A vague letter from a Texas-based defense contractor spurred concern in Newport that the federal government would seek to establish an immigration detention facility on Oregon’s Central Coast.

On Monday, Newport City Manager Nina Vetter and Mayor Jan Kaplan signed onto a statement alleging they were “made aware of information” indicating the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was already in the process of considering locations across the Oregon coast, including the Newport Municipal Airport. The move set off a frenzy of speculation and angst at a time of heightened immigration enforcement across Oregon, which has banned private immigration detention centers since 2021.

City leaders didn’t explain in that statement what information they had received, though they’ve scheduled

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