On Sunday, the city of Glendale in Los Angeles County announced the termination of its agreement with U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the housing of federal immigrant detainees.
“The City of Glendale has made the decision to officially end its arrangement with U.S. Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) for housing federal immigrant detainees at facilities located in the Glendale Police Station,” the announcement stated. It should be noted that local decisions have not come lightly.
While Glendale maintained that its facilities adhered to high standards, it ultimately felt that continuing the contract with ICE would lead to unfavorable perceptions.
Some key points from the announcement expressed:
Despite efforts for transparency and protection, cities acknowledge that public views on ICE contracts—no matter how limited or strictly controlled—can be contentious. And although opinions vary, the choice to end this contract is not politically motivated. It reflects the principles of the city: public safety, local accountability, and trust.
The city also stressed that the Glendale Police Department “does not enforce immigration laws” and is not involved in immigration enforcement moving forward.
This decision came after a weekend marked by protests across Los Angeles, where demonstrators objected to ICE officers detaining undocumented immigrants in their neighborhoods. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attributed the unrest to President Donald Trump’s policies.
Recently arrested undocumented individuals in LA have included those with serious criminal histories, which may encompass charges such as sexual assault, murder, domestic violence, and drug trafficking.
