Glendale officials announced on Sunday night that the city has terminated its contract with U.S. Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house immigration detainees, calling the public’s perception of the agreement “divisive.”
“This is a local decision and was not made lightly,” the city stated in a release.
The city announced it will no longer house federal immigration detainees at the Glendale Police Department facility after a day of violent protests in Los Angeles over recent ICE raids and the federalization and deployment of the National Guard.
“By offering local access, detainees were given due-process proximity that is too often lacking in more remote or privately-operated detention centers,” the release added. “Nevertheless, despite the transparency and safeguards the City has upheld, the City recognizes that public perception of the ICE contract—no matter how limited or carefully managed, no matter the good—has become divisive. And while opinions on this issue may vary — the decision to terminate this contract is not politically driven. It is rooted in what this City stands for—public safety, local accountability, and trust.”
City officials went on to say that, similar to other local police departments in L.A. areas, their officers do not enforce immigration law.
However, the city noted that police will continue to ensure that the city’s residents and businesses do not “suffer the consequences of the unruly and unlawful behavior of others. Moving forward, the facility will continue to serve local law enforcement needs without participation in federal detention efforts.”
“Glendale is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the nation. That is no accident. The Glendale Police Department is trusted and supported by the residents and businesses,” continued the statement. “At this time, it is in our best interest to not allow that trust to be undermined.”
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