ICE detains at least two in Astoria, one in Seaside

Published 9:32 am Friday, December 12, 2025

At least six detained in December in Clatsop County, so far

By MATHIAS LEHMAN-WINTERS

The Astorian

At least two people have been detained by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents on Friday morning, Dec. 12 in Astoria, another person was detained in Seaside.

According to Jenny Pool Radway, executive director and Norma Hernandez, deputy director of Consejo Hispano, one person was detained at a construction site in Seaside. In Astoria, one person was detained by the 76, a gas station on Marine Drive, and another was detained by the Astoria Nordic Heritage Park.

“It looked like a traffic stop,” said one bystander at the park, who declined to give their name because of safety concerns.

According to Trudy VanDusen, who was also on scene at the park, “they abandoned a running vehicle on Marine Drive. We had to move it ourselves because Astoria Police didn’t respond to our call.”

According to Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly, ICE had notified the police of their activity as it was taking place.

“They actually notified us this time,” said Kelly. “It was as the operation was unfolding.”

Kelly said ICE’s notification helped alleviate local law enforcement’s concerns around unknown activity causing confusion within the community.

ICE also notified the Astoria Police Department regarding what type of vehicles they would be driving; Kelly said he received no details on who was detained or on what charges.

The ICE agents were driving two vehicles, as seen in a video taken at the scene. One appeared to be a blue Ford Sedan, and the other was a silver Ford Expedition.

Gas station employees said they were pretty shook up and also declined to give their names due to safety concerns.

Astoria Mayor Sean Fitzpatrick issued a statement to The Astorian about the events.

“The continuing activity by ICE in Astoria is disturbing and heartbreaking for our community, and especially the families who are living in fear,” he said. “If criminals are being apprehended, that’s one thing, but removing contributing members from the community is incomprehensible. Our hearts go out to those who are affected either directly or indirectly by these detainments.”

On Dec. 3, an ICE spokesperson told The Astorian’s media partner, KMUN, that ICE officers are in Clatsop County to locate and apprehend illegal immigrants who pose a threat to public safety or who have violated U.S. immigration law.

However, ICE has declined to provide any information about who they have detained, the immigration statuses of the people detained or the reasons why they were detained. Nor will ICE answer questions from KMUN or The Astorian about whether the people who have been detained face deportation.

Late Friday morning, Pool Radway said she was still working through what had occurred.

“Once again, what we saw today in Astoria and Seaside were fishing expeditions by ICE, broad sweeps that are not targeted at specific individuals but instead designed to intimidate and destabilize entire communities,” she said in an email statement to The Astorian. “These actions pull parents from their jobs and homes, leave children fearful and uncertain, and force community organizations like ours to divert critical time and resources away from long‑term support into emergency response. The impact is not just on the families detained, but on schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods across the North Coast. This kind of activity undermines trust and safety, and it’s exactly why immigrant communities and allies are standing together to demand change.”

This is a breaking story, check dailyastorian.com for updates.

— Astorian staff reporters Jay Corella and Heather Douglas contributed to this story.