BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Bellingham led to 37 people being taken into federal custody.
In a statement sent to My Bellingham Now, ICE spokesperson David Yost said the agency served a federal search warrant at Mt Baker Roofing, “based on an ongoing criminal investigation into the unlawful employment of aliens without legal work authorization in violation of federal law.”
ICE officers arrived on the morning of Wednesday, April 2. Yost confirmed that the people in custody are being transported to the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma.
Yost says the workers who were arrested are accused of submitting false documents or lying about their immigration status.
Mt. Baker Roofing said in an afternoon statement that it was “fully cooperating with the authorities while also ensuring that our employees are treated fairly and respectfully under the law.”
The arrests on April 2 follow the March 25 arrest of Skagit County farmworker activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino, who was taken into custody and sent to NWIPC in Tacoma.
My Bellingham Now will continue to update this story as more information is released. Last updated: April 2, 2025 at 1:34 p.m.
