Recent arrests of undocumented immigrants in Skagit and Whatcom counties have resulted in strikes, protests and a regrouping of political activists.
When you call the U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector, a recording of George W. Bush plays over the hold music.
“Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time now depends on us. Our nation, this generation, will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future.”
It was the former president’s address to a joint session of Congress on Sept. 20, 2001.
By contrast, many residents of the sector, which encompasses Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington, don’t see things so black-and-white.
Recent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Skagit and Whatcom counties have resulted in strikes, protests and a regrouping of political activists.
In late January, the U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector announced on social media that its agents helped arrest six undocumented immigrants in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Nearly every day since, the sector has posted new apprehensions during targeted operations in partnership with ICE.
The first wave of arrests took place in Ferndale, Everson, Burlington and Maple Falls, of immigrants from Mexico, India and Guatemala.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector Facebook page, 85 vehicles have illegally crossed the Canadian border since 2023, and the number is rising. Officers installed concrete block and rock barriers in high-traffic areas in Whatcom County to target these vehicles.
Since the first arrests, border patrol has arrested or assisted in the arrest of five Romanian immigrants crossing the Canadian border, two Mexican immigrants in Mount Vernon, a Mexican immigrant in Bellingham, a Guatemalan immigrant in Lynden, a Guatemalan immigrant in Bellingham, a Mexican immigrant in Burlington, a Honduran immigrant in Lynden, Peruvian immigrants in Sumas and more, all with previous felony charges.
According to Jason Givens, a press officer with the Border Patrol, there have been no policy changes within the sector this year, but officers have partnered with ICE and conducted targeted operations, potentially resulting in the arrest of more immigrants with criminal records than prior to January’s executive orders.
In December 2024, the Blaine Sector arrested 291 people. To compare, full arrests numbers for January will be available in the coming weeks. ICE, on the other hand, has had sweeping policy changes in the new year.
The local arrests coincide with the Trump administration closing asylum protections at the border, bolstering border troops, green-lighting immigrant arrests in schools, churches and hospitals and more.
The Washington Post reported White House officials established ICE arrest quotas of 1,200 to 1,500 per day.
Locals such as Mike Betz, founder of the Immigration Rights Team with the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, have taken notice. Betz, who started the group in 2010 in response to local ICE arrests at the time, said he doesn’t believe the numbers reported nationally.
“These thousands that are supposed to be deported every day, I don’t think it’s really a legitimate number,” Betz said. “I think the preparation is a book I read in high school. It’s called ‘1984’.”
Public safety risks make the border patrol’s social media, Givens said, though many arrests go unadvertised.
On Feb. 3, some Latino-owned businesses in Whatcom County closed their doors in solidarity with the nationwide “A Day Without Immigrants” strike, a grassroots initiative that spread through social media, aiming to demonstrate how essential immigrants are to the economy.
While staff of Los Cabos Grocery in Ferndale and Bordertown Mexican Grill in Blaine confirmed they closed doors on Monday, each declined to provide further details.
On Feb. 5, activists gathered at the Federal Building on West Magnolia Street in Bellingham, protesting recent ICE raids and other policy changes.
Abby Yates, spokesperson for the Nooksack Indian Tribe, confirmed there have been rumors of tribal members stopped by border patrol due to mistaken identity. She said the issue has been discussed among the tribal council and council members are “keeping an eye” on the executive orders coming from the Trump administration.
In the coming month, Betz said his team plans on partnering with other faith communities, fundraising, providing information that ICE requires a public records request for, establishing a report forum for arrests, finding a space for families in need and sharing resources.
Meanwhile, regional colleges and universities, local law enforcement and state immigration advocacy groups have reaffirmed commitments to protecting undocumented citizens.
— By Sam Fletcher