Rep. Cuellar blasts ICE for secrecy on new San Antonio facility

Congressman says agency did not notify local officials before purchasing building for short-term processing center

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for moving forward with plans to open a new short-term processing facility in San Antonio without notifying local leaders or lawmakers in advance. Cuellar said ICE purchased a 639,595-square-foot industrial building on the city's East Side as part of a national plan to add about 80,000 detention beds, which he called a "buying spree" that is not going through Congress.

Why it matters

Cuellar's criticism highlights growing tensions between federal immigration authorities and local communities over the expansion of detention facilities. The lack of transparency from ICE has sparked concerns from officials about the potential impact on infrastructure, utilities and public services in San Antonio.

The details

ICE paid $66.1 million to acquire the Oakmont 410 building, a vacant industrial property, in January. The purchase was not made public until early February, catching many local and state officials off-guard. Cuellar said ICE told him the new facility would have about 1,500 beds and include "wraparound services" like medical care, but would only hold people temporarily before transferring them elsewhere.

  • On January 20, ICE signed the deed to purchase the Oakmont 410 building.
  • In early February, the deed was recorded by the Bexar County Clerk's Office, making the purchase public.
  • On February 13, 2026, Cuellar held a virtual news conference to criticize ICE's actions.

The players

Henry Cuellar

A U.S. Representative from Texas's 28th Congressional District, which includes San Antonio's East Side and the location of the new ICE facility.

Charles Wall

The deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Trey Martinez Fischer

A Democratic state representative from San Antonio who announced that 49 Texas House Democrats have signed a letter urging Congress to require greater accountability from ICE.

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What they’re saying

“I am against this processing center in San Antonio”

— Henry Cuellar, U.S. Representative (expressnews.com)

“No courtesy to myself or to any other member. No courtesy to the city or to the county, no information, no transparency. That is not how it has historically been.”

— Henry Cuellar, U.S. Representative (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The San Antonio City Council voted 9-2 to direct staff to continue exploring options to discourage or block the ICE facility project. Cuellar said he plans to share the information he received from ICE with local officials and will continue pressing the agency and the Department of Homeland Security for more details.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing tensions between federal immigration authorities and local communities over the expansion of detention facilities. The lack of transparency from ICE has sparked concerns from officials about the potential impact on infrastructure, utilities and public services in San Antonio.