Congresswoman Schrier, WA Lawmakers, Colleagues Demand Transparency After U.S. Forest Service Coordinates with ICE on Public Lands

Letterfollows Labor Day incident where individuals were arrested in the middle of the night while campingat Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, 4 of 5 are still being held at Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center

PNW records devastating 2026 wildfire season - Members voice concern USFS is misusing taxpayer funds by directing resources outside of USFS scope and mission

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Representatives Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Jared Huffman (D, CA-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Adriano Espaillat (D, NY-13), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Andrea Salinas (D, OR-06), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), Val Hoyle (D, OR-04), Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10), Suzanne Bonamici (D, OR-01), and Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07) sent a letter to U.S. Forest Chief Tom Schultz demanding transparency regarding immigration enforcement activities on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands.

This letter comes after a shocking incident over Labor Day Weekend where U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) coordinated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to arrest five men who were camping with their families in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

As of October 1, 2026, four of the five men arrested still remain in detention at the Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center.

"As Members of Congress representing the Pacific Northwest and Democratic leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House Agriculture Committee, we are concerned that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is misusing taxpayer dollars by neglecting their mission and directing career staff to prioritize immigration enforcement on federal public lands. Particularly during a difficult wildfire season, we want to express our gratitude to the Forest Service for fighting wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and across the country," wrote the members.

The U.S. Forest Service has undergone significant funding cuts and reorganizations efforts since the start of Trump's second term. Since 2025, the USFS has lost nearly 6,000 workers through DOGE cuts and other factors, raising concerns about wildfire preparedness, forest health research, and public land management. Earlier this year, USFS announced consolidation efforts to shutter research and development facilities nationwide. USFS backtracked on their original proposal to close57 out of 77 research labs after public outcry. In September 2026, USFS announced they will be closing 23 labs.

The 2026 wildfire season is still underway, and Washington state has recorded one of the worst wildfire seasons to date with almost 900,000 acres being burned as of early September.

The members conclude the letter by demanding answers to the following questions by October 15, 2026:

Questions for the U.S. Forest Service:

1. Which agency first identified those arrested as targets for investigation, when were they identified, and what information about the targets was used to justify the raid?
2. Can you confirm that the law enforcement officers that first approached the families were employees of the USFS?
3. To what extent did USFS participate in the raid, and under what authority? Please provide any agreement or memorandum that governs cooperation between the U.S. Forest Service and DHS.
4. Please provide any agreement or memorandum between the U.S. Forest Service and DHS that governs the collection and sharing of visitors' identification and reservation data with DHS or ICE.
5. What other immigration raids has the U.S. Forest Service participated in since January 21, 2025?
6. What appropriations account(s) has the USFS used to fund its participation in immigration enforcement operations since January 21, 2025, and how much funding has been obligated or expended for this purpose?
7. Has any USFS law enforcement personnel time, budget, or resources been reallocated from other law enforcement priorities (e.g., resource protection, search and rescue, wildfire-adjacent enforcement) to support immigration enforcement operations? If so, how much of this reallocation has been disclosed to Congress since these funds were appropriated for land management and resource protection purposes rather than immigration enforcement?
8. Given limited agency resources, why is it a priority of the USFS to use employees in the targeting of families on public land?

The full text of the letter is available HERE.

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