February 3, 2026 – Carlsbad Police Chief Christie Calderwood appeared before the City Council on Tuesday night to deliver a presentation on federal activities in Carlsbad and to share what if any involvement the Carlsbad Police Department (CPD) has had with the activity.
The presentation was created at the request of council member Teresa Acosta during a previous city council meeting in response to calls from the community for greater transparency regarding cooperation between CPD and ICE, as well as the impact of ICE activity on public safety. The public meeting drew a standing room only crowd of concerned citizens.
Key points of the presentation included:
- The City of Carlsbad and the CPD have no authority over federal enforcement activities.
- The CPD does not enforce federal immigration law, nor does it participate in immigration-focused operations.
- The CPD’s policy on immigration violations directs officers to enforce the law equally and serve all community members without regard to immigration status
- The CPD complies with California’s Values Act (SB 54) restricting state and local law enforcement from using their resources to assist federal civil immigration enforcement.
- The CPD adheres to the California Transparency and Responsibility Using State Tools (TRUST) Act limiting when local law enforcement agencies may comply with immigration detainer requests or transfer individuals to federal authority.
- The CPD complies with the California Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act requiring law enforcement agencies to provide written notice to individuals when U.S. Immigration and Customer Enforcement (ICE) request an interview or transfer of custody and to inform individuals of their right to decline an interview.
The Chief also highlighted CPD’s own policies related to immigration, specifically Policy 428 providing guidelines to officers relating to immigration and interacting with federal immigration officials.
Following the presentation, members of the community were invited to make comments or ask questions. Many of the commenters expressed discontent about ICE activity in Carlsbad, fear for their neighbors who might be profiled and targeted by ICE. Some described the trauma ICE operations have inflicted on families that have been targeted.
Among the questions that were raised, a common thread was a desire to know if and how the CPD will protect Carlsbad residents against illegal tactics of ICE agents. Would CPD intervene if ICE attempted a warrantless search? Would CPD protect peaceful protesters or observers including members of the press from attacks by ICE agents including but not limited to physical violence, use of chemical agents, and firing of non-lethal projectiles?
Community comments were followed by a series of questions from Council Members Ken Shin, Teresa Acosta, Melanie Burkholder, and Mayor Pro Tem Pria Bhat-Patel.
Chief Calderwood responded to the questions of both community members and Council Members, reiterating that CPD would follow all applicable laws, The Chief reminded everyone that the department has no authority over federal agencies and restrictions related to the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and SB 54 make it illegal for CPD to interfere with ICE.
The consensus among community members following the meeting was gratitude to Chief Calderwood and CPD for keeping Carlsbad safe and determination to follow the law regarding federal immigration activities. Some attendees, however, remained concerned that the underlying message pertaining to whether CPD will protect citizens against illegal tactics by ICE was their hands are tied.
View Mediafactore coverage of the event at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOP4zh7Rf0Y&t=3s