Without public notice or input, the federal government appears to be moving forward with plans to build a new ICE detention center at Newport’s small municipal airport. Local officials are being left in the dark. Community members are only learning about it from job postings seeking detention officers, medical staff, and wastewater services consistent with a facility holding hundreds of people.

We strongly oppose this secretive and unnecessary project.

Oregon has long stood apart from other states by choosing not to house ICE detention centers. That reflects the values of many Oregonians who believe in welcoming communities, not incarceration for people seeking safety and opportunity. But now, federal contractors are laying the groundwork for a facility in our coastal backyard, without transparency, community consent, or accountability.

The relocation of Coast Guard assets, the wastewater hauling requests, and the hiring of private detention officers all point to a major operation being planned under our noses.

We have not been consulted. We have not been heard. And we do not agree.

This is not just about one building. It is about the message we send to families, immigrants, and the people who call this coast home. We will not accept a facility that increases fear, separates families, and undermines our values as a state.

We are calling on the Department of Homeland Security, Governor Tina Kotek, and local leaders in Newport and Lincoln County to stop this project before it moves forward. Demand full transparency. Demand public hearings. Demand that no detention center be built in our community without the people’s consent.

Newport should not be turned into a holding site for federal immigration enforcement. Say no before it’s too late.

Photo: CNN