San Antonio ICE Detention Project: Environmental Review Pauses Warehouse Conversion

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones announced on Monday that federal officials have agreed to conduct an environmental review of a proposed immigration detention facility, placing the project on pause. The facility is being developed in an East Side warehouse that Immigration and Customs Enforcement purchased in January for $66.1 million. The site, located on Southeast Loop 410, spans 640,000 square feet and is being retrofitted to hold up to 1,500 detainees.

The pause follows a lawsuit filed by the City of San Antonio on October 13 against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. The city alleged that federal officials failed to conduct an environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act before purchasing the property and initiating renovation plans. Ortiz Jones told Texas Public Radio that DHS has confirmed it will comply with the review requirements, which was the central issue of the legal action.

This legal strategy mirrors successful efforts in other states to halt similar federal projects. In March, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown successfully stopped work on an ICE facility after filing a lawsuit and an emergency motion. Brown argued that federal agencies bypassed public comment periods, state consultations, and environmental reviews. His office also noted that sediment from the project threatened nearby waterways. Brown stated in a press release that federal immigration authorities were moving quickly to build the facility while ignoring their legal obligations.

In San Antonio, the city’s petition argued that the review is necessary to assess the facility’s impact on the surrounding community, including local infrastructure, the economy, and the environment. Ortiz Jones’ comments on Monday marked the first public confirmation from city leaders that the federal government has accepted the terms of the review. However, court filings have not yet specified the exact terms of the review or whether renovations will be fully suspended during the process.

The San Antonio Report noted that it remains unclear if the federal government will halt other development activities while the review is underway. In the Maryland case, a court granted a preliminary injunction that paused most construction but allowed limited interior repairs, such as HVAC and drywall work, to continue while other rulings were pending. This precedent suggests that some work may still proceed in San Antonio despite the overall pause.

Ortiz Jones indicated that the city will monitor the situation closely and is prepared to take additional legal steps if work continues during the review or if federal officials do not follow through. She stated that the city’s goal is to stop the project entirely. “Look, pushing back has had the effect that we want up until now,” Ortiz Jones said. “Obviously, the ultimate effect is no ICE detention facility in San Antonio.”

The city’s legal team will continue to track the progress of the environmental review to ensure compliance with federal law. The outcome of the review will determine the next steps for the warehouse conversion project on the East Side.