Newport ICE facility sparks Democratic opposition after Noem meeting

Oregon Democrats are up in arms over reports that a new ICE detention facility could be built near Portland, after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned she may have to act “the hard way” following a tense meeting with state officials.

Noem met in October with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and local police, later describing them as “disingenuous” and hinting at possible federal action during a White House Cabinet meeting.

“As soon as you leave the room, then they make the exact opposite response, so we’re looking at new facilities to purchase there in Portland, too, and we’re going to double down,” Noem said at the time. “If we have to do it the hard way… we will.”

Seen as a potential follow-up to those remarks, a municipal airport in Newport — on Oregon’s coast about 100 miles southwest of Portland — is being eyed for a potential ICE facility, officials there told the local ABC affiliate.

Newport officials told the outlet they are working with state and federal lawmakers to confirm details of the reported project and its impacts on public safety.

DHS did not respond to a request for comment, and city leaders said they also reached out to the agency.

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks in Quito, Ecuador in July 2025. (Getty Images/Alex Brandon)

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told KATU the idea of DHS deciding on its own to build an ICE facility in Newport was “alarming and asinine,” while Newport Mayor Jan Kaplan said public well-being and the “values of our community are the highest priorities of myself and city council.”

Kaplan told the local CBS affiliate that he is hearing from people in Portland and elsewhere that they will never visit Newport again, with some expressing concerns about getting “hauled into the street” by ICE.

He also said that a marked increase in vehicular traffic due to a new ICE facility would create other potential problems.

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A letter obtained by KOIN from a Texas-based workforce housing company to Newport City Manager Nina Vetter expressed interest in leasing a 4.3-acre parcel at the airport to the federal government for “operational staging in support of the federal project.” The plan includes “temporary facilities,” a 12-foot fence and controlled access points.

The No. 2 Democrat in the Oregon House, who represents Newport, publicly demanded answers from DHS:

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“Explain your intentions and let the public know what you’re planning,” Rep. David Gomberg said.

Gomberg told KATU that he wants respectful dialogue and that locals should not harass U.S. Coast Guard personnel currently stationed on the parcel of federal property at the airport.