Portland Officials Fund Newport’s Fight Against Proposed Immigration Detention Center
Portland's mayor and a city councilor are using taxpayer money from their office budgets to support Newport's effort to prevent a federal contractor from establishing an immigration detention center near the Newport Municipal Airport.
Portland, OR, August 19, 2026 —
PORTLAND, OR – Officials in Portland are allocating taxpayer funds from their respective office budgets to aid the city of Newport in its opposition to a proposed immigration detention center. Mayor Ted Wheeler and City Councilor Carmen Rubio have directed funds to support Newport’s efforts to prevent a federal contractor from establishing the facility near the Newport Municipal Airport.
The specific details regarding the amount of funding and the exact timeline for its allocation were not provided. Similarly, the name of the federal contractor involved in the proposed detention center has not been publicly disclosed.
Newport, a city located approximately 120 miles south of Portland on the Oregon coast, has been actively campaigning against the development. The proposed site’s proximity to the Newport Municipal Airport has raised concerns within the community and among its local leadership.
The use of funds from the mayoral and city councilor offices highlights a coordinated effort between Portland and Newport on this issue. However, the precise nature of the support and the specific activities it will fund remain unclear. Further information regarding the federal contractor’s plans and the status of any permits or approvals for the detention center were not available.
This development indicates a broader regional concern regarding the potential establishment of immigration detention facilities and the resources being mobilized to address such proposals.
Story summarized from the original created by Letters to the editor on www.oregonlive.com, see more information here.
