San Antonio Mayor Calls for ICE Reform Amidst Community Fears
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has issued a strong call for reform of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing growing fear within the community and concerns over the agency’s tactics. The mayor’s statements come as residents express anxiety over increased immigration enforcement operations, with reports of students missing school and workers staying home for fear of arrest.
“I’ve heard anecdotes of some schools where students are not showing up because there’s a lot of fear,” Mayor Jones said during an appearance on Inside Texas Politics, as reported on . “I’ve heard the same on some job sites.”
The concerns stem from recent ICE enforcement operations carried out not only in San Antonio but also in Austin, the Rio Grande Valley, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. While ICE maintains that enforcement targets individuals with active criminal warrants, Mayor Jones highlighted the widespread anxiety these operations are causing, particularly within the city’s large Latino population – approximately 63% of San Antonio’s residents.
“the Trump Administration’s goal of spreading fear, particularly through immigrant communities, but also communities like ours… We know that You’ll see two million people in Texas that are part of a mixed-status household, so there’s a tremendous amount of fear,” the mayor relayed.
The mayor’s call for reform echoes concerns raised by U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, who described recent ICE arrests in downtown San Antonio as “disturbing.” Casar held a press conference on , following an incident where an ICE agent detained a Venezuelan man with legal immigration status after a court hearing. Casar also voiced concerns about ICE agents being present inside and outside the courthouse.
Mayor Jones emphasized the need for accountability and better training within ICE, pointing to instances of what she described as excessive force and disregard for due process. She cited examples of ICE detaining childcare workers while children were being dropped off, conducting raids in the middle of the night, and reportedly deporting U.S. Citizen children, including one battling Stage 4 cancer.
“What we have seen — the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the use of children to bait their undocumented parents resulting in their detention, the blatant disregard for one’s right to peacefully protest — is the result of an untrained organization ill-equipped to do the basic job of law enforcement,” Jones stated.
According to the CATO Institute, nearly 75% of individuals detained by ICE have no criminal convictions. Despite this, ICE’s budget has significantly increased, rising from $6 billion a decade ago to $85 billion currently.
Mayor Jones suggested that a portion of ICE’s funding could be better allocated to expediting the processing of applications for those seeking legal status, allowing them to contribute fully to the economy without fear. She estimates that approximately 100,000 undocumented individuals reside in the San Antonio community, with nearly half having lived in the country for over 20 years and a significant portion employed in construction or the service industry.
Governor Greg Abbott has ordered all state agencies to cooperate with President Trump’s mass deportation plan and to identify land and facilities that could be used during these operations. Mayor Jones urged Congress to take action to rein in ICE’s tactics, echoing Governor Abbott’s call for the White House to “recalibrate” the agency. She believes future funding should be contingent upon demonstrable improvements in ICE’s practices and adherence to constitutional principles.
“We are a nation of laws, and as Mayor, I am committed to following our state and federal laws,” Jones said. “That does not preclude me or other elected leaders from holding bad behavior accountable.”
Recent protests have highlighted the community’s concerns, with over 150 residents sharing their experiences with ICE at a recent City Council session. Students at Central Texas schools, including Akins High School in Austin, also staged walkouts to protest the immigration enforcement operations, expressing fears for their parents’ safety.
