OPB’s First Look: ICE confirms interest in Newport in court filing

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Good morning, Northwest.

An official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the agency’s interest in building a detention facility on the Oregon Coast, according to court filings.

The agency has walked back its plans, but OPB’s Courtney Sherwood reports on how it may have left the door open to restart its effort this summer.

In other news, federal prosecutors say the FBI has obtained video that shows “partial views” of a shooting by Border Patrol agents near a Portland health center.

Here’s your First Look at Thursday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

FILE - A helicopter station at the Newport Municipal Airport in Newport, Ore., on Nov. 17, 2025, near where Immigration and Customs Enforcement was considering building a facility.
*Eli Imadali / OPB*

ICE official confirms Newport detention center efforts in court filing

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official wrote in court filings Tuesday that the agency intended to build a temporary holding and processing center in Newport, Oregon, confirming rumors that have swirled through the coastal community for months.

The effort to build an ICE detention center was put on hold after community members raised concerns – and then sued to keep a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter in Newport, which court filings show was moved during ICE’s construction efforts.

But Lincoln County leaders say they believe the statement submitted by Ralph Ferguson, assistant director for ICE enforcement and removal operations, suggests ICE could restart its push for an Oregon Coast detention center as soon as May. (Courtney Sherwood)

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FILE - The FBI and HSI work at the scene of a U.S. Border Patrol shooting of two people at Adventist Health in Portland , Ore., on Jan. 8, 2026.
*Eli Imadali / OPB*

3 things to know this morning

Federal prosecutors say the FBI has obtained video connected to the Jan. 8 shooting by a U.S. Border Patrol agent outside a medical clinic in Portland that wounded two people. (Conrad Wilson)
High schoolers in Oregon hit a record-high graduation rate of 83% in 2025, but were still far short of the state’s 100% goal. (Elizabeth Miller)
Housing in Oregon and Washington is more expensive than national averages, according to findings of the latest American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau. (Kyra Buckley)

FILE - David Farley attends his arraignment from jail at the Clackamas County Courthouse on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 in Oregon City, Ore.
*Saskia Hatvany / OPB*

Headlines from around the Northwest

Former West Linn doctor, clinic, hospital settle with patients ahead of trial in sexual abuse suit (Holly Bartholomew)
Low attendance and a short school year undermine success of Oregon students, according to new analysis (Elizabeth Miller)
Portland Rose Festival combines two parades into one this summer (Kristian Foden-Vencil)
Measles exposure possible for visitors at Clackamas Kaiser Permanente hospital on Jan. 26, OHA says (OPB staff)
Fewer immigrants are seeking Oregon health care benefits under Trump (Mia Maldonado)
Federal judge ends oft-used exemption to environmental review for logging on federal land (Alex Baumhardt)
Multiple people detained and injured during Tuesday anti-ICE protest in Eugene (Nathan Wilk)
People are again attempting to legalize homegrown marijuana in Washington (Aspen Ford)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

Coal-burning power plant in Centralia shuts down despite federal orders
House speaker and minority leader share priorities for Oregon’s short legislative session
Washington lawmakers introduce bill to document and preserve state’s heritage apple orchards

FILE - A black bear walks across a fallen tree in the forest in an undated image provided by the U.S. Forest Service.
*Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service*

Columbia, Breakside unveil beer made from bear poop

If a bear poops in the woods, it might be in your next beer.

Columbia Sportswear, in partnership with Milwaukie-based Breakside Brewery, has unveiled a new beer featuring a wildly unique ingredient: bear feces. The new brew is called “Nature Calls.”

As unpleasant as that may sound, the companies insist that the beer is not only safe to drink, but actually tastes good.

Created in anticipation of the Super Bowl, “Nature Calls” is a lager made from water infused with American black bear scat collected on trails in Montana, along with malted grains in the Pacific Northwest. (Joni Auden Land)