Instances of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking individuals into custody in the Rogue Valley are ramping up, with six individuals taken into custody in public places From May 19 through May 29, according to Allie Rosenbluth, community organizer with Rogue Valley Migra Watch, a volunteer, grassroots organization that tracks the federal agency’s activity in the region and trains individuals on how to spot and report it. Previously, ICE targeted people in Oregon with prior convictions or removal orders, and would often go after those nearby, Rosenbluth said. A recent detention is for at least one individual with a criminal record, but Rosenbluth said she isn’t aware if that is the case for all of them. This week marks what she calls the first notable “escalation” in detentions made between Grants Pass and Ashland since July 2025, when 17 individuals were detained by ICE in Medford and taken to a detention center in Tacoma, Washington, as previously reported by Ashland.news. Since that time, more than 200 people have been trained locally on how to spot ICE activity in Southern Oregon. “Today we have not seen a detention yet, but there is activity in south Medford that Migra Watch volunteers are tracking and we hope that the presence of trained observers helps deter any detentions from happening,” Rosenbluth said in a phone interview. She also confirmed Saturday morning that ICE activity is on the move in south Medford specifically, with sightings of the following unmarked ICE vehicles: a maroon Jeep Cherokee parked on Dixie Lane and Brentcrest Drive and a silver Dodge Durango on Brentcrest Drive near South Medford High School. An individual was also detained by ICE near Hawthorne Park in Medford on Thursday, May 28, according to a news release from the grass roots organization. A video of ICE tackling an individual to the ground was posted on a local Facebook group and then later confirmed by witnesses and family of the detainee, according to a news release. At 4 p.m., a trained Rogue Valley Migra Watch volunteer arrived on site and verified that ICE was no longer present. Another arrest was confirmed Friday, May 29, in Medford, according to the Migra Watch Facebook page. No location was given. Three detentions were reported last week outside of Jackson County Circuit Court in Medford on Tuesday, May 19, and Thursday, May 21. ICE has been detaining people outside courts in Portland and Eugene for months, but this is the first time activity outside of a courthouse has been confirmed in the Rogue Valley, according to Rosenbluth. “We are using our legally protected rights to observe and document law enforcement and migration enforcement in our valley and we are doing that because we want to keep families together,” Rosenbluth said. “We have had too many people in our community and across the country deported, separated from their children, separated from their loved ones and we are wanting to make sure that our community is as informed as possible so that we can stop these detentions.” There have been separate reports this weekend of ICE checking immigration status of landscape work crews on Saturday, May 23, and Monday, May 25, with one detention on May 25, outside of Rogue River, which was confirmed by Rogue Valley Migra Watch. Additionally, on Wednesday, May 27, two witnesses confirmed the driver of ICE vehicles pulled someone over in Grants Pass at around 1:30 p.m. in the 400 block of NW 4th Street, according to Migra Watch. ICE left the scene without making a detention after the woman refused to get out of her car, yelled for help, and a bystander called the police, Rosenbluth said. Those who encounter ICE are asked to message Rogue Valley Migra Watch directly on Facebook or Instagram and call the Oregon rapid response hotline at 888-622-1510. Specific times, cross streets and locations, and details are needed in order for Rogue Valley Migra Watch to keep the public informed. “Now is time for our community to step up to help protect our neighbors from ICE’s terror on our streets,” Rosenbluth said in a news release. “ICE has been deporting people through the Medford ICE office since its start many years ago. “ Rosenbluth emphasized that ICE has always had a presence in Southern Oregon, but that recent incidents of ICE personnel detaining individuals has been documented all across social media channels in the past two weeks. “Migra Watch is just one tiny piece of the puzzle,” Rosenbluth told Ashland.news in a phone interview. “People all over the country are doing this to protect their neighbors.” Migra Watch encourages individuals who are concerned about their immigration status to take steps to get legal representation, protect their assets, and create a family plan, recommending: Call 541-840-9669 to see if you qualify for free legal representation through Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) in the case that you are detained. Set this up before you are detained. In the case you are detained, this is the number a trusted contact should call to support you. Make a family and asset plan with the free bilingual notaries at Coalición Fortaleza at 541-236-5605. If you encounter ICE, message Rogue Valley Migra Watch on Facebook or Instagram and call the PIRC rapid response hotline immediately at 888-622-1510. Friends or bystanders can call instead, and they should film or photograph the interaction. If you have to appear at Jackson County Circuit Court and are concerned about your immigration status, take the steps above, and also ask friends to join you coming to and leaving Court. Members of the public can also request Rogue Valley Migra Watch volunteers to be outside Court by sending a message on Facebook or Instagram. The Medford ICE office did not answer a call from the Rogue Valley Times on Friday seeking confirmation of detention reports. Rogue Valley Migra Watch will hold its next in-person Rogue Valley ICE watch training from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 15. Snacks will be served and no experience is necessary. RSVP online at bit.ly/June15training. “The training helps people get ready to be observers for ICE activity in our valley,” Rosenbluth said. “It gets people connected into the local network for Migra Watch.” Rogue Valley Migra Watch, with volunteers serving both Jackson and Josephine counties, was founded in January 2025 to gather information about local ICE activity. Follow Rogue Valley Migra Watch on Instagram and Facebook for more information about upcoming trainings and confirmed ICE sightings. Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news. May 31: Report of sixth arrest added. Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news. Rogue Valley Times reporter Buffy Pollock contributed to this report. This first appeared at www.Ashland.news.