A series of job postings for positions at an immigration detention facility in the Portland area has raised concerns and speculation about the federal government’s plans to expand its operations in Oregon. The postings, which were first reported by KGW, are from Acuity International, a federal contractor seeking to fill several key roles, including a warden/facility director and an operations manager.
The job listings indicate that the warden/facility director would act as the primary liaison with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, legal representatives, and community partners. Other positions include a security manager and an unarmed guard supervisor, with all roles contingent upon the successful award of the contract. This development suggests a potential shift in the landscape of immigration detention in the state.
Speculation about a new immigration detention facility has recently focused on Oregon’s coast, particularly in the Newport area. Federal contractors have been making inquiries in the region since November, and a new job posting from Acuity indicates the firm is actively searching for a Case Processing Specialist in Newport. This role entails providing administrative and case management support for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations at the proposed facility.
Currently, Oregon lacks any long-term immigration detention facilities due to state laws that prohibit local jails from contracting with federal immigration agencies and restrict the operation of private immigration detention facilities. However, ICE does have several outposts within the state, including a facility in Portland that has become a focal point for protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The ICE building in South Portland contains detention cells but is bound by a 2011 land use agreement that limits the agency’s ability to hold individuals for longer than 12 hours. In September, the city found that ICE had violated this agreement, a finding that has since been challenged by the property owner and remains unresolved. City leaders are exploring other methods to hold ICE accountable in Portland.
This week, the Portland City Council adopted new fees for private property owners who lease to detention facilities, a measure aimed at curbing the expansion of such facilities in the area. Mayor Keith Wilson’s office has expressed concern over the lack of transparency from the federal government regarding ICE’s plans. City spokesperson Cody Bowman stated, “The City of Portland continues to receive limited and incomplete information from the federal government regarding ongoing ICE matters.”
