San Antonio City Council voted Thursday to broaden its opposition to a planned immigration detention facility on the East Side and to extend that stance to $51 million in federal leases for immigration‑related office space at the former Brooks Air Force Base. The resolution directs City Manager Erik Walsh and City Attorney Andy Segovia to identify any legal violations, monitor compliance with applicable regulations, and work with businesses, nonprofits and other government entities to challenge the projects.
Legal Action and Environmental Review
The vote follows a federal lawsuit filed by the city two days earlier against the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The suit alleges that federal officials failed to conduct a required environmental review before purchasing a 640,000‑square‑foot warehouse on Southeast Loop 410 for conversion into a detention and processing facility that could hold up to 1,500 people.
The new resolution builds on that lawsuit by directing city officials to explore additional legal and administrative remedies, including possible cooperation with outside organizations pursuing their own challenges. It also requires support for independent assessments approved last week by CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System regarding the facility’s potential impact on local utilities, infrastructure and the surrounding community.
Brooks Leases Added to the Resolution
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones proposed an amendment to the original resolution to address two 15‑year leases totaling about $51 million for 75,000 square feet of office space at WatersEdge at Brooks. The offices are expected to house immigration‑related legal operations, including federal agencies that handle immigration cases and hearings. ICE already operates two field offices in the San Antonio area.
Jones warned that the new office space, located less than 10 miles from the proposed detention facility, could cement a permanent federal immigration enforcement presence in the city. “Those 15‑year leases will allow them to have a very strong legal footprint in our community,” she said. “That would, frankly, make them fight harder to not only keep the ICE facility on the East Side, but also enable again the legal and logistical network that they see as important for their operations.”
Council Debate and Votes
District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran initially raised concerns about the Brooks leases but argued the original resolution’s language was broad enough to let city officials assist other entities challenging the federal plans. City Attorney Andy Segovia agreed, noting the resolution would allow the city to respond to inquiries from the Brooks Development Authority.
Mayor Jones countered that failing to explicitly address the leases could create public confusion about the city’s position. The amendment passed despite opposition from Viagran and council members Marc Whyte (District 10) and Misty Spears (District 9). Whyte questioned the legal basis for challenging the leases, asking, “What’s the environmental impact of leasing office space down at Brooks? Are we now going to pick and choose which entities can lease office space in the city of San Antonio based on whether some council members like them or don’t?”
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee‑Rodriguez, whose district includes the proposed detention facility, argued the two projects are linked and should be addressed together. “I would make the argument that the lease would not exist if not for the intention to operate the East Side facility,” he said, adding there is a legal argument to be made as a result of the resolution.
Fiscal Concerns and Federal Response
Both Whyte and Spears criticized the city’s continued efforts to challenge federal immigration operations, asserting the measures would waste taxpayer money without preventing ICE from carrying out its plans. “To spend taxpayer money in a fruitless effort to try to delay what the federal government has a right to do is a misguided attempt that just shows that we’re playing politics here,” Whyte said.
The resolution does not authorize additional litigation against the federal government or invalidate the Brooks leases. Instead, it directs city officials to explore available legal options and coordinate with outside groups, with any further action requiring additional council approval.
Trump Administration’s Immigration Enforcement Stance
In a statement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson dismissed the city’s environmental concerns, accusing local officials of using the lawsuit to undermine President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda. The spokesperson declined to confirm ICE office locations, citing threats and assaults against immigration officers, and noted that the agency’s expanding workforce has increased its need for office space, pointing to the addition of 12,000 ICE officers and agents nationwide.
President Trump’s administration continues to prioritize strong immigration enforcement while respecting local input. The San Antonio City Council’s actions reflect a community‑first approach, seeking to ensure that any federal presence aligns with the city’s values, economic development goals, and the safety of its families.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
