Six Guatemalans detained in upper Twisp River area
Six young men from Guatemala who’d been picking morels in the upper Twisp River area were taken into custody by federal immigration officials in late May.
After being held overnight at a county jail in Wenatchee, four of the men were released on bond, given court dates, and permitted to return to picking mushrooms. The other two were transferred to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, which is run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The detention was reported by Leahe Swayze, a member of a group in the Methow Valley that supports immigrants. Swayze spoke to the four Guatemalans after they had returned to the camp and she connected them with a hotline that aids immigrants. The local group focuses on making sure that people understand their rights and how the process works, said Swayze.
Swayze learned about the detentions after receiving a text message on May 22 from an advocate with the local chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice. The message said that an unidentified individual had spoken with immigration officials parked near Twisp. The detained men were in the officials’ vehicles, according to the message.
A few days later, Swayze and an interpreter went to a campsite for mushroom pickers at the Twisp River Sno-Park, about 12 miles west of Twisp, where she met the four men who’d been released.
Swayze called a hotline operated by volunteers with the Washington Immigrant Solidary Network, a network of 150 organizations across the state. A hotline volunteer spoke with the four men who’d been released, and was able to track the other two men to the facility in Tacoma and to give the men information about their friends.
Brenda Rodriguez, coordinator of the solidarity network, said in an interview this week that she didn’t know why authorities had initially approached the mushroom pickers. She couldn’t say if the immigration agents had a warrant or probable cause to stop the men.
Routine patrols
The agents in the national forest were most likely with the U.S. Border Patrol, a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), according to Jason Givens, a public affairs specialist with the agency. Givens said he had no information about specific citations issued to mushroom pickers.
“The area is routinely patrolled by Border Patrol and CBP does not target or have a concerted effort to check the documents of individuals involved in commercial mushroom picking operations in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest,” said Givens by email. “However, there could be instances in which CBP receives information or has reason to believe an individual is in the country illegally,” he said.
All individuals picking mushrooms must have legal authorization to live and work in the United States, said Givens. Anyone found to be illegally living or working in the United States would be arrested and processed accordingly, most likely returned to their country of origin.
Although most Border Patrol work is conducted in the immediate border area, agents have broad authority and are not limited to a specific geographical region, said Givens. Agents have the authority to question individuals, make arrests, and gather evidence.
The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act states that immigration officers, without a warrant, may “within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States … board and search for aliens in any vessel … or vehicle,” said Givens. A reasonable distance is defined as within 100 air miles from the border, he said.
Because CBP has jurisdiction near the border, its agents tend to be more active in Okanogan County, said Rodriguez. CBP officers have more leeway than ICE and can ask about immigration status based on probable cause, she said.
The cases of the two Guatemalan men still in detention were passed on to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, which assists immigrants through legal services and education, said Rodriguez.
Many commercial mushroom pickers are originally from other countries, a large number from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, according to people in the industry. Swayze said a Cambodian mushroom picker at the camp had directed her to the men who’d been detained. Another man said the immigration officials hadn’t talked to the Asian pickers at the camp, she said. The Guatemalans told Swayze they live in Oregon.
Local support
The local immigrant-support group evolved organically about two years ago as people saw and heard about needs in the community, said Swayze. Their focus is on supporting the immigrant community and helping with education to make sure people are aware of their rights.
The group leads “know your rights” workshops regarding interactions with immigration authorities. They’ve received legal-observer training so that people know how to lawfully and safely observe, document and respond if they witness an interaction, said Chris Hogness, a Mazama resident working with the support group. They also provide observer training to others in the community. Much of their work has been in the Brewster area.
“It felt good,” said Swayze. “The men were thankful somebody had been interested in finding out where their friends were and was willing to help.”
