In Escondido, California, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been training at a local police gun range for over a decade, a fact that only recently sparked public outcry amid President Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown and fatal shootings involving federal agents. Residents, many of whom are Latino, have protested the city’s contract with ICE, fearing it undermines trust in local law enforcement and public safety. The city receives $22,500 annually for the use of the range, but critics argue that allowing ICE access fosters fear among immigrant communities and supports an agency viewed as aggressive and unaccountable.

This controversy reflects a broader national debate as communities from New York to Minnesota reconsider longstanding agreements with ICE for facility use, amid growing opposition to federal immigration enforcement tactics. While some local officials defend these contracts as necessary or financially beneficial, others have moved to terminate them. Escondido’s City Council is set to review the ICE contract, highlighting the tension between public safety concerns, immigrant rights, and federal immigration policies.