SAN ANTONIO \u2013 Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is calling on the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reconsider plans to turn an East Side warehouse into a detention facility for immigrants.<\/p>\n
However, the city may have another iron in the fire.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the federal government bought the roughly 640,000 square-foot warehouse at 542 SE Loop 410 for more than $66 million. <\/p>\n
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed<\/a> the agency had bought land and a facility in San Antonio, though it didn\u2019t specify where and indicated it would be used as a detention facility. The agency, however, has yet to provided a timeline. <\/p>\n The purchase fits in with ICE\u2019s larger plans<\/a> to increase its number of beds and streamline its removal process.<\/p>\n According to reports from The Washington Post<\/a> and The Dallas Morning News<\/a>, the San Antonio ICE site would function as a processing facility with up to 1,500 beds, rather than a large-scale detention center.<\/p>\n In late February, Jones joined other local elected officials when they told then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem they opposed the plans for the warehouse and requested an in-person meeting.<\/p>\n In a Wednesday letter to Noem\u2019s replacement, Markwayne Mullin, Jones said she had not received a response from Noem. <\/p>\n \u201cHowever, I hope to have a more productive and transparent engagement with your office (Mullin) as we similarly aim to balance public safety and public trust,\u201d Jones\u2019 letter read. <\/p>\n The mayor asked Mullin to reconsider plans for the East Side warehouse.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I shared with your predecessor, my community is not interested in hosting an ICE processing facility and believes it will further depress economic activity in a part of town that already struggles to attract economic development,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n DHS has reportedly paused<\/a> the purchase of new warehouses as it scrutinizes all contracts signed under Noem. Previously completed warehouse purchases are also reportedly being under review. <\/p>\n In the meantime, San Antonio is exploring legal options. <\/p>\n