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Council approves consent items including contract tied to General Dynamics amid public outcry over ICE and surveillance links
Summary
The council approved the consent calendar (items 1–27, with item 14 withdrawn) while public commenters challenged a contract (item 25) involving General Dynamics IT Incorporated, citing alleged ties to ICE, mass surveillance and ethical concerns.
The Long Beach City Council carried a motion to approve most of the consent calendar on May 5, but the meeting included sustained public criticism of a contract listed on the consent agenda that commenters said involves General Dynamics IT Incorporated.
The clerk read consent items 1–27 and the council pulled item 14 for separate consideration; after public comment the council voted to approve the remainder of the consent calendar. The transcript shows the mayor announcing "Motion is carried." No roll-call tallies were read aloud in the record for the consent vote.
Several members of the public spoke directly to item 25, alleging the company named in the contract has ties to federal immigration enforcement and mass-surveillance practices. One commenter said the city should not do business with firms that ‘‘hold contracts with ICE’’ and referenced a reported $9,600,000 ICE background-investigative contract attributed to General Dynamics, arguing taxpayer dollars should reflect community values. Another commenter called use of such contractors a ‘‘slap in the face’’ to community members affected by raids and surveillance.
Speakers who criticized the item urged the council to adopt a civil- and human-rights screening policy to prevent taxpayer dollars from being awarded to firms the community associates with human-rights abuses. Several speakers also linked procurement decisions to broader concerns about surveillance in public spaces (for example, camera networks) and growing police budgets.
The council did not remove item 25 from consent at this meeting; after public comment the consent calendar passed. The transcript records the consent action as "Motion is carried" with no detailed vote breakdown provided in the public audio transcript.
Because the council acted on the consent calendar as presented, opponents said they will continue to press the council to adopt procurement screening and to reconsider vendor relationships that they say enable immigration enforcement or weapons manufacturing.
