City Considers Zoning Changes as Proposed ICE Detention Facility Draws Local and Federal Attention
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ office is addressing the issue of zoning for the planned ICE Detention Facility, destined for placement within District 2.
The letter, sent on April 13, to Economic Development Leaders, requesting feedback on the City’s proposed draft ordinance, related to zoning laws for non-municipal detention facilities within San Antonio city limits said:
“Zoning plays a critical role in shaping our city’s economic development, and I welcome your feedback as to how the proposed zoning changes affect, positively or negatively, economic development throughout our city”, wrote the mayor.
City Contacts Federal Officials With No Response on Facility Relocation
The city previously tried contacting former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, but did not receive any response.
Another letter was sent to recently appointed Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, requesting the agency to reconsider relocating the 640,000 square foot facility, as the community is not interested in the facility, but no response has been received.
Related: San Antonio’s Letter to DHS Sec. Mullin
The mayor and city council have reportedly been working for several months to identify ways to address immigration activity, taking place within the city limits, including new detention facilities.
Draft Ordinance Focuses on Safety, Communication, and Oversight
The draft ordinance notes that the city must safeguard its residents’ health, safety, and welfare, that the San Antonio Police and Fire Departments, and other safety and health agencies, be notified and made aware of the presence of, or conversion into, such facilities within city limits, to ensure proper communication, coordination, enforcement, and response to safety threats.
If approved by the City Council, the ordinance would also specify notice procedures for non-municipal detention facilities and where they can operate within the San Antonio city limits.
Proposed Code Changes Would Regulate Detention Facilities Citywide
The draft ordinance also proposes amending Ch.35 (Unified Development Code) and Chapter 11 (Fire Prevention) of the City Code to regulate the construction or operation of Detention facilities within the City limits.
The ordinance acknowledges that “the City of San Antonio is a welcoming city, committed to protecting everyone’s dignity and humanity, and being a city where the members of our resident and visitor community feel welcome and it also recognizes the authority of Texas’ Local Government Code Ch. 211.613 (Conflict With Other Laws), and the Federal government of the United States and the City Charter provides that the city through the City Council and City Manager shall have the power to “define, prohibit, abate, suppress and prevent all things or any acts detrimental to the health, morals, comfort, safety, and welfare of the inhabitants of the city.”
District 2 Residents and Leaders Continue to Voice Concerns
Going forward, residents have also spoken during a previous Mayoral Town Hall in District 2, and in previous comments by Community elected officials, which urged the City to take action, via the Zoning process. There’s also an ongoing battle in Congress, where proposed ICE funding has come under scrutiny, which is being watched closely.
