U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Blaine Sector have apprehended a Guatemalan citizen found illegally present in the United States near Sumas, Washington. The individual is now awaiting removal proceedings, according to a statement posted by the agency on Thursday. No additional identifying information, including age or name, was provided in the announcement.
Sumas is a small city of roughly 1,500 residents located directly on the Canada-U.S. border in northeastern Whatcom County, immediately south of Abbotsford, British Columbia. The Sumas Port of Entry handles both commercial and passenger traffic on the Sumas-Abbotsford corridor, and the Blaine Sector of U.S. Border Patrol maintains a station in Sumas specifically because of the sector's proximity to the international boundary. The sector also operates stations in Blaine, Bellingham, and Port Angeles, covering the western half of Washington State and all of Alaska and Oregon.
The Blaine Sector has a Targeted Enforcement Unit, or TEU, that operates in coordination with Customs and Border Protection officers at local ports of entry. Earlier this year, the TEU conducted a series of enforcement actions near Sumas and Lynden that resulted in multiple apprehensions of individuals with prior criminal histories or prior immigration arrests. The agency has been publicly posting its enforcement actions more frequently in 2026, consistent with a broader national emphasis on interior enforcement operations.
Removal proceedings are a formal immigration court process administered by the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review. The person who was apprehended will appear before an immigration judge, where they may contest their removal or accept a voluntary departure. The timeline for removal proceedings varies widely depending on case complexity, legal representation, and court scheduling, and can range from weeks to years in some circumstances.
Sumas and northern Whatcom County have seen consistent Border Patrol activity throughout 2026. The area's geography -- flat agricultural land adjacent to the border with multiple rural roads and access points -- makes it a frequent location for enforcement operations. Residents in the area have noted increased agency presence compared to prior years.
For information on Blaine Sector operations and local border enforcement activities, see the agency's public announcements on the Customs and Border Protection website. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office coordinates with federal agencies on local law enforcement matters; for county-level public safety updates, visit the Sheriff's Office site.
For more on recent enforcement activity in Whatcom County, the July 1 briefing from the county is worth a read.
