Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Border Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board accepts $2.05 million Operation Stone Garden grant to support border security patrols
Summary
The Board accepted a federal Operation Stone Garden award of $2,049,218 to support joint border security operations and information sharing between local law enforcement and federal partners.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted to accept an Operation Stone Garden grant award totaling $2,049,218 to support joint law‑enforcement operations along the U.S.–Mexico border.
Graciela Jimenez of the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office described Operation Stone Garden as a multi‑agency grant program that funds cooperative efforts between local, state and federal agencies to monitor and secure entry routes along international borders, including increased patrols and intelligence sharing.
Jimenez noted the sheriff’s office has participated in Stone Garden grants for about 20 years and said the county’s application describes how local agencies will contribute to information sharing and coordinated operations. The presentation included a regional law‑enforcement report of enforcement activity that supported border security efforts; Jimenez cited a 2024 enforcement operation in the El Centro sector that the sheriff’s office said helped seize approximately 159 pounds of fentanyl.
A motion to accept the Operation Stone Garden grant and authorize entering required memoranda of understanding was moved by Supervisor Peggy Price and seconded by Supervisor Martha Cardenas Singh. The board recorded the vote as 3‑0 in favor.
County staff said the Stone Garden funds will be appropriated in a future fiscal year (the sheriff’s office indicated appropriation is anticipated for fiscal year 2026–27) and will be used to support coordinated patrols, intelligence sharing, and other joint operations aligned with the grant program’s objectives.
No legal changes or ordinances were proposed with the grant acceptance; county staff will return with standard grant‑execution documents.
