Where the Waters Are Rough, a Fishing Town Confronts Trump’s Priorities

The New York Times ^ | Nov. 27, 2025 | Anna Griffin, Photographs and Video by Ruth Fremson

[E. Pluribus Unum]

First, Newport, Ore., lost its Coast Guard rescue chopper. Then came the swirl of rumors and evidence that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was coming to town.

The welcome signs on the edge of Newport, Ore., celebrate recent high school sports championships, point tourists toward the local aquarium and highlight two of its defining attributes — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific fleet and its designation as one of the nation’s 37 “Coast Guard cities.”

But the central coast town’s long, warm relationship with the federal government has been upended in recent weeks. First, a Coast Guard rescue helicopter was redeployed from the municipal airport to North Bend, Ore., 95 miles down the coast, with no warning to civic leaders, elected officials or the commercial fishing families who work the treacherous waters off the Oregon coast and sleep better at night knowing quick rescue is available.

Then local businesses began getting calls gauging their interest in providing basic services — like water delivery and solid waste removal — to what many concluded could only be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility at the airport, especially if it is free of the rescue chopper’s operation.

Taken with similar developments elsewhere, including Staten Island, where another Coast Guard facility is being considered for an ICE takeover, people around Newport have reached what they see as a demoralizing conclusion. To them, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees both the Coast Guard and ICE, is prioritizing immigration enforcement over coastal safety, and partisan politics over a legacy of trust and communication.

“It’s mind-boggling that the decision was made to move this helicopter, but it’s just as mind-boggling that nobody bothered to talk to us about it,” said Taunette Dixon, a leader of the nonprofit Newport Fishermen’s Wives. “I don’t understand...”

---

TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS:

[plangent]

Our military is not deployed to make friends with the locals.

The military is deployed to protect the nations. When possible, make friends with the locals.

[Highest Authority]

Question: why are there so many illegals there that ICE is needed?

[GranTorino]

Stop catering to illegals and they won’t be bothered.

[bert]

Oregon has resigned from America. Reducing the presence of government should be expected

[Twotone]

If you would like more information about what’s happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me. Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.

[Da Coyote]

Each day I am reminded by the NYT ‘journalists’ why their profession is so disrespected. Pathetic.

[T.B. Yoits]

The “civic leaders” and elected officials can hop to it and cough up lists of all the illegal aliens for ICE to gather up so the “commercial fishing families who work the treacherous waters off the Oregon coast can sleep better at night knowing quick rescue is available”.

[Brian Griffin]

Businesses, the Pope, the Congress, Trump and the invaders need to understand that American citizens can’t simply stand aside to be replaced by people that might work 10% harder for 10% less.

The American governments simply can’t afford to pick up the living costs of all the American citizens who would be displaced.

People that lend to the US government need to understand that few migrants will stick around to pay $400,000 each as their share of the federal debt.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/steel-tycoon-lakshmi-mittal-quits-uk-ahead-of-proposed-taxes-on-super-rich-report/articleshow/125520763.cms

[Brian Griffin]

“it’s just as mind-boggling that nobody bothered to talk to us about it”

There was an election. The whole nation talked over the invasion and the man who promised to remove the invaders was voted in.

[goodnesswins]

The hub says a judge just ruled Newport gets its helicopter back.

[PIF]

The Coast Guard is not part of the US military. It belongs to DHS. The major part of its mission is to safeguard and rescue mariners in distress. Not enforce Immigration. This is a misuse by DHA of the Coast Guard, and any mariners that perish because of the helicopter being moved is blood of US citizens on Noem’s hands.

[PeterPrinciple]

It belongs to DHS. The major part of its mission is to safeguard and rescue mariners in distress.

---

Where did you get that idea? Seriously, where did you get that idea? Think about it.

https://www.uscg.mil/About/What-We-Do/

[Lurker]

Oh just shut up. The Coast Guard has been doing law enforcement for decades. Drug interdiction, stopping human trafficking, along with several other law enforcement activities.

They’re sent where they’re needed and answer to CINC just like any other branch of the military.

L

[yelostar]

The United States Coast Guard is the coastal defense, search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement branch of the United States Armed Forces and is one of the country's eight uniformed services. It carries out three basic roles, which are further subdivided into eleven statutory missions. The three roles are:

Maritime safety

Maritime security

Maritime stewardship

The eleven statutory missions as defined by law are divided into homeland security missions and non-homeland security missions.[1] Non-homeland security missions include: Marine safety, search and rescue, aids to navigation, living marine resources (fisheries law enforcement), marine environmental protection, and ice operations Homeland security missions include: Ports, waterways, and coastal security (PWCS); drug interdiction; migrant interdiction; defense readiness; and other law enforcement.

[Tailback]

Newport is a big Summer tourist destination. The illegals are there to work in the hotels and restaurants.

[gibsonguy]

NYT/Oregon of course what follows is incoherent BS

[bgill]

Years ago, illegals used free land in the national forests for marijuana growing and toutists were warned not to leave the trails or they’d be shot.

[Rummyfan]

So the helo was relocated 95 miles south to another coastal city. Whats the big deal?

[bgill]

I had a procedure at the hospital some 20 years agoinsuance didn’t pay for at the time. And was charged double because a foreigner skipped out on their bill.