‘It’s impossible to tell’: WA roofing president on identifying undocumented workers amid Bellingham raid

Apr 7, 2025, 5:14 PM | Updated: 5:15 pm

The back of an ICE agent in full uniform. (Photo: David Dee Delgado, Getty Images)

(Photo: David Dee Delgado, Getty Images)

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Federal agents arrested 37 people last week during an immigration raid at Mt. Baker Roofing in Bellingham.

The people arrested were accused of fraudulently representing their immigration status and submitting false documents to obtain their jobs. One employee described the raid as aggressive, with officers corralling workers into a room and taking those who were undocumented. Mt. Baker Roofing stated it is cooperating with authorities and ensuring fair treatment of employees.

On Monday, the president of Integrity Roofing and Construction, Tanner Tennyson, joined “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio to talk about challenges regarding immigration enforcement and employer responsibilities.

Co-host of “Jake and Spike,” Spike O’Neill, began by asking Tennyson how challenging it is to identify employees and applicants who are living in the United States illegally.

“I wouldn’t even say it’s difficult. I would just say it’s impossible,” Tennyson responded. “This is an epidemic of an issue all around the country. It’s very difficult to tell one document from the next and one number from the next, and an employer is not going to know if that number is registered or not.”

Employer responsibilities and enforcement challenges

Although Tennyson mentioned that identifying employees who are not U.S. citizens is extremely difficult, employers still face consequences if they intentionally or accidentally hire them.

“I think, I think they call it a Class B felony,” Tennyson said. “So it becomes a crime if you knowingly hire illegal immigrants.”

Spike then asked Tennyson for his opinion on how the Trump administration has handled immigration.

“If you’re trying to solve something, you usually go to the source of the issue,” Tennyson said. “Instead, we’re trying to treat the symptom, not the actual problem.”

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.