San Antonio Mayor Urges Residents to Vote Over ICE Facility Concerns

City Council votes 9-2 to explore ways to combat ICE activities in the city.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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During a tense City Council meeting, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones urged residents angry about plans by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to open an East Side detention facility to vote in the upcoming primaries and midterms. The council voted 9-2 to adopt a resolution calling for the city to evaluate what actions it can take to prevent or hamper ICE's activities, including the agency's planned East Side lockup.

Why it matters

The proposed ICE detention facility has sparked outrage among San Antonio residents, who are concerned about the agency's aggressive deportation agenda and potential civil rights violations. The mayor's call for residents to vote on these issues highlights the political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the city.

The details

The City Council resolution calls for the city to explore legal actions it can take to prevent or obstruct the ICE facility, including denying permits, utilities, and contracts with vendors who do business with the agency. However, the city attorney cautioned that some of the proposed actions could violate Texas' anti-Sanctuary City law, which the city has already spent $3 million fighting.

  • The City Council voted on the resolution on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
  • ICE purchased a 640,000-square-foot warehouse in San Antonio earlier this month to use as a detention facility.

The players

Gina Ortiz Jones

The mayor of San Antonio who urged residents to vote on issues related to the proposed ICE detention facility.

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez

The District 2 Councilman who spearheaded the proposal to explore ways to combat ICE activities in the city.

Marc Whyte

The District 10 Councilman who voted against the measure to combat ICE.

Misty Spears

The District 9 Councilwoman who voted against the measure to combat ICE, arguing that the proposed actions would be legally futile.

Liz Provencio

The Assistant City Attorney who compiled a list of 26 actions the city could take to push back against ICE's activities.

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What they’re saying

“Make sure you know where those county officials, those state representatives and those federal representatives seeking your vote are on these issues. Are they okay with using state laws to silence students exercising their First Amendment Rights? Are you okay with a federal representative that thinks a detention center is a jobs opportunity? Please make sure you vote wisely and make sure you encourage all your friends and family to do so.”

— Gina Ortiz Jones, Mayor (sacurrent.com)

“What's being proposed here — blocking permits, denying utilities, penalizing local business owners, violating private property rights or otherwise trying to obstruct a federal detention facility is not only misguided, it is legally futile.”

— Misty Spears, District 9 Councilwoman (sacurrent.com)

“Documenting those concerns will be vital in the case and instance that we do have a reckoning with some of these unconstitutional, inhumane practices that are occurring across this country, and that data matters.”

— Teri Castillo, District 5 Councilwoman (sacurrent.com)

What’s next

The City Attorney's Office will continue evaluating the legality of the remaining 15 proposals to combat ICE's activities in San Antonio.

The takeaway

The proposed ICE detention facility in San Antonio has become a politically charged issue, with the mayor urging residents to vote on the matter and the City Council exploring legal actions to prevent or obstruct the facility. This highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and the role of local governments in responding to federal policies.