Portland Mayor, City Councilor fund legal challenge to new ICE detention facility in Oregon

In this article

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Councilor Steve Novick today announced a combined $20,000 contribution to support the City of Newport's ongoing legal fight to prevent a federal contractor from establishing an ICE detention and processing facility at the Newport Municipal Airport.

"Our support reflects Portland's responsibility to stand alongside communities and mayors across Oregon to keep communities safe, keep families together, and ensure every person is treated with dignity and respect," Mayor Wilson said. "Portland is proud to support Mayor Kaplan of Newport and cities across Oregon when federal overreach threatens community safety. I want to thank Councilor Steve Novick for his important contribution, and Brenda Alvarado for her leadership in ensuring our sanctuary commitments help those they are meant to serve."

The contribution, $10,000 from the Mayor's Office budget and $10,000 from Councilor Novick's Office budget, comes in response to a formal request from Newport Mayor Jan Kaplan.

"Just as we share resources with other communities when they're fighting fires, we should help to make sure Newport has the legal resources it needs to fight ICE," Novick said. "Their fight is our fight. And it makes me proud of our state that not just Portland, but Ashland, and Yachats, and Benton County have rallied to Newport's side."

This work was coordinated and led by Brenda Alvarado, the City of Portland's Immigrant Affairs Lead, appointed earlier this year to oversee sanctuary compliance, immigrant safety initiatives, and community coordination on immigration-related issues. Alvarado worked closely with legal partners, advocates like Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, ensuring Portland's response aligned with legal precedent and community-driven priorities.

"As the statewide hotline for reporting ICE activity, PIRC sees every day how interconnected our communities around Oregon are," the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition said. "It is critical that we see cross-state coordination and advocacy to defend our hard-won protections. We applaud elected leaders around the state collaborating to protect our communities from ICE encroachment.

A regional challenge with statewide consequences

According to information provided by the City of Newport, in late 2025, Newport learned that federal contractors were attempting to convert airport property into an ICE detention center, a plan that also involved removing the Coast Guard's Search and Rescue helicopter. The news prompted immediate community response: more than 800 residents attended a special meeting on November 12, the city received over 300 emails opposing the proposal, and Members of Oregon's Congressional Delegation led efforts to prevent the plan from moving forward.

Days later, the Newport City Council passed a resolution objecting to any ICE facility and hired Stoll Berne to pursue legal action. Newport has since sued the federal government, arguing required processes were not followed. DHS and ICE have acknowledged they were exploring the facility and have stated they are "no longer planning" to move forward, but Newport continues to seek permanent restrictions.

Legal costs have reached nearly $500,000, with support from Yachats, Ashland, Benton County, and now Portland.

Portland's sanctuary commitments

Portland's support for Newport aligns with the city's long-standing commitment to protecting immigrant communities. In 2025, the City Council unanimously approved the Sanctuary Ordinance 192115 and Protect Portland Initiative, formally codifying Portland as a sanctuary city and establishing clear prohibitions on assisting federal immigration enforcement.

Under the initiative, Portland:

• Prohibits City employees from assisting federal immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant
• Bars the use of City resources for immigration enforcement
• Requires policies, training and signage to guide interactions with federal agents
• Directs the City to file FOIA requests with DHS and ICE
• Directs the Office of Government Relations to advocate for federal immigration reforms and civil-rights protections

Five months after establishing the Immigrant Affairs Lead position, Portland has built a coordinated, citywide strategy to uphold its sanctuary commitments and strengthen support for immigrant communities. The City is implementing a comprehensive framework that unites City bureaus, legal partners, community organizations, government partners, and immigrant leaders around a shared goal: using every lawful tool available to protect City employees and immigrant families.

This work includes strengthening sanctuary protocols, advancing emergency preparedness planning, developing sanctuary training for more than 7,000 City employees, expanding Know Your Rights and family preparedness initiatives, convening immigrant community forums, and deepening regional partnerships to ensure Portland is prepared to respond with coordination, compassion, and resolve.

Learn more about the City of Portland's values and the federal government.