SAN ANTONIO \u2013 Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she will support legal action to stop renovations to a proposed immigration facility on the East Side, and most City Council members want independent reviews of the facility.<\/p>\n
Jones said she requested information<\/a> regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s intentions to use the facility as a processing center but had not received a response as of the Sept. 30 deadline.<\/p>\n She discussed her frustrations during a field hearing on Friday at Central Library. <\/p>\n \u201cDespite many of our requests from the city for additional information on the East Side facility, we\u2019ve been met with silence, or we\u2019ve been met with promises that have not been kept,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n The hearing drew a packed auditorium, with discussions ranging from immigration enforcement and the federal 287(g) program to potential legislation and the proposed ICE facility.<\/p>\n The planned detention center, which officials with ICE said should open around spring 2027<\/a>, could house 1,000 to 1,500 beds. <\/p>\n The conversation also turned personal for some attendees.<\/p>\n Angela Gamez said her husband, Jorge, was detained by ICE in Castroville on Sunday, in front of her children. She said he is from Nicaragua and that the couple has repeatedly tried to secure his citizenship.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve tried very hard to get his citizenship, but every time we\u2019ve been turned away or had money taken from us,\u201d Gamez said.<\/p>\n Additionally, five City Council members called for an independent environmental review of the proposed facility.<\/p>\n