By Edmond Ortiz
An oft-heated, six-hour San Antonio City Council meeting ended with local officials pressing the need for transparency and additional discussions regarding the federal government’s immigration enforcement tactics in town.
What is happening
Nearly 180 people signed up to speak at the special council meeting that addressed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increasing its presence in San Antonio, and the role of cooperation with the San Antonio Police Department.
Prior to the meeting, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she wanted the meeting to be an opportunity for all sides of the issue to be heard. She also said it is important to seek a balance between proper law enforcement, public safety and ensuring people know their rights.
A long line of anti-ICE protesters, many carrying signs or wearing shirts bearing political statements, stretched out of the council chambers and into Main Plaza early on in the meeting, which Jones briefly halted multiple times because of loud jeers and tense exchanges among audience members.
The first speaker, Pct. 3 Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody, a Republican, said he supported ICE’s immigration enforcement operations, which have attracted fierce criticism from civilians and many elected and civic leaders in dozens of U.S. cities.
Moody sparked boos from the crowd by urging protesters to not harm ICE agents or other authorities, and to not interfere with ICE operations out in the field. An undocumented Cuban native was recently accused of allegedly driving his car into ICE vehicles in a local Walmart parking lot. One federal agent was hospitalized for minor injuries.
“There should be zero tolerance for attacks on those who serve, whether they wear the uniform of SAPD, (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office), FBI, ICE or any other federal agency,” he added.
While a minority of audience members voiced backing for ICE and encouraged cooperation from local police and civilians, most attendees said ICE’s tactics – called aggressive and an example of government overreach by many detractors – are creating chaos and an atmosphere of public fear wherever they go.
Many speakers asked city officials to not collaborate with ICE; Balcones Heights officials are presently reaping scorn from locals for signing a cooperative agreement with ICE, whose agents are using the North Side suburb as a station for operations.
Ananda Tomas, executive director of the grassroots group ACT4SA, said ICE is using the pretext of law, order and pursuing undocumented immigrants and human traffickers to intimidate community members. She added ICE agents’ tactics are tearing apart local immigrant families.
“When immigrant mothers hesitate to call 911 during emergencies, that’s not public safety. It is state-sponsored terror,” she added.
Public worries about ICE’s tactics and the Trump administration’s approach to illegal immigration have also prompted a wave of protests nationwide, including one held in downtown San Antonio on Jan. 20, as well as student walkouts this week at Taft and Clemens high schools.
What local authorities are saying
City officials, including Police Chief William McManus and city attorney Andy Segovia briefed the council and audience on the city’s legal obligations regarding the federal government’s immigration enforcement operations, and how ICE is allowed to interact with the SAPD.
Senate Bill 4, the anti-sanctuary cities bill that state lawmakers adopted in 2017, requires the city and SAPD to cooperate with federal agencies in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The bill also prohibits the city and SAPD from adopting laws and policies that conflict with federal agencies in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Additionally, SB4 forbids police officers from inquiring into immigration status during interactions with civilians. City officials said a 2023 update to SB4 is now in litigation over the prohibition of authorities’ illegally entering private property.
They added that SB4 in 2023 levied new obligations on local government law enforcement to help with transporting individuals detained by ICE agents.
Many audience members said they support immigrants, but that immigrant communities are increasingly fearful of incursions by ICE or any other law enforcement or adjacent agency.
Anti-ICE protesters also decried a recently revealed internal ICE memo that permits agents to forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant.
McManus sought to make it clear that SAPD works to uphold public safety, and not enforce immigration laws. However, he said ICE is allowed to conduct operations free of interference.
“I’m very sensitive to SB 4 issues, but I’m also very sensitive to community sentiment and concerns about this,” McManus said.
According to city staff’s presentation, SAPD received 2.1 million 911 calls in Fiscal Year 2025. Of those calls, only 66 referenced immigration. SAPD dispatched 1.8 million calls in FY2025, and of those, 258 resulted in reports including the word “immigration.”
Out of those 258 reports, 161 were designated as having “no federal involvement” regarding enforcement. Instead, city officials said, those 161 cases ranged from complaints about stolen immigration documents, immigrants targeted for scams or fraud, or threats to call ICE to report someone for violating immigration laws.
According to city representatives, there were two incidents in 2025 where ICE asked SAPD to provide support for a specific activity. In one incident, San Antonio police provided perimeter security during an ICE operation at a local seafood retailer last July. In a December incident, federal agents asked SAPD and EMS to help with an individual resisting arrest.
Most council members, such as District 1’s Sukh Kaur and District 6’s Ric Galvan emphasized the importance of civilians knowing their constitutional rights when federal agents are operating in a specific place. District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte encouraged calm to prevail in the community, adding his hope that Congress enacts comprehensive immigration reform sooner than later.
After the meeting, District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo issued a statement, saying the meeting shed light on the collaboration between ICE and SAPD. Castillo also extended support for community members, especially those she said are living in fear of detention and deportation.
Additionally, Castillo said she will continue pushing for accountability, transparency, and “an end to practices that endanger our communities.”
