Newport to Continue Lawsuit After ICE States No Immediate Facility Plans

Newport, OR. — Newport Mayor Jan Kaplan says federal officials have stated they currently have no plans to build an immigration detention or processing facility in the coastal city, but local leaders remain cautious.

In a statement to the community, Kaplan said the city has spent months working with local, state, and federal lawmakers, community partners, and legal counsel to obtain information about the possible establishment of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newport.

Kaplan noted that attorneys representing the city have gained additional insight into federal planning efforts that reportedly began nearly five months ago. The city has been pursuing legal action challenging the potential siting of a temporary detention facility.

According to Kaplan, a declaration filed in court last week by ICE official Ralph Ferguson stated that the agency has made no decision to construct a temporary holding or processing facility. The filing also said ICE currently has “no plan or intention” to begin construction or open such a facility in Newport or anywhere in Lincoln County.

While Kaplan described the statement as a positive step, she said it does not fully resolve community concerns.

Previously, federal officials had only indicated that a detention facility would not be built in Newport or at the Newport Municipal Airport before May 2026. Kaplan said the city is seeking broader assurances that no detention facility — temporary or permanent — will be established in the future.

“For months, ICE has left our community in a state of uncertainty,” Kaplan said. “We will remain actively engaged until ICE has made a decision, and we will only be satisfied when that decision is to make a permanent commitment not to establish a detention facility in Newport.”

Kaplan also praised community organizations and local officials for their involvement in the issue, including the Newport Fishermen’s Wives and Lincoln County leaders who are working to secure the permanent placement of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter in Newport.

City officials say the lawsuit against federal agencies will continue as Newport seeks clearer guarantees that federal authorities will not pursue detention operations in the area.