New court filings have confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had active plans to construct a detention and processing center along the Oregon Coast — and could revive those efforts as soon as this summer.

According to filings cited by OPB, ICE Assistant Director Ralph Ferguson disclosed in a sworn statement that the agency had been working on a temporary holding facility in Newport. The proposal had previously fueled months of speculation and community opposition, particularly after construction preparations displaced a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter stationed at the Newport Municipal Airport.

Public concern over the potential facility prompted legal action and political pushback. Local government and residents in Lincoln County expressed worries about impacts on emergency services, housing, and the town’s reputation as a tourist and fishing hub. When the Coast Guard helicopter was temporarily relocated, critics argued that federal priorities appeared to be shifting toward detention operations at the expense of coastal safety.

Although Ferguson’s filing indicated ICE paused the Newport project, he also suggested the agency may revisit the plan later this year. Local leaders told OPB they interpret that language as a sign that federal officials have not abandoned the idea entirely.

As of late January, no new permit activity or environmental review appeared on public planning records for the area. City of Newport officials have not confirmed receiving any renewed contact from federal agencies about site development.

The controversy has underscored the tension between federal detention infrastructure and community control in coastal Oregon jurisdictions. Newport’s opposition follows broader West Coast debates over immigration enforcement logistics, as ICE has sought new facilities in regions that lack proximity to major detention centers.

Why it matters for Southwest Washington: Any reactivation of ICE’s construction push in Newport could carry secondary effects for Cowlitz County, which sits on freight and transportation routes linking Interstate 5 with the Oregon Coast. Regional law enforcement coordination and immigrant community services often cross the Columbia River, meaning a coastal detention hub could influence operations well beyond Lincoln County.

Columbia Countercurrent will monitor public records and planning communications for any fresh federal or local developments related to this proposal.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting