The county-owned Firearms Training Center was built in 1996 via a partnership with the FBI, which operates it along with the District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s offices, according to Aguirre and Lawson-Remer.
The licensing agreement with ICE to use the facility took effect in July 2021.
Because the contract fell below the dollar threshold required for board approval, “it was executed administratively,” according to Aguirre and Lawson-Remer. “The board did not consider it, and it received no public deliberation.”
The county entered into a 2017 contract with the CBP San Diego field office to use its facility, “but neither agreement surfaced publicly until an April 2026 investigative report by iNewsource brought them to light,” Aguirre and Lawson-Remer said.
“Since 2024, ICE and CBP have collectively logged approximately 3,350 hours at the facility,” they added.