US EditionResidents want local governments to end contracts that let ICE train on their gun ranges
Escondido's contract allows 200 ICE agents to train up to 20 days yearly, sparking community fears over immigrant safety and public trust, with over 2,500 petition signatures urging cancellation.
- On Wednesday, the Escondido City Council will review the firing-range contract signed in January 2026, with a briefing from Escondido Police Chief Ken Plunkett.
- The Escondido Police Department has for years allowed federal agents to train under Department of Homeland Security contracts renewed without broad scrutiny, and L.A. TACO reported on Jan. 22 the city manager uses delegated authority to bypass council review for deals under $200,000.
- The contract permits 200 special agents to train in groups of 20 on 20 days at 25855 Valley Center Road, with HSI the only agency using the range, Escondido PD said.
- Before Wednesday's 5 p.m. meeting, a group will hold a press conference outside City Hall calling for cancellation, supported by over 2,500 signatures and a Monday letter from 33 local leaders including Assemblymember David Alvarez.
- Amid the Trump administration's enforcement campaign, community leaders warn the deal erodes public trust and could make immigrants less likely to report crimes in a city where about half the population is Latino.
44 Articles
44 Articles
Escondido Residents Urge End to ICE Gun Range Contract
ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA — Residents in this San Diego County city are pressuring local officials to end a contract allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to train at a municipal police gun range, as debates over federal immigration enforcement intensify nationwide. ICE officers have trained at the outdoor range for more than a decade, but the arrangement drew renewed scrutiny following President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration crackdown …
Residents in Calif. city demand local gov’t end contracts with ICE that allow training at gun range
Residents of Escondido in Southern California want the local government to end its contract with ICE that lets agents do gun training on the police department range.
Associated Press News
Residents want local governments to end contracts that let ICE train on their gun ranges
Residents in a Southern California city want local police to stop letting federal immigration agents train at a publicly owned firing range.
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