San Diego County supervisors have voted to prohibit federal immigration agents from utilizing county-owned firearms training facilities, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who view it as hypocritical and fiscally irresponsible.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a measure to end licensing agreements with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents from accessing the Miramar and San Diego Regional firearms training centers. The vote, which passed 3-2, was opposed by the board's two Republican supervisors.
California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Poway, whose district includes parts of San Diego County, told Fox News Digital that the move contradicts the expressed desires of many Democrats for ICE agents to receive better training.
"Leftist Democrats cannot continue to advocate for federal agents to ‘get more training’ while at the same time purposefully removing opportunities like this to get that very training," Jones stated. "The hypocrisy is dumbfounding."
Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, D-San Ysidro, who sponsored the measure, defended the decision by citing fears within some communities about law enforcement interactions. She emphasized that the ban is intended to address concerns and fears experienced by residents in border communities.
Republicans argue that restricting access to training facilities not only creates a policy conflict but also carries economic consequences. Jones contended that the decision represents a continuation of "reckless fiscal decisions that harm San Diegans" and questioned the potential cost of breaching contracts and losing business.
The San Diego vote occurs amidst broader national discussions and scrutiny regarding ICE agent training. Dozens of House Democrats have recently questioned DHS about the preparedness and training standards of immigration agents, particularly following several agent-involved shootings. A letter from 28 lawmakers led by Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., expressed concerns that training for ICE agents may have been significantly reduced, contradicting claims from acting director Tae D. Johnson.
Senator Richard Durbin, D-Ill., also raised questions in February about the training and identification protocols for federal immigration agents, particularly regarding the use of masks during operations. Former acting ICE Director Tom Homan has previously stated that there is "always room for improvement" in training and that agents can "never be overtrained."