Mark Kuske, owner of Mount Baker Roofing, said in a statement that those arrested were “actively supporting our community” and were active in the area for years.
“It is with a heavy heart that we navigate this moment,” Kuske said. “Many of those impacted have worked for us, as tax-paying employees, for years, if not decades. These hardworking individuals were actively supporting our community by helping to build the homes and install the roofs that protect us all from the elements. Many of these individuals are active members of local churches, schools, and communities.”
Kuske further charged that immigration enforcement harms small businesses.
“Looking beyond the personal impact, we cannot ignore the larger implications of today’s events,” Kuske said. “Policies like the enforcement action carried out today directly harm small businesses like ours, making it increasingly difficult to operate and further inflating the prices paid by consumers.”
The company said it will cooperate with authorities to ensure its employees are “treated fairly and respectfully under the law.”
All 37 of those arrested were taken to the Northwest ICE Processing Facility in Tacoma.
ICE says it made 32,809 arrests in President Donald Trump’s first 50 days in office.
That was a daily average of 656, up from 311 during the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30.
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