Residents Demand End to ICE Training at Local Gun Range

Escondido, California community members protest longstanding contract allowing ICE to use police department's shooting range.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Residents in Escondido, California are demanding that the city end its contract allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to train at the local police department's gun range. The arrangement, which has been in place for over a decade, has sparked weeks of protests as the community expresses growing discontent with the Trump administration's immigration policies and actions. Protesters fear the deal will make immigrants afraid to report crimes to local police, weakening public safety in the city where Latinos make up about half the population.

Why it matters

The backlash in Escondido reflects a broader trend across the country, where communities are objecting to longstanding contracts between ICE and local governments for services ranging from use of training facilities to parking spaces. The concern is high, both among immigrants and U.S. citizens who worry about ICE's use of deadly force and the agency's disregard for U.S. laws.

The details

Escondido's City Council is scheduled to discuss the contract with ICE at a meeting on Wednesday. Unlike many California cities, Escondido had an especially close alliance with ICE in the past that allowed immigration officers to work at police headquarters and coordinate on vehicle stops. That partnership ended after California passed a law in 2017 limiting such collaboration with immigration officials. The current contract, signed in 2024 and renewed this year, allows ICE's Homeland Security Investigations branch to use the outdoor gun range in Escondido's hillsides for training. The city will receive $22,500 a year for up to three years under the agreement.

  • Escondido has allowed ICE to train at the local gun range for more than a decade.
  • The current contract was signed in 2024 and renewed in 2025.

The players

Escondido

A city of about 150,000 people north of San Diego, surrounded by farms and horse ranches.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the United States.

Richard Garner

A 71-year-old resident who is rallying against the deal between Escondido and ICE.

Erik Witholt

A police captain in Escondido who said the city provides the space for ICE training under the agreement.

Myron Bailey

The mayor of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, who said the city's regional training center was built with state bond funding and is rented out to various law enforcement agencies, including ICE.

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What they’re saying

“We don't want ICE anywhere near Escondido or fraternizing with the police.”

— Richard Garner (ksgf.com)

“Contractually we cannot discriminate against any public agency.”

— Myron Bailey, Mayor of Cottage Grove, Minnesota (ksgf.com)

“If they want to come, they will come.”

— Edgar (ksgf.com)

What’s next

The Escondido City Council is scheduled to discuss the contract with ICE at a meeting on Wednesday, where they will decide whether to continue the arrangement.

The takeaway

This issue highlights the growing tension between local communities and the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts, as residents across the country demand an end to contracts that allow ICE to operate within their cities. The debate raises questions about the appropriate role of local law enforcement in supporting federal immigration policies.