A recent court filing from the Department of Homeland Security in the County’s joint lawsuit to retain the Coast Guard rescue helicopter confirms that the federal government did take steps to establish an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility at the Newport Airport and says the department has no plans to begin construction of such a facility until at least May.
In November of last year, Lincoln County joined Newport Fishermen’s Wives in filing a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the U.S. Coast Guard moving its rescue helicopter from the Newport Airport, where it has been located for 40 years. On December 22, 2025, Judge Ann Aiken of the U.S. District Court in Eugene granted plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction, ensuring the rescue helicopter would remain in Newport at least through the duration of the lawsuit.
On Tuesday, January 27, the assistant director of the Operations Support Division for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations filed a declaration in support of the federal government’s request for a time extension in answering plaintiffs’ complaint.
In that declaration, the assistant director confirms “ICE had begun environmental compliance activities necessary to allow the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Air Facility at Newport, Oregon to be utilized … as a proposed temporary holding/processing facility.” The declaration says that process stopped when the Coast Guard commandant removed the site from availability for ICE use.
However, the declaration leaves open the possibility of building a detention facility at the airport in the future, possibly as soon as this spring.
“ICE is not presently building a temporary holding/processing facility in or around Newport Municipal Airport,” the declaration reads. “In addition, ICE has no plan or intention to begin construction or open an ICE facility in the City of Newport or at Newport Municipal Airport between now and until May 1, 2026.”
Lincoln County maintains that the rescue helicopter is and will remain a vital, life-saving asset for our fishing fleet, recreational boaters and visitors, the latter of which begin to arrive in great numbers after May 1 each year. Plaintiffs will steadfastly pursue the current litigation to ensure the helicopter remains where it is so badly needed.