West Virginia State Police and federal immigration officers detained eight men following a traffic stop and a subsequent investigation at a residence in Hurricane, according to State Police.
In a news release, State Police said troopers and ICE officers conducted a traffic stop involving a red 2024 Ford F-250 around 12:30 p.m. Friday near Sleepy Hollow Drive and Oakmont Drive due to equipment violations.
Troopers identified the driver 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,” said Captain L.T. Goldie Jr.
The investigation later led officers to a work site at a home in Hurricane, where seven individuals were seen working on the roof, State Police said.
Goldie stated that ICE officers spoke with the homeowner, who gave consent for officers to enter the property.
Images of officers using a ladder truck from the Teays Valley Fire Department to reach the individuals on the roof circulated on social media over 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.
Teays Valley Fire Chief Cody Smoot confirmed in a statement Sunday that firefighters were dispatched at 1:42 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, to assist state law enforcement within their service district for safety reasons.
After additional units arrived, Goldie said the individuals came down from the roof and were taken into custody without incident.
According to the release, all eight individuals were taken into ICE custody for alleged unlawful presence in the United States.
On Wednesday, Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, shared one of the images from the incident on Facebook, defending the fire department, its members, and their families. She said they had received death threats related 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 addressed calls to defund the department.
“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 identities of the other seven individuals taken into custody were not released.