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McALLEN — Residents here are making it known that an ICE detention center is not welcome in their city, but McAllen leadership is indicating that when it comes to federal projects, their hands are tied.
On Monday, community members came together at city hall to speak out against the development of a potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. The concern was raised from reports that a warehouse located at 6900 S. International Parkway in McAllen could be converted into an immigrant detention facility with a 500-bed capacity.
Tuesday morning, city leadership confirmed their awareness of a request for proposals (RFP) but indicated they would have no regulatory authority over any such plans. Additionally, they stressed that they have received no communication from the federal government regarding a proposal.
With no publicly finalized plans regarding the facility, the development is currently uncertain, but that did not stop residents from calling for transparency and declaring their opposition.
Margarita Gonzalez, an Edinburg resident, was one of nine speakers who advocated against the development of a detention center. When she took the podium, she compared the centers to “modern-day concentration camps,” and asked city leadership to “say no,” to any such proposal.
However, according to City Manager Isaac Tawil, they may not have the opportunity.
“The normalization of detaining immigrants in buildings like the proposed warehouse is horrific and reflects the worst in us as humans,” asserted Gonzalez. “People — both adults and children — are hurt, abused, sexually assaulted, raped and not kept in hygienic conditions in these buildings. Many have died.”
She equated the city’s silence on the potential facility as “complicity.”
The next speaker, Pilar Espinosa, a McAllen resident, addressed “terroristic” acts by ICE, pointed towards DHS’ deadly shooting of San Antonio man Ruben Ray Martinez on South Padre Island last year, and condemned the use of American tax dollars to fund any ICE activity.
Currently, U.S. taxpayers fund tens of billions annually for immigration enforcement, and those figures are rising along with the expansion of detention centers nationwide.
“ICE and Border Patrol are out of control. While you may think this is a federal issue, I think you still have power as local community leaders,” said Espinosa. “Our moral obligation is to protect all who live here, and use our voice to call for justice. None of us want to live in a police state.”
He asked the commission to “vote against” any ICE activity in the city.
Later, Griselda Vera, an Edinburg resident, had a speech prepared, but when she took the podium, she opted to “talk from the heart,” as she addressed the commission regarding the potential detention facility.
“We are not OK with it. We are not going to be silent about it,” Vera said. “We will fight to the nail if you guys make these decisions behind closed doors without including us.
“Don’t come looking for our votes in November.”
On Tuesday, Tawil addressed the comments made at the meeting.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “Anytime the public comes out and expresses their concerns, their sentiments, their wishes, I think it’s good. That’s how government is supposed to work.”
Tawil confirmed the federal government has not contacted the city regarding the potential development of an ICE detention facility. However, he did confirm the city was aware of a request for proposals that indicated interest.
“But there has been no communication from the federal government to the city with regard to that topic,” he echoed, to which Mayor Javier Villalobos also confirmed.
When asked if the lack of communication following the RFP raised concern, Tawil shared that he has “hope” they will reach out “at the appropriate time.”
“We will wait and see,” he said.
Tawil disclosed that the city would likely have no role in approving or regulating a project like a detention center.
“It’s pretty clear that the state and federal governments are immune and not bound by zoning or building code authority,” Tawil said. “It would be very likely that there could be absolutely no communication from the federal government to the city if they were to do something.”
“And we would have likely no recourse against anything they would do.”
He directed citizens who have concerns with a “matter of federal jurisdiction,” to voice those concerns to the federal government, such as DHS.
Tawil also shared that at some point, the commission will be briefed on what authority the city has on such matters, but could not confirm the date of that workshop at this time.
For now, key details remain unclear, but in the meantime, McAllen residents have already showcased they won’t wait for their voices to be heard.