San Diego County voted 3‑2 to bar federal immigration agents from its shooting ranges, prompting sharp criticism from state Republican leaders.
Board decision and political fallout
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors ended licensing agreements with DHS that allow ICE agents to use the Miramar and San Diego Regional firearms training centers, eliminating a key training venue.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a Republican from Poway, called the move hypocritical, saying Democrats demand better‑trained ICE agents while blocking the training opportunities.
“Leftist Democrats cannot continue to advocate for federal agents to ‘get more training’ while at the same time purposefully removing opportunities like this,” Jones told Fox News Digital.
He warned that breach‑of‑contract penalties could cost taxpayers and labeled the decision reckless fiscal policy.
Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, a Democrat representing the South Bay, defended the vote, saying residents hear fear in knocks on their doors from agencies meant to protect them.
“I see what that fear does every day in the South Bay,” she said, noting her role as supervisor for the Mexican ports of entry in San Ysidro and Otay Mesa.
The board’s two Republican members, Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson, voted against the measure; Desmond is running for a congressional seat this fall.
Broader scrutiny of ICE training
The vote follows recent demands from nearly three dozen House Democrats for answers on ICE training after an agent‑involved shooting killed a Minnesota woman who tried to run over an agent with her car.
A letter from 28 lawmakers, led by Rep. Andrea Salinas, warned that ICE training has been significantly reduced despite Acting Director Lyons’ claim that standards have not lowered.
Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin questioned whether agents receive adequate training while handling weapons on the job, citing a February hearing.
“What are they going to do with all of these [DHS agents] as they are learning on‑the‑job with weapons in their hands, wearing masks so they can’t be identified?” Durbin asked at a Cato Institute forum.
Border Czar Tom Homan said there is always room for improvement and that “you can never be overtrained.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Salinas and Durbin for comment.
Additional headlines include a federal judge blocking New York’s mask ban for ICE agents and a pending $20 million purchase of electric shock gloves, highlighting ongoing debates over ICE equipment and training.
The reporter, born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has worked in the New York and Washington bureaus for Fox News since 2013.
