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San Antonio City Council chambers were packed Thursday as residents crowded into a more than seven-hour meeting focused on the city’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The meeting was recessed multiple times after disruptions from the audience.
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones called for order at least three times, urging attendees to allow all speakers to be heard.
“We are here to listen,” Jones said. “We also want to make sure every speaker, regardless of their viewpoint on the spectrum, is treated with respect.”
The meeting was intended as a public briefing and listening session on how often the San Antonio Police Department works with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. City officials said that cooperation occurs only in limited circumstances required by state or federal law.
According to data provided by SAPD, the department made roughly 51,000 arrests last year. Of those, 111 involved ICE detainer requests — when federal authorities ask local law enforcement to hold someone for pickup by ICE. Police said 49 of those cases involved Class C misdemeanors, while 62 involved Class B or higher offenses.
Police Chief William McManus repeatedly emphasized that SAPD does not enforce immigration law.
“I want to be very, very clear on this,” McManus told the council. “SAPD does not enforce immigration laws. We do not arrest people for immigration violations. We are not enabled to do that by law, and we do not have that jurisdiction.”
Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez added that out of roughly 1.8 million calls for service last year, only 258 incident reports included the word “immigration,” and most of those involved no federal action.
McManus said SAPD participates in joint task forces with state and federal agencies primarily to share resources.
“These partnerships expand our access to resources and intelligence, helping us to target large-scale criminal activity while maintaining a strong local enforcement presence,” he said.
City Attorney Andy Segovia addressed concerns raised by Jones about ICE’s reported use of administrative warrants — recently cited in an Associated Press report — noting that constitutional questions remain unresolved.
“Previous constitutional law has stated that that is not within the constitutional rights that are afforded,” Segovia said, adding that the issue is likely to face legal challenges.
About 180 people signed up to speak, with the vast majority opposing any cooperation between the city and immigration enforcement. Some speakers invoked the civil rights movement, arguing that history would judge cities that comply with what they view as unjust laws.
San Antonio resident Abigail Stephens said she hopes the city chooses resistance over compliance.
“During the Civil Rights era, cities and local officials chose resistance over compliance when state and federal mandates enforced discrimination,” she said. “History judges those who complied harshly.”
A handful of speakers, however, voiced support for cooperation with ICE.
“I would recommend that you not only look to the bare minimum to cooperate with ICE and the federal government,” said Tim Wright, “but to think about ways to work with them and make their job easier.”
Council members were divided. District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo said ICE has no place in San Antonio, calling current policies “textbook fascism.”
“We’re seeing the undermining of due process,” Castillo said. “We’re hearing about a memo authorizing ICE to enter the homes of our residents. That is unconstitutional and an attack on civil liberties.”
Councilman Marc Whyte said SAPD must comply with federal law when required.
“When SAPD is called upon to comply with our federal law enforcement officials, they must comply,” Whyte said. “We must cooperate, and it is in the safety and best interest of our community that they do.”
The council took no action Thursday, as the meeting was intended solely for public input. San Antonio’s role in immigration enforcement remains unsettled, with the conversation far from over.
