, Washington. Raids like this have devastating consequences for our communities.

Advertisement

Click for more information

Advertisement

Click for more information

On Wednesday in Bellingham, ICE officers entered a workplace, pointed guns at employees, and took away 37 community members in unmarked vans. For months, the Trump administration has insisted that their deportation efforts are focused on “the worst of the worst” and true public safety threats. In reality, there is no indication that the people detained this week are anything other than dedicated parents working hard to support their families and positive contributors to their communities.

Because of this raid and other detainments across the country, the fear of being taken away at gunpoint in unmarked vans is becoming widespread. This fear leaves students and employees scared to go to class and to go to work. It cripples our small businesses and local economies. And critically, it makes it more difficult for state and local law enforcement to build and maintain trust with the communities they serve. ICE actions like the raid that took place in Bellingham are making our communities less safe.

Every individual detained has a right to due process, including the right to speak to an attorney. We will be closely monitoring these cases to ensure that ICE is following the law.

To that end, we request that you immediately provide the following information:

1. Details on individuals ICE encountered during the enforcement action, including the number of people who were taken into custody, broken down by gender, age, nationality, immigration status, and rationale for targeting them in a raid.
2. Information on how many of those arrested had previously received a stay of removal, order of supervision or other form of prosecutorial discretion pursuant to prosecutorial discretion guidelines in place prior to January 2025.
3. Information on how many of those arrested have pending asylum claims.
4. The manner in which ICE may or may not have collaborated with state and local law enforcement agencies.

We look forward to your response.