Posted on 01/15/2026 5:44:52 AM PST by DFG
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia State Police and federal immigration officers detained eight men during a traffic stop and subsequent investigation at a home in Hurricane, according to State Police.
According to a news release from State Police, troopers and ICE officers conducted a traffic stop on a red 2024 Ford F-250 around 12:30 p.m. on Friday near Sleepy Hollow Drive and Oakmont Drive for equipment violations.
Troopers said the driver was identified as Miguel Angel Alvarado Molina, a native of Honduras.
"Mr. Molina is a native of Honduras and was determined to be unlawfully present in the United States with a final order of removal as a fugitive," Captain L.T. Goldie, Jr. said.
Further investigation led officers to a work site at a home in Hurricane, where seven people were observed working on the roof of the home, according to State Police.
ICE officers made contact with the homeowner, who allowed officers to enter the property, Goldie said.
Photos of the officers using a ladder truck from the Teays Valley Fire Department to reach the men on the roof circulated across social media throughout the weekend.
"An ICE officer climbed a ladder to speak to the individuals on the roof. One of the individuals grabbed a nail gun, so the ICE officer descended the ladder," Goldie said.
"On Friday, January 9, 2026, at 1:42 p.m., Teays Valley Fire was dispatched to assist state law enforcement working within its service district for safety purposes," Teays Valley Fire Chief Cody Smoot said in a statement on Sunday.
After additional units arrived, Goldie said the individuals climbed down from the roof and were taken into custody without incident.
All eight individuals were taken into custody by ICE for alleged unlawful presence in the United States, according to the release.
On Wednesday, Del. Katie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, posted one of the photos from the incident to Facebook in defense of the fire department, its members, and their families after she said they were receiving death threats due to their involvement.
"These brave men and women were called in by the West Virginia State Police to assist in getting people safely off a roof. They were not told this was connected to an ICE operation," Crouse said. "They showed up for one reason only: to do their jobs and keep people safe."
Crouse also said some people were calling for the department to be defunded.
"Let me be absolutely clear and leave no room for doubt: that will NOT happen. I will not allow funding to be pulled from the Teays Valley Fire Department," she said. "Our firefighters are not politicians. They are not law enforcement. They are public servants who respond when called, in emergencies, without hesitation and without all the details. They save lives. They protect our communities. They run toward danger when the rest of us run away from it."
According to jail records, Molina is being held at the Western Regional Jail. The names of the seven other people taken into custody were not released.
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For those reading quickly, here Hurricane is a town in West Virginia, not a strong wind.
And roofers are notorious for hiring illegals
“”These brave men and women were called in by the West Virginia State Police to assist in getting people safely off a roof. They were not told this was connected to an ICE operation,” Crouse said.””
Now that’s just plain crazy! Is anyone going to believe that was the only way the workers could get off the roof? Someone stole their ladders and left them stranded up there or what?
And gee, I wonder if these detained people were also into drug and human trafficking or other such nefarious things on the side.
I have heard the pronunciation of the name of that town is different than the way we pronounce hurricane as a storm.
Lots of roofing jobs starting in the area contractors must be getting nervous about staffing.
Yeah, they’re roofers.
You’d think that they’d be able to get a work visa.
Best way to get work for pay at the end of the day.
“they were receiving death threats due to their involvement.”
Hopefully there will be following up arrests of anti-Americans and criminal supporters making death threats.
“Some people” want fire services refunded? Are you kidding? Name names. Or don’t mention this hearsay.
“You’d think that they’d be able to get a work visa.”
The roofing and construction industries are notorious abusers of the work visa system.
One company will forge papers for fake to get workers in then hire them out to other companies.
Excellent. Deport them all.
This is just stupid. Why would detaining 8 illegal immigrants require such a long article? They think we’re stupid.
This is just stupid. Why would detaining 8 illegal immigrants require such a long article? They think we’re stupid.
MORE PROOF THAT ALL ROOFING COMPANIES SHOULD BE RAIDED.
I GOT A NEW ROOF OVER LABOR DAY==3 NEIGHBORS DID TEAR OFF & REPLACEMENT. I BOUGHT MATERIALS & FED THEM, ETC.
GOOD FOR ANOTHER 40 YEARS....HIGHER PRICED SHINGLES CAME WITH DELIVERY ONTO THE ROOF, SO NO ONE WOULD HAVE TO CARRY 67 BUNDLES BY HAND UP A LADDER...NOT A HARD CHOICE
I’m tired of these contractors hiring illegals. They are a huge reason why people keep illegally coming across the border.
I certainly hope so - Because the Hurricane only has one seat. (And a high-speed roundy-roundy sharp thing spinning in circles in front.)
Very difficult to get 7 aliens out of a Hurricane.
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