The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown efforts have begun interfering directly with frontline responders of recent disasters – raising substantial fears about what could happen when more serious disasters strike.

On August 27, the Seattle Times reported that two firefighter crews deployed to fight the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula were held by Border Patrol agents, and two firefighters were eventually arrested after being accused of living in the country illegally. As the Times reported in what must be the most incredible understatement of the year, “It is unusual for federal border agents to make arrests during the fighting of an active fire, especially in a remote area.” The move is baffling, as it is pretty well known that nationwide, recruiting and retaining wildland firefighters has been an ongoing challenge. This issue, highlighted by the Government Accountability Office, stems from factors such as low wages, poor work/life balance, mental health challenges, and a lack of workforce diversity. The situation is so dire that California uses

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