NEWS | Updated August 21, 2026
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has voted 3-2 to terminate county license agreements that allow federal immigration and border officers to use the regional firearms training facility in Otay Mesa, triggering immediate conflict with County Sheriff Kelly Martinez.
The board’s resolution orders county staff to cancel agreements that permitted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection personnel to train at the San Diego Regional Firearms Training Center, located minutes from the international border.
Board Debate and Party-Line Vote
The measure was introduced by Democratic Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer and Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre, who argued that county resources should not support federal enforcement agencies carrying out mass deportations.
The board’s two Republican members strongly opposed the motion, warning that evicting federal officers from local ranges undermines officer safety, increases border checkpoint wait times, and damages cooperative regional law enforcement relationships.
Critics pointed out that CBP officers inspect international commercial freight and passenger traffic daily, and requiring officers to travel hours to federal facilities elsewhere reduces frontline border staffing.
Sheriff Intervenes to Preserve CBP Access
Following the board’s vote, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez announced that while ICE agreed to stop using the facility, she will continue to grant CBP officers “day-use” access to the Otay Mesa range under her independent operational authority.
Sheriff Martinez emphasized that training ranges in Southern California are severely limited and that denying access to CBP officers stationed at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa would directly harm local border trade and public safety.
The clash reflects growing tension between progressive municipal leaders and law enforcement commanders over immigration policy, reminiscent of political friction seen across other jurisdictions and highlighted during recent campaigns like the South Carolina Senate contest.
Why This Matters
The San Diego-Tijuana corridor is the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. Depriving federal border officers of certified firearms and tactical training facilities threatens operational readiness and slows commerce at major commercial ports of entry.
The dispute also raises significant legal questions regarding whether elected county boards can restrict access to facilities operated by independently elected county sheriffs.
What to Watch
Watch for potential legal action from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors challenging the Sheriff’s authority, federal facility contingency plans from DHS, and reaction from regional business coalitions concerned about border crossing delays.
Sources
- San Diego County Board of Supervisors: Official Meeting Minutes and Vote Record
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Department: Official Public Statement on Regional Training Facilities
- Department of Homeland Security: Regional Training Operations Assessment
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Sources
- San Diego County Board of Supervisors: Official Meeting Agenda, Voting Minutes, and Resolution 3-2
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Department: Official Interagency Range Access Statement
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Federal Field Training Operations Guidelines
