Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has secured two long‑term office leases at the WatersEdge complex on the East Side of San Antonio, a move that underscores the agency’s expanding footprint in the region. Federal records show the contracts total roughly $51.2 million, with one lease valued at about $42.4 million and the other at $8.7 million.
Lease details and location
The leases cover approximately 75,000 square feet across three of the four floors in WatersEdge II, a two‑building office campus located at 7515 and 7611 Inner Circle Drive. Both agreements run for 15 years, providing ICE with stable, dedicated space for a range of immigration‑related functions.
Agency functions to be housed
According to Leo Gomez, CEO of Brooks, the developer of the WatersEdge complex, the new space will host the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). These offices handle immigration legal proceedings, hearings, and other administrative matters, allowing ICE to centralize its operations in a purpose‑built environment.
Local context and reaction
The lease announcement arrives as community groups and local officials intensify opposition to a separate proposal for an immigrant detention facility on San Antonio’s East Side. While the detention center has sparked protests and heated debate, the ICE office leases represent a different, less visible but still significant federal presence.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has not publicly commented on the lease agreements, but the city’s planning department has confirmed that the contracts were awarded through standard federal procurement processes. The leases do not require additional city approvals, as they are federal‑level decisions.
Economic impact
Local business leaders note that the influx of federal employees could bring modest economic benefits to the area, including increased demand for nearby services such as dining, parking, and retail. The WatersEdge complex, already home to a variety of tenants, is expected to see higher occupancy rates and ancillary spending as ICE staff begin to occupy the space.
Federal procurement and transparency
The contracts were awarded in accordance with federal acquisition regulations, and the details are publicly available through government procurement databases. The agency’s rationale, as outlined in the lease documents, emphasizes the need for secure, centralized facilities to support immigration adjudication and legal support functions.
Looking ahead
ICE plans to move into the WatersEdge offices over the coming months, with full occupancy expected before the leases’ 15‑year terms conclude. The agency’s presence in San Antonio is likely to remain a point of discussion for community groups, especially as broader immigration policy debates continue at the national level.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
