The City of Glendale has announced it will no longer house immigrant detainees at its city jail — a significant development that underscores growing resistance to the federal government’s mass deportation efforts.
The decision was announced Sunday, shortly after President Donald Trump mobilized National Guard troops in response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
“The City of Glendale has made the decision to formally terminate its agreement with U.S. Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house federal immigration detainees at the Glendale Police Department facility,” a news release stated.
“This is a local decision and was not made lightly. Since 2007, the City has maintained a highly regulated, locally controlled facility that is maintained to the highest standards, extending basic dignities to those temporarily held—ensuring access to clean accommodations, on-call medical care, family visitation, and legal counsel. By offering local access, detainees were given due-process proximity that is too often lacking in more remote or privately-operated detention centers.
“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.”
The protests are entering their fifth day. As of Tuesday morning, over 100 people had been arrested. In addition to the Guard troops, the federal government has mobilized 700 U.S. Marines to respond to any unrest.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom have called the military mobilizations unnecessary, illegal, and a deliberate attempt to inflame the situation.