HomeMy WebLinkAboutProclamation - Opposing the Establishment of an ICE Detention Facility in the Rogue Valley /CITY OF
ASHLAND
A Proclamation Opposing the Establishment of an ICE Detention Facility in the Rogue Valley
WHEREAS,the public has brought to the Mayor and City Council their deep concerns regarding the
potential development of an ICE detention facility in the Rogue Valley; and
WHEREAS,the siting of an ICE detention facility in the Rogue Valley would impose material burdens
on Ashland's public safety and municipal service infrastructure,including demands on police,fire,
medical,code enforcement,water and sewage utilities,and road infrastructure.These services are
all at capacity and are needed to serve the current residential and commercial population.An ICE
facility would divert resources away from community needs,and create operational risks and
unfunded service demands; and
WHEREAS,the Rogue Valley's economy depends upon tourism,the arts,outdoor recreation,
healthcare,agriculture,education, small business development,and a workforce that includes
immigrants and their families.An ICE detention facility in or near Ashland would undermine the
City's tourism-based economy by: raising safety concerns for its necessary immigrant workforce;
diminishing the area's reputation as a safe and welcoming arts and outdoor recreation
destination; reducing visitor traffic to outdoor and artistic attractions, lodging,and small
businesses; creating congestion, restricted-access zones,and security-related closures that
interfere with recreation and tourism mobility and discourage private investment in hospitality,
retail,the arts and outdoor-recreation sectors; and
WHEREAS,the regional airport plays a critical role in supporting local commerce, passenger travel,
forestry,the arts,the outdoor industry and emergency medical transport,an ICE detention facility in
or near Ashland would disrupt airport operations,create heightened security restrictions,and
impede economic development efforts tied to air travel and regional connectivity; and
WHEREAS,the absence of meaningful oversight mechanisms for ICE detention facilities raises
serious constitutional concerns, including due process rights for those detained, access to legal
representation, and conditions of confinement consistent with constitutional standards;
NOW,THEREFORE, I,Tonya Graham,Mayor of the City of Ashland, Oregon,on behalf of the City Council,
do hereby proclaim the City of Ashland opposes the siting of an ICE detention facility in the Rogue
Valley as it is incompatible with Ashland's local infrastructure capacity,economic development
priorities,tourism,agriculture, community-defined strategic goals,and basic human rights and due
process for incarcerated individuals.
Dated this 18th day of August 2026.
�V� 1611L
Tonya G aham, Mayor Alissa Kolodzinski, ity Recorder
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