ICE Delays Planned San Antonio Detention Center Until 2027

The opening of a planned immigrant detention and processing center on San Antonio’s East Side has been pushed back once again, marking the third delay since a federal planning document released in February projected the San Antonio facility would be operational by November 30, 2026, as part of ICE’s detention “re‑engineering” initiative.

In a June 22 letter to Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director David J. Venturella said the agency now expects the facility to open during the second quarter of fiscal year 2027, roughly around spring to mid-2027.

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What Is the Facility?

The proposed detention center is located inside a 640,000-square-foot warehouse at 542 S.E. Loop 410, across from Essence Preparatory Public School and near Sam Houston High School, Davis Middle School, and Copernicus Park.

ICE purchased the vacant industrial building in February 2026 as part of a nationwide effort to expand immigration detention and processing capacity by converting large commercial properties into what the agency calls “non-traditional” processing centers.

According to agency documents and local reporting, the San Antonio facility would be capable of holding approximately 1,000 to 1,500 people while they’re booked into the immigration system before being transferred to longer-term detention facilities elsewhere.

In a recent interview with Texas Public Radio, Venturella said the facility is intended to hold migrants for only several days and would help ICE process cases more efficiently as immigration arrests increase.

Why Has It Been Delayed?

Federal planning documents first pointed to a November 2026 opening, followed by later projections targeting September and then the end of the year. Reporting in May suggested the timeline had already shifted to early 2027.

According to Venturella’s latest letter, the project remains in the procurement phase because ICE hasn’t selected a company to operate the facility yet. 

Why Are Residents Concerned?

Since the project became public, East Side residents, elected officials, clergy members, and immigrant advocacy organizations have questioned whether the facility belongs in a neighborhood surrounded by schools, parks, and homes.

Some residents have told local media they worry the detention center could increase fear among immigrant families, discourage parents from sending children to nearby schools, and change the character of the surrounding community.

District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez has been one of the project’s most outspoken critics since before the warehouse was purchased by ICE, arguing that immigration detention facilities shouldn’t be located in residential neighborhoods.

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State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins has also opposed the proposal, saying the East Side needs continued investment and economic opportunity rather than another detention facility.

Ortiz Jones has repeatedly raised concerns with federal officials, saying the project could negatively affect economic development efforts on the East Side. “That detention center is going to kill economic activity on that side of town. Let’s just be very clear about that. I think we can provide our community with good jobs and ensure that we’re not engaging in, frankly, activities that are against the values of this community,” Ortiz Jones said in a TPR interview. 

Although city attorneys have explored potential legal options, officials have acknowledged that San Antonio has limited authority to block a federally operated facility.

Over the past several months, residents, faith leaders, and elected officials have organized rallies, attended public meetings, and spoken at City Hall in opposition to the project.

In April 2026, the City Council also approved changes to local regulations governing detention facilities. Those changes don’t apply to federally operated ICE facilities, but they could affect future privately operated detention centers within city limits.

What’s Next?

Although ICE already owns the property, the facility can’t open until the agency completes its contracting process and finishes the remaining federal approval steps.

Whether the revised timeline holds remains to be seen. The project continues to face organized community opposition while federal officials maintain that the facility is necessary to expand immigration processing capacity.

For now, one thing is clear: the conversation surrounding the proposed East Side facility is far from over.