ICE Drops Plans to Build Newport Detention Center in Oregon
ICE confirmed it has no current plans for a detention facility in Newport, Oregon.
Why it matters: Community and legal pushback can influence federal detention policies. This case highlights important considerations for in-house counsel and legal operations teams involved in immigration law.
- On October 23, 2026, ICE officially stated it has no plans to construct detention centers in Oregon.
- The settlement came after legal action by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, the City of Newport, and environmental groups.
- ICE must now give Newport at least 30 days' notice before any environmental review related to detention facilities.
- The proposed site was Newport Municipal Airport, which also hosts a U.S. Coast Guard facility.
On October 23, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed in court documents that it no longer plans to build an immigration detention facility in Oregon, including Newport. This announcement followed a settlement resulting from legal challenges initiated by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, the City of Newport, Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, and Cascadia Wildlands. More details about the settlement are available on the Oregon Department of Justice website.
The proposed facility was to be located at the Newport Municipal Airport, which also accommodates a U.S. Coast Guard base. Local opposition, including environmental concerns and community resistance, contributed to halting the project. As part of the settlement, ICE agreed to notify the City of Newport at least 30 days in advance if it plans to conduct an environmental assessment or impact statement for any future detention facility proposals in the city. The City of Newport detailed this condition on their official news page.
Earlier, in March 2026, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons had stated publicly that ICE was not planning to expand or open new detention facilities in Oregon at the time. This was reported by OPB in their March 2026 article. The ongoing legal activism, spearheaded by state and local officials, underscored community objections. Oregon Attorney General Rayfield emphasized, "ICE doesn’t get to skirt the law to build a facility for locking up and deporting our neighbors." Newport’s Mayor Jan Kaplan vowed to stay engaged until a permanent commitment against the facility is secured. U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas noted that Oregonians have consistently opposed the detention center due to concerns over abuse of power by ICE and DHS.
This outcome illustrates how coordinated legal and civic efforts can shape federal immigration detention strategies, an important factor for corporate legal and compliance teams monitoring evolving immigration enforcement policies.
By the numbers:
- October 23, 2026 — ICE confirms no plans for Oregon detention centers
- March 2026 — ICE states no current plans to open new facilities in Oregon
- 30 days — Required advance notice to Newport before environmental assessments