Latino Presence in ICE and Recent Detentions Highlight Growing Enforcement in Central Oregon

In the past month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed five detentions across Central Oregon. Two individuals were taken in Redmond on July 23, one in Madras on July 14, and two in Bend on July 8. All detainees were transferred to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center, according to the Latino Community Association (LCA). Agents used unmarked black Ford Expedition and gray Dodge Durango vehicles. Tribal police from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs stopped the same cars on the reservation; federal agents said they were making a restroom stop, according to a tribal press release. No warrants were presented, and the identities of those detained have not been released.

Madras PioneerThe Guardian

Latino involvement in U.S. immigration enforcement dates back to the 1950s, when some leaders supported Operation Wetback. Over subsequent decades many Latino workers joined the Border Patrol and, after its 2003 integration into ICE, entered the agency in significant numbers. Today, Latinos constitute a majority of Border Patrol officers and about 20-30 % of ICE agents. Latino voters have also backed restrictive immigration policies in recent elections.

The Guardian

• > 60 deaths linked to ICE custody or actions since former President Trump’s return to power (Guardian).

The Guardian

• 5 confirmed ICE detentions in Central Oregon during the last month.

Madras Pioneer

• 20-30 % of ICE agents are Latino; Latinos now form a majority of Border Patrol officers (Guardian).

The Guardian

• Detentions occurred on July 8, July 14, and July 23 in Bend, Madras, and Redmond.

Madras Pioneer

Jones highlighted procedural concerns: detainees receive no warrant, and court dates can be moved without notice, leading to missed appearances and potential removal orders. Natalie Lerner of the Portland Immigration Rights Coalition (PIRC) noted an increase in ICE activity and emphasized coordination with the LCA and regional partners. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs affirmed recognition of federal jurisdiction while pledging resources to tribal members potentially affected.

Madras Pioneer

• “We have been bracing for this for a while,” — Rowan Jones, immigration and advocacy program manager, LCA

Madras Pioneer

• “The locator takes at least 24 hours to update once (a detainee) is brought to Tacoma, and then every time that ICE moves someone who’s detained to another facility, which they do a lot, they disappear in the locator and then pop back up,” — Rowan Jones

Madras Pioneer

• “We have observed an increase in ICE activity across Oregon in the last couple of months, including in Central Oregon,” — Natalie Lerner, PIRC

Madras Pioneer

The Latino Community Association urges residents to use a dedicated hotline (888-622-1510) for reports of detentions or missing relatives. The organization is expanding “know-your-rights” workshops, court-accompaniment programs, and legal-service enrollment through private attorneys and the Equity Corps of Oregon. Community leaders stress that preparedness and calm response are essential to counter what they describe as “illegal detentions.”

Madras Pioneer