San Antonio Metropolis Council on Thursday permitted a decision directing metropolis employees to guage a variety of coverage choices associated to federal immigration enforcement exercise —together with a newly bought immigration detention facility on the town’s East Facet — and to establish the place the town can assert affect, improve transparency or restrict involvement inside the bounds of state and federal legislation.
The decision, introduced ahead by council members from Districts 2, 4, 5 and 6, doesn’t block federal enforcement or the operation of a detention facility. As a substitute, it instructs metropolis employees to stock present practices, assess potential new actions and description authorized dangers tied to proposals aimed toward defending residents, clarifying metropolis cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and rising accountability for detention-related exercise.
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez mentioned the intent behind the decision was to check the authorized boundaries of what the town can do.
“My request of employees is that we get as shut to every of those requests as legally doable,” he mentioned. “We discover that line, and we push proper on it.”
Metropolis attorneys and employees informed council the request spans 4 classes — actions the town has already taken, actions it proposes to take, actions it doesn’t advocate because of authorized threat, and actions that require additional analysis — with every carrying totally different timelines and constraints.
First Assistant Metropolis Legal professional Elizabeth Provencio walked the council by means of that framework, emphasizing that San Antonio’s choices are formed by federal supremacy, Texas legislation, notably Senate Invoice 4, and the town’s previous enforcement historical past with the state. SB 4, is a 2017 legislation that’s generally known as the state’s anti-sanctuary metropolis legislation. Metropolis officers have beforehand emphasised that SB 4 locations restrictions on what native governments can do in terms of cooperating or resisting federal immigration enforcement efforts.
In latest months, large-scale federal operations have drawn protests in main cities, notably Minneapolis, the place two U.S. residents — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — have been killed throughout aggressive enforcement. These nationwide developments have heightened issues domestically now {that a} detention facility is predicted to function in San Antonio.
Provencio outlined actions the town has already taken, together with sustaining a authorized referral community for residents with authorized immigration standing, supporting the Workplace of Immigrant Affairs and coaching metropolis employees on the way to reply if federal immigration brokers enter metropolis amenities.
She additionally pointed to “know your rights” training performed by third-party organizations supported by the town and an financial affect report on migrants in San Antonio and Bexar County, revealed in December 2025 and funded by means of a grant from the American Immigration Council.
Provencio offered proposed actions the town might do with out requiring additional overview or going through authorized dangers, these included group reporting efforts to log alleged rights violations, monitoring and documenting ICE requests for help from the San Antonio Police Division and the price to the town, in addition to gathering knowledge on ICE exercise.
Town mentioned they have been engaged on linking to the ICE statistics dashboard for the general public to view. Town famous that knowledge on ICE exercise is regional and is probably not present, the information referenced is reported on the ICE web site and is up to date by area. Information at ice.gov/statistics was final up to date on Dec. 31, 2024.
Provencio added {that a} monitoring system for potential rights violations would solely function a repository for the data that may very well be publicly out there however wouldn’t have an enforcement part.
“The issue is it will purely be consumption,” she mentioned. “There’s not a mechanism for us to have the ability to act on that. We simply need to ensure that all people’s expectations are in line. If that’s in actual fact one thing you need us to proceed with doing.”
Metropolis employees cautioned council in opposition to a number of proposals raised by group members and advocates, citing excessive authorized threat. Amongst them have been increasing authorized referral companies to residents with out authorized immigration standing, making a justice fund to assist civil rights litigation for undocumented residents, and directing metropolis employees together with SAPD officers to offer “know your rights” advisements themselves.
These actions, Provencio mentioned, might set off authorized motion beneath SB 4, sure federal grants additionally embody immigration necessities that would have an effect on metropolis funding, she added.
She additionally flagged a proposal to ban federal legislation enforcement officers from carrying masks as legally dangerous, noting related insurance policies are already being challenged in court docket elsewhere.
Different components of the decision, Provencio mentioned, would return to council at a later date following additional analysis, ought to the council transfer the decision additional. These embody exploring whether or not the town might discourage future personal, for-profit detention amenities, inspecting whether or not the town can keep away from contracting with distributors that additionally present companies to ICE detention facilities, and reviewing procurement requirements to include civil rights or group affect issues.
Metropolis employees have been additionally requested to evaluate whether or not San Antonio might impose a moratorium on non-municipal detention amenities, consider environmental compliance at detention websites, and study the town’s authorized publicity associated to detention operations — all steps that Provencio mentioned would require cautious authorized evaluation.
All through the dialogue, metropolis officers repeatedly emphasised that not one of the contemplated actions would forestall the enforcement of federal immigration legislation.
Metropolis Supervisor Erik Walsh described the decision as a method of “setting the general public’s customary” whereas acknowledging authorized and operational limits. Walsh informed council that inside 30 days, employees would offer a timeline outlining how lengthy it will take to guage the proposed actions and report again.
Public touch upon the decision was prolonged and emotional, with residents repeatedly urging council to take stronger motion to dam the detention facility. A number of audio system referred to the potential Eastside detention web site as a “focus camp,” known as for denying utilities, and accused the town of enabling hurt.
Metropolis officers pushed again on a few of these solutions, saying state legislation prohibits cities from withholding primary companies or discriminating in opposition to property homeowners of their space of operation.
Council members largely expressed assist for exploring each legally permissible possibility, although they differed sharply on how far the town ought to go.
McKee-Rodriguez argued that if there’s a scarcity of first responders within the metropolis — a subject that was some extent of debate up to now finances cycle — we shouldn’t be sending them to help ICE officers. At a earlier assembly protecting SAPD cooperation with ICE, officers said that the town’s police power had solely been requested to help ICE operations twice inside the previous 12 months.
Different members, together with Councilman Marc Whyte (D10) and Councilwoman Misty Spears (D9), warned in opposition to any actions that would intrude with federal enforcement or expose the town to pricey litigation and funding losses. Spears argued immigration enforcement selections belong within the courts, not with the town council after itemizing seven names of people throughout the U.S. that she alleges have been killed by unlawful immigrants.
A number of council members and Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones framed the boundaries mentioned Thursday as a consequence of federal and state coverage selections, noting that broader modifications to immigration enforcement would finally require motion past Metropolis Corridor.
A number of audio system urged residents to remain engaged within the upcoming major elections as debates over immigration coverage proceed on the state and federal degree.
In the end, council voted 9-2 to approve the decision, with Whyte and Spears voting in opposition to it. Metropolis employees are anticipated to return with updates and a proposed timeline on March 5, through the upcoming Metropolis Supervisor’s Report.
