SAN ANTONIO, Texas
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is urging DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to rethink plans for a large U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (ICE) processing and detention facility in San Antonio. In a letter sent last week, Ortiz-Jones stated, “My community has no interest in hosting an ICE processing facility.”
In the letter, she expressed frustration over the lack of communication between her office and ICE, adding, “Despite repeated attempts, neither my office nor city staff have received formal notification of ICE’s reported purchase and possible use of the over 640,000 square foot warehouse located at 542 Access Road, SE Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas.”
This letter marks Ortiz-Jones’s second correspondence to the department in recent months about the proposed facility. In late February, she communicated with former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to voice her “strong opposition” and requested a meeting to discuss potential impacts on the city.
According to Breitbart Texas, the warehouse was purchased for over $66 million in early February. The buyer is identified as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement based in Washington, D.C., as disclosed by Bexar County officials.
Mayor Ortiz-Jones, alongside Bexar County Commissioners, has voiced opposition to the facility. In early March, they adopted a resolution expressing concerns regarding the facility, which has yet to open.
ICE officials described the facility as a “very well-constructed” detention center, capable of processing and holding at least 1,500 detainees. Its location is convenient for carrying out the agency’s duties of processing, detaining, and removing individuals due to its proximity to major transportation hubs, hospitals, and the U.S.-Mexico border.
San Antonio boasts nearly 30 major hospitals, with Brooks Army Medical Center, a Level I trauma center, positioned just eight miles from the proposed site. Additionally, San Antonio International Airport is a mere 24 miles away, providing ICE with easy access for transporting detainees. Several land ports, such as Eagle Pass and Laredo, are also within 320 miles, enhancing transportation options.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, the acquisition is part of ICE’s plan to bolster detention capacity and expedite the deportation of criminal aliens. An internal ICE memo indicated that this initiative seeks to address ongoing deficiencies in the immigration system, which include overcrowded facilities, slow deportations, and significant backlogs.
The detention restructuring memo, shared on the New Hampshire Governor’s website in February, outlines plans for “the acquisition and renovation of eight large-scale detention centers and 16 processing facilities,” along with ten existing facilities already operated by ICE ERO.
The total estimated cost for acquiring the facility and executing the plan is $38.3 billion, as per the document. Funding will be provided to the agency through the One Big Beautiful Bill.
