A significant suburb of Los Angeles has canceled its contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in response to public disapproval regarding the agency’s role in enforcing the Trump administration’s deportation policies. This contract, which permitted federal officials to detain suspected undocumented immigrants in local facilities, had been active for nearly two decades.
In a press release, Glendale city officials acknowledged that the community’s view of the ICE agreement had become increasingly divisive. “While opinions vary, ending this contract reflects what our city values—public safety, accountability, and trust,” they stated. They emphasized the need to prevent Glendale’s residents and businesses from facing negative repercussions from the actions of others. Moving forward, local law enforcement will operate independently of federal detention initiatives.
City Manager Roubik Golanian made this decision after assessing various legal, operational, and community factors, as noted in the release.
This change may complicate matters for families trying to visit relatives detained by ICE and could limit detainees’ access to legal support. Glendale, ranked as the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, shared these concerns.
Since the onset of the Trump administration, ICE has detained around 82 individuals at the Glendale City Jail. There were also violent protests in Los Angeles over the weekend as ICE attempted to conduct deportations in the area.
Democratic leaders have criticized ICE’s actions in California, expressing concern over the Trump administration’s response to demonstrators as excessively severe. Key state figures, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have attributed the unrest to Trump. Representative Norma Torres went as far as to tell federal officers to “get the f*** out of LA so that order can be restored.”
In contrast, Republicans have pushed back against claims that ICE is at fault and have defended the administration’s response to the protests. Senator James Lankford noted similarities between the current unrest and the national protests that followed George Floyd’s death in 2020.
“We witnessed scenes like this a few years back in the northwest, particularly in Seattle and Portland. It required the National Guard to restore order after repeated challenges to local law enforcement. President Trump aims to prevent a prolonged situation this time,” he remarked.
“We can’t let this spiral out of control. An American city shouldn’t have people displaying foreign flags and saying ‘You cannot arrest us.’ Violating the law has consequences, regardless of the laws of the state,” Lankford added.
