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The San Antonio City Council has resumed a special meeting on cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after multiple interruptions.
The meeting was paused by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones twice as demonstrators disrupted proceedings.
Disturbances from citizens in the chamber, which was standing room only, interrupted the public comment portion of the meeting.
Mayor Jones called the recess each time while Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody spoke at the podium.
Most of those disruptions were by residents reacting loudly to disagree with his comments about supporting ICE and their tactics.
Moody was followed by a resident who addressed the mayor and the council to say that it was unfair that an elected official was allowed to speak during public comment and deprive members of the public of their time to speak.
More than 180 residents have signed up to speak at public comment — with speakers both for and against ICE cooperation — filling council chambers.
Small protests were also held by concerned residents outside City Hall on Thursday afternoon.
The public comment portion of the meeting is expected to continue for multiple hours.
Council members have said that residents in their respective districts would like clarity on the processes of law enforcement and on the rights of those approached by them. This comes as reports of ICE in San Antonio have increased in the last week. There is heightened concern and calls for greater transparency in the collaboration between the SAPD and federal agencies, including ICE.
Last week, a Cuban national allegedly used a vehicle to ram ICE vehicles during an attempted arrest, injuring an agent who was sent to the hospital. Since then, there have been continuing reports about detentions at immigration court, in San Antonio businesses and in people’s homes.
