By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10
12/22/2025
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Earlier this year, the Oregon Department of Justice joined Lincoln County and the Fisherman’s Wives in a lawsuit asserting that the national Department of Homeland Security had violated federal and state law by removing the Coast Guard air rescue helicopter from Newport without proper notice or public engagement. On Friday, they amended their claim, arguing that there was credible evidence of plans to build an ICE detention facility here and that those plans also were in conflict with state and federal law. Oregon is now asking the federal courts to block any attempts by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to build Oregon’s only detention center in Newport until it goes through a series of federal, state and local environmental and siting processes to determine any impact.
This is a meaningful development.
I have regularly spoken out against establishing an ICE prison here, citing the affect on our economy, the tourism industry, our workforce, infrastructure like water and sewer, local families and our core community values. My mail is running 10-1 in agreement with that stance. To those who argue that ICE is doing good and appropriate work, I reply that they should at the very least, follow the law. They should be open and honest about their plans, stop ignoring requests for more information, and allow local residents and local government some say in the future of our communities.
The amended lawsuit reflects my own position.
“Alongside their unlawful efforts to reassign the rescue helicopter, Defendants have been furtively working to transform the Newport Municipal Airport into an ICE detention facility. Defendants have engaged in these efforts behind closed doors, with no transparency or public process, ignoring direct requests for information from local officials and members of Congress. As a result, the State has been forced to piece together Defendants’ plans for the ICE detention facility based on public reporting, inquiries to and information from federal contractors, the second-hand account of a U.S. Coast Guard witness, and related evidence.”
Much of the evidence cited is evidence our office, the City of Newport, and the Lincoln County Commission discovered or helped compile. Online job postings, inquiries for water delivery and sewage removal, bids for hotel space, and inquiries about leasing land at the airport.
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The U.S. Coast Guard facility at the Newport Municipal Airport has been at the center of speculation about plans for new immigrant detention facility in Oregon. Photo Eli Imadali / OPB
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| In a sworn deposition in the current lawsuit, a senior U.S. Coast Guard official told attorneys this month that there had been preliminary discussions about housing an ICE facility at a Coast Guard air base located at the Newport airport, but that those plans had not moved forward.
Local residents have asked me what we can do. The answer is that we ask the Courts to stop any action until the law has been followed and we are properly consulted. That’s precisely what this new development requests. This is our opportunity to finally force an honest conversation. We have collected evidence and watched the situation evolve. Now we have a tool to do something. When all we have are rumors, we can’t plan and we can’t have a real dialogue that helps us convey our community’s concerns.
I hate that it took a lawsuit to get our government to simply talk to us.
U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken is scheduled to rule Monday on a temporary injunction request regarding the helicopter issue. Aiken issued a temporary restraining order November 25 that the helicopter be returned to Newport from North Bend, where it was moved in October. The Coast Guard’s commandant has promised the helicopter will remain in Newport, except for emergencies elsewhere, but government lawyers have yet to indicate that in court.
To read the newest state filing go here. Read reports from OPB and the Lincoln Chronicle here. Read more details on plans for a detention facility here. |
| At a recent Town Hall, a question was asked about Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state. What does it mean? Who decided? And why weren’t Oregonians asked to vote on it?
Oregon became a sanctuary state in 1987 by passing a bipartisan law (HB 2314) that prohibits state and local law enforcement from using resources to enforce federal immigration laws. The proposal passed both the House and the Senate by near unanimous margins.
In 2018, the question came before Oregon voters as Measure 105 which proposed to overturn the measure. The sanctuary law was supported 63% to 36%.
The argument was simply that local police should be focused on local crime and not doing the work of the federal government. Sanctuary status prohibits state and local law enforcement from helping enforce immigration law without a signed order from a judge. That means state and local government employees cannot report people to ICE. Local and state police cannot arrest people solely for the purpose of enforcing immigration law unless there is an arrest warrant issued by a federal judge in a federal criminal immigration enforcement case. Law enforcement also typically cannot ask for information about an individual’s immigration or citizenship status or country of birth.
If a person has committed a criminal offense, they can and should be arrested and tried, regardless of immigration status (immigration violations are generally civil, not criminal offenses). At the same time, sanctuary laws allow crime victims in the immigrant community to cooperate with local law enforcement without fear of being detained by them.
You can read more about sanctuary laws, as well as your rights if stopped by ICE here. |
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| For many Oregonians, particularly here in our part of Oregon, this has been a hard week. Heavy rain. High winds. Falling trees. One-in-four of us have been without power – including the Gomberg household. And most seriously, landslides have closed or seriously damaged our roadways including Hwy 229 from Lincoln City to Siletz, Cascade Head on the Lincoln-Tillamook border, and Hwy 6 from Tillamook to the Valley.
I urge all of you to sign up for emergency alerts on your phones and by email at ORalert.gov. |
| If you are traveling, use tripcheck.com to see delays, closures, or hazards in any part of Oregon. Road cameras throughout the area are also a useful safety planning tool. |
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| Impacted by severe weather? Need help? Call 211 or check 211info.org for information on resources available. The web page has links to disaster services, housing and shelter, food support, utility assistance, heath care, legal support and crisis hotlines. |
| Finally, the Oregon State Fire Marshal would like to remind everyone of the danger of carbon monoxide when heating or temporarily powering your home. The deadly gas can build up quickly in enclosed spaces.
“Carbon monoxide is a deadly odorless and tasteless gas produced by generators, propane heaters, and other carbon burning sources,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Having working carbon monoxide alarms in your home and taking a few simple steps can mean the difference between life and death.”
Carbon monoxide safety tips:
- Only use heaters intended for indoor use.
- Never use an oven or stovetop to heat your home.
- Always use generators outdoors in a well-ventilated space, at least 20 feet from any building or opening.
- Ensure proper ventilation for all fuel-burning appliances, including fireplaces, water heaters, furnaces, and dryers.
- Keep vents and chimneys clear of debris and check for any gaps, leaks, or rust.
- Never leave a car running in the garage.
- Always use barbecue grills outside away from all doors, windows, vents, and any building openings.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion (which sounds like a typical day in the Capitol!). Seriously, if you experience these symptoms, leave the area, get to fresh air, and call 9-1-1.
First responders see an increase in calls related to carbon monoxide during the winter months. It is important to practice these carbon monoxide tips as more storms are forecasted over the coming week. For more tips, please check out the fire safety section of the Fire Marshal website at oregon.gov/osfm or the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association.
Be prepared to stay safe and to take good care of your loved ones and neighbors. |
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| Reading over this report, it seems I’ve focused on a lot of dire news. But truth be told, there is a lot of joy out there this holiday season.
I’m home in Otis. But I’m remembering that for the first time in many years of renovation and repair, the Capitol is open for the holidays. Holidays at the Capitol is a time-honored tradition that fills the Rotunda with the sounds of school choirs from around the state. Performances have taken place from Monday through Saturday. Holiday décor is on display during building hours. |
| Sunday I joined Jewish celebrants for the lighting of the Hannukah Menorah on the Coast. |
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| As I often say this time of year, whatever your faith or traditions, please celebrate with joy, love, the warm embrace of family and friends, and of course, with gusto!
As the year winds down, I want to take a moment to thank you for the way you continue to show up. Whether it is at town halls, through emails and phone calls, or in conversations out in the community, your engagement matters. Serving House District 10 is a responsibility I take seriously, and I do not take for granted the trust you place in me to represent a district that spans this large, diverse, and very special part of Oregon.
We don’t always agree on everything with each other, and that is okay. Hearing different perspectives helps keep me grounded in the real impacts of the policies we debate in Salem. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that listening matters just as much as legislating.
However you mark this time of year, I wish you and your family a joyful holiday season and a safe, healthy beginning to the new year. I look forward to continuing the work ahead together.
Be safe, |
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