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Glendale police say department does not conduct immigration enforcement; council seeks updates if federal pressure increases
Summary
At its Jan. 7 meeting the Glendale Police Department told the City Council it does not engage in immigration enforcement and is in compliance with SB 54; the department said a 2007 contract allowing temporary housing for ICE detainees has not been used since 2018 and that transfers to federal custody in 2024 were zero.
The Glendale Police Department told the City Council on Jan. 7 that it does not conduct immigration-enforcement operations and that it complies with California law restricting local cooperation, specifically citing SB 54.
Chief Sid (identified in the transcript as the Glendale Police Department representative) told the council that local law enforcement generally does not engage in immigration enforcement, which is primarily a federal responsibility. He said the department’s written policies closely model SB 54 and that the Glendale Police Department “does not, and as far as I know, never has been involved directly” in immigration enforcement operations.
Chief Sid said the city has had a contract with ICE and Homeland Security since 2007 that, if used, would allow the local jail facility to temporarily house individuals already in federal custody for 24 to 48 hours while federal administrative processes proceed. He said that contract had not been used since 2018 and that in 2018 six individuals were temporarily housed under that arrangement. He added that the department’s annual SB 54 reporting for 2024 showed zero transfers to federal custody.
Council members asked whether the contract could be used for individuals who are in custody solely because of immigration status; Chief Sid said the 2018 instances involved people who had been taken into federal custody after being arrested on independent criminal charges and that the contract had not been used for routine immigration-only detentions. He also said the federal government could act independently in the jurisdiction but could not force the local department to participate in enforcement operations.
Several council members requested that the police department notify the council and city manager if federal pressure or requests emerge that could put local officers in conflict with state law or city policy. The Police Chief said he would keep the council informed.
Ending: Council did not take formal policy action but kept the item on the agenda as a discussion of whether a future council agenda item is needed; no changes to city contracts or department policy were adopted at the meeting.
