East side ICE detention facility pushback: council reviews options

SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio city councilmembers are fighting to keep an ICE detention facility out of the east side.

The council, taking another step in the fight against the center; passing a resolution that would either delay or prevent the construction of the facility within city limits. Though some councilmember are calling these efforts a waste of time.

ICE bought a facility off SE Loop 410 in early February.

Council says their options are limited.

"I just want to manage people's expectations of what we're actually able to do and doing here," said Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones.

The resolution would give the city a chance to evaluate the facility, and others like it, through zoning and development codes. This comes after widespread community pushback against the facility.

"I think after the raid in November, folks have been on high alert and then we have seen so many people come to council and talk about family members being detained," said District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur.

The city is now considering options like setting a minimum distance between such facilities from housing and parks.

Though, any road they take will take time.

"I was ready today to say 'lets go on and lets go for this moratorium'," District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee Rodriguez said. "If it's gonna be 180 days, that accomplishes nothing for us."

Councilmembers Marc Whyte (D10) and Misty Spears (D9) were the only two to oppose the resolution in that 8-2 vote; saying the council is using local code to address immigration issues.

District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan was not at Thursday's meeting.

"Nothing that this resolution could result in would have any effect on that East side detention center," said Whyte. "It's a waste of time and money."

McKee Rodriguez urged the community to take their concerns to a higher power.

"Get on your congress members," he said. "Push them because they are allowing this behavior. They are funding ice actively.. they are pushing the blame onto us -- knowing we can't stop them."

While Thursday's vote is another step — it's still not enough to stop the development at this point, because federal government trumps local law.