Escondido Residents Demand End to ICE Training Contract at Local Gun Range

Residents raise concerns about ICE presence and use of force in their community.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Residents of Escondido, California have been protesting a contract that allows 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 demonstrations as residents demand the city end the contract, citing concerns about ICE's immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. The debate reached a heated point at a recent City Council meeting, where a majority of council members opted to keep the contract despite pleas from residents to terminate it.

Why it matters

The debate in Escondido reflects a growing nationwide discontent with the Trump administration's immigration policies and actions. Across the country, communities are objecting to longstanding contracts between ICE and local governments, fearing that the agency's presence will erode trust between immigrants and local law enforcement, weakening public safety. The Escondido case highlights the tension between federal immigration enforcement and local control, as well as concerns about the use of force by federal agents.

The details

Escondido had a particularly close alliance with ICE in the past, allowing 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. The current contract allows ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, which looks into crimes like human trafficking and drug smuggling, to train at the city's outdoor gun range. The city receives $22,500 a year for up to three years under the deal.

  • The contract was first signed by ICE in 2024 and renewed this year.
  • ICE has been training at the Escondido gun range for more than a decade.

The players

Escondido City Council

The city council in Escondido, California, which is responsible for deciding whether to continue the contract allowing ICE to train at the local gun range.

Escondido Police Department

The local police department in Escondido, which owns the gun range where ICE agents have been training.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal immigration enforcement agency that has been training at the Escondido gun range for over a decade.

Escondido Residents

The residents of Escondido who have been protesting the contract between the city and ICE, demanding that the city terminate the agreement.

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What they’re saying

“I believe that if the contract is canceled, I do believe that all these bad things that have happened are going to happen in Escondido.”

— Joe Garcia, City Council member (Patch.com)

“Tonight isn't about bullets and targets. It's about boundaries. If we value local control and community trust, we should draw the line now.”

— Angela Spucces, Escondido Resident (Patch.com)

“The push to remedy that is to prevent them from training — it doesn't make any sense to me.”

— Barry Speer (Patch.com)

“By inviting ICE into our community, you are putting us at risk.”

— Richard Cannon, Escondido Resident (Patch.com)

What’s next

The Escondido City Council will decide whether to renew the contract with ICE when it expires next year.

The takeaway

The debate in Escondido highlights the broader tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local control, as well as concerns about the use of force by federal agents. As communities across the country push back against ICE's presence, the outcome in Escondido could set a precedent for how other cities handle similar contracts.