San Antonio’s mayor is again calling on federal leaders to reconsider plans, citing transparency concerns and community impact.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio’s mayor is once again urging federal leaders to reconsider a proposed immigration detention center on the city’s east side.
Gina Ortiz Jones sent a new letter this week to Markwayne Mullin, who has recently taken over leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, asking the agency to halt plans for the facility.
The proposal involves converting an East Side warehouse into an ICE detention center, something city leaders say they were not made aware of early on.
In her latest message, Jones emphasized she never received a response from former DHS leadership, including Kristi Noem, and is now renewing her call for transparency and direct communication under new leadership.
Her concerns are not new.
Back in February, Jones sent a letter to Texas lawmakers representing San Antonio, urging them to oppose any funding tied to the project. She argued that the lack of communication surrounding the plan left both city leaders and residents in the dark.
Later that month, she joined a group of local and federal officials, including Peter Sakai, Tommy Calvert Jr., and members of Congress Joaquin Castro, Greg Casar and Henry Cuellar, in a joint letter opposing the project.
That letter cited concerns over transparency, community impact and what leaders described as a potential misuse of taxpayer dollars. They also requested an in-person meeting with federal officials, but say they never received a response.
While the San Antonio City Council voted in March to tighten regulations on private detention facilities, city leaders acknowledge their authority is limited when it comes to federal projects.
For now, the future of the proposed facility remains uncertain.
Mayor Jones says she hopes new leadership at DHS will open the door for conversations that, so far, have not happened.