Lincoln City Council Opposses ICE

The Lincoln City Council has formally approved a resolution opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention facilities in the area, and raising concerns about ICE enforcement practices. At their regular Lincoln City city council meeting, councilors considered several versions of an immigration-related resolution before voting unanimously to adopt “Resolution 2026-06 D,” as amended. The key change was to broaden its scope from just the city to the entire county. The council voted to oppose the location of any ICE detention center in Lincoln County, not only within Lincoln City limits.

Much of the discussion centered on civil liberties and constitutional protections. Councilor Mark delivered an extended statement linking the issue to the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Citing recent national reporting, he highlighted federal judges’ rulings that thousands of people have been unlawfully detained by ICE. The statement referenced articles from Reuters, CBS News, and the New York Times, as well as a Texas federal court case in which a judge ordered the release of an asylum seeker and his five-year-old son, sharply criticizing warrantless detentions and what he described as a “perfidious lust for unbridled power.”

The resolution, supporters said, is largely symbolic and does not change local law or give the city authority over federal agencies. Instead, it expresses the city’s position that residents should not live in fear of unlawful detention and that due process must be respected. One councilor explicitly said they hoped Latino residents in Lincoln City would feel safe and welcome in the community. The motion passed on a 7–0 vote.