Five fathers handcuffed by ICE in front of children while camping
Five fathers, husbands and uncles from one extended Mexican family were handcuffed before children during a Labor Day camping trip near Granite Falls, Washington. They remain held in Tacoma.
Sep 5, 2026WACountry of origin: Mexico

Five men from an extended Mexican family in Snohomish County — described as fathers, husbands, uncles, godfathers, and primary breadwinners — were detained by ICE during a Labor Day weekend camping trip at Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near Granite Falls, Washington. U.S. Forest Service rangers first visited the campsite over a reported trash complaint and photographed the men's identification; one individual who had posed as a ranger later returned armed with a rifle as ICE 'backup.' Just before midnight, armed ICE agents returned, initially identifying themselves as police before revealing they were immigration officers, shook tents, and handcuffed the men one by one in front of children ages 1 to 14 and a pregnant mother. Carmen, 19, said she watched agents arrest her father, uncles, and godfathers, and that the experience traumatized younger cousins who had viewed the campground as a safe retreat. Families said they had no cell service and could not reach a lawyer or the detained men until after the holiday weekend. DHS said four of the five men had no criminal record aside from a 2016 misdemeanor negligent driving conviction, citing prior voluntary returns to Mexico, a 2021 driving-related arrest, and unlawful entry as grounds for removal proceedings. The men remain at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, and families are raising roughly $100,000 for legal fees and living expenses while fearing transfer out of state. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson called the detentions cruel and ordered a legal investigation, while Representative Pramila Jayapal demanded answers about whether federal land management staff improperly facilitated civil immigration enforcement.
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Sources
- ICE (or Border Patrol) Recruited Smokey Bear
Substack·Sep 8, 2026·archived copy
- The Despicable Collusion Between Mount Baker Snoqualmie Park Rangers and a Midnight Campsite ICE Raid Over Labor Day Weekend
Eyes On Ice·Sep 8, 2026·archived copy
- 华州露营遭拍ID,林务员称“只为寄罚单”!深夜12点变ICE突袭,5名顶梁柱被带走
Seattle Chinese Radio·Sep 8, 2026·archived copy
- Labor Day Weekend family camping trip ends in ICE raid -
Florida Sun Journal·Sep 8, 2026
Show 6 more sources ↓Show fewer sources ↑
- ICE nighttime raid targets WA family while camping
Seattle Times·Sep 11, 2026
- Families speak out after 5 men detained at Washington campsite
- US Forest Service confirms it works with ICE after camping trip raid
Fox 13 Seattle·Sep 18, 2026
- The Oregonian
- Donate to 5 Hombres Detenidos por ICE: Ayudemos a Sus Familias, organized by Johanna R
GoFundMe·Sep 5, 2026
- Instagram2 links
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