ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) – There’s a section of Valley Center Road on the border of Escondido and Valley Center where, if you safely pull over, you can hear a faint pop in the distance.
You can hear gunshots from the Escondido Police Department’s firing range.
The range is in political cross hairs right now due a contract between the city and U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement.
“It is to utilize the police department shooting range that is here in the city of Escondido,” said Escondido Mayor Dane White. “It is a routine contract that, from my understanding, is not just with ICE, although this particular one is, but they do this with law enforcement agencies throughout the federal government, state government.”
White told ABC 10News the Escondido City Council wasn't aware of this contract being renewed or approved to renew it.
“So, this was done administratively through the police department,” White said.
ABC 10News spoke with the Escondido Police Department about the $67,500 contract and reached out to the Department of Homeland Security; DHS officials did not respond to ABC 10News' request for comment as of the publication of this story.
Escondido police told ABC 10News the original contract with ICE started in 2024 and was renewed by Escondido police in January to allow ICE agents to do weapons training at the firing range.
“And, from my understanding at this point, there is no joint training going on,” White said.
ABC 10News asked White if there were any conversations about renewing this contract, considering the recent unrest in Minneapolis.
“I am not aware of any of those conversations. Truthfully, I would have liked to have an opportunity to have that conversation before the stir that this has caused in the community,” White said.
There are some who are upset at this contract being renewed.
“This contract was not approved with the public vote, and the city council never had an opportunity to vote on this contract in Escondido,” San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert said.
von Wilpert is calling for her counterparts in Escondido to end the contract.
“It's just what we're seeing is so chaotic and un-American. We need to end this contract and not allow ICE to do further damage to our communities,” von Wilpert said.
White told ABC 10News he’s heard plenty of people about the contract and the council will be meeting near the end of February to discuss it.
