San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones urges Texas lawmakers to oppose funding for proposed ICE detention center

Mayor asks state leaders to withhold support as ICE moves forward with East Side site

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has asked Texas political leaders to oppose funding and other support for a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and processing facility on the city’s East Side, escalating a dispute that has drawn sustained public attention at City Hall.

The proposed facility is tied to a large industrial property known as Oakmont 410, a roughly 640,000-square-foot building at 542 S.E. Loop 410. Federal authorities confirmed the purchase price at $66.1 million and have described the acquisition as part of a broader effort to expand detention and processing capacity nationally. Plans described by local officials and lawmakers envision the site being converted into a facility capable of holding up to 1,500 people, though federal officials have not publicly provided an opening date or detailed operating plan for the San Antonio site.

Disputed economic claims and sharp language

The mayor’s pushback followed public statements from U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who has promoted the project as an economic boost, including claims about major investment and job creation tied to the facility. Jones rejected that framing, describing the job-related assertions as “insulting and inaccurate,” and warned the project could undermine economic activity in the surrounding area rather than strengthen it.

The site’s location—near neighborhoods and community destinations—has amplified concerns among residents who have pressed city leaders to use every available tool to limit the project’s local footprint.

City Council explores limited options under federal authority

San Antonio City Council has been weighing responses while acknowledging a central constraint: federal facilities generally are not governed by municipal zoning and permitting rules in the same way private development is. Even so, council members have sought an analysis of actions the city could take within its legal authority.

A memo signed by four council members—Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Edward Mungia, Teri Castillo, and Ric Galvan—asks city staff to assess a range of approaches, including potential contracting changes and public-facing measures aimed at resident safety and awareness.

• Evaluating a moratorium or temporary hold related to non-municipal detention facilities
• Reviewing whether city contracting can require disclosure of vendor involvement in detention or immigration enforcement operations
• Studying legal pathways to avoid renewing city contracts with companies tied to detention operations
• Developing public signage and staff training focused on residents’ rights and harm prevention
• Producing an economic report on migrants’ contributions and impacts in San Antonio and Bexar County

City Council resolutions do not create binding law on their own, but they can direct staff work and shape future policy proposals.

Public pressure remains high

The debate has played out in lengthy council sessions, including a special meeting focused on police cooperation with federal agencies and subsequent public comment periods dominated by residents urging the city to resist deeper local involvement in federal immigration enforcement. Council is expected to continue discussing what, if anything, can be done to influence the project’s trajectory as federal planning advances.