City, D.O.J. in discussion to pause lawsuit surrounding proposed East Side ICE facility

City, D.O.J. in discussion to pause lawsuit surrounding proposed East Side ICE facility by Jessica Warner Mon, November 9, 2026 at 5:40 PM 7 VIEW ALL PHOTOS The U.S. Department of Justice has reached out to the City of San Antonio to begin discussions about how the federal government plans to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act as the city challenges a proposed ICE detention facility on the East Side. (SBG San Antonio) Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share topics: San Antonio Department of Justice ICE facility NEPA Lawsuit Immigration detention Environmental review Department of Homeland Security SAN ANTONIO - The U.S. Department of Justice has reached out to the City of San Antonio to begin discussions about how the federal government plans to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act as the city challenges a proposed ICE detention facility on the East Side. In a press release from the San Antonio City Attorney’s Office, the city said the outreach came after San Antonio filed its lawsuit. The city said it is “currently in discussions with the DOJ on a proposed agreement to pause the lawsuit while environmental reviews are conducted.” Under the proposed agreement, the city said, “work to convert the property into a detention facility would not proceed during that process.” The city said details are still being discussed, but added, “We are encouraged by the move toward compliance.” FULL STATEMENT: Following the City's lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice reached out to begin discussions on the federal government’s plans to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We are currently in discussions with the DOJ on a proposed agreement to pause the lawsuit while environmental reviews are conducted. Under the proposed agreement, work to convert the property into a detention facility would not proceed during that process. While details are still under discussion, we are encouraged by the move toward compliance. The City of San Antonio filed a federal lawsuit on Oct. 13 against the Department of Homeland Security, seeking to stop work on the proposed detention facility until federal environmental requirements are met. Previously, City Attorney Andy Segovia said the lawsuit seeks to enforce NEPA, which requires federal agencies, including DHS, to conduct environmental reviews before moving forward with major projects. The proposed facility would convert an existing warehouse measuring more than 640,000 square feet into an immigration detention center capable of holding up to 1,500 people. Segovia has said city officials repeatedly attempted to obtain information about the project, sending five letters to federal authorities since February, with the most recent dated Sept. 9. According to Segovia, DHS responded to one of those letters in June, assuring the city that federal officials would coordinate with local leaders, consider community input and share design and engineering reports before beginning work. Segovia has said the city has received no further communication about those commitments since early summer. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to invalidate the federal government’s purchase of the property, cancel the contract to convert the warehouse into a detention center and halt work until DHS and ICE comply with NEPA requirements. Segovia has emphasized that the environmental review required under NEPA goes beyond air and water quality and must also consider potential socioeconomic effects on surrounding neighborhoods, including impacts on the area’s appearance, history and cultural character. City officials have argued that federal coordination and a comprehensive environmental review are necessary to protect residents and ensure the potential consequences of the detention center are fully evaluated before the project moves forward. Some city officials have opposed the lawsuit. District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte and District 9 Councilmember Misty Spears released a joint statement on Oct. 13 opposing the legal action, saying the lawsuit is the “qwrong fight to fight,” with taxpayers paying the bill. On Oct. 8, Whyte and Spears cast the only votes against directing SAWS and CPS Energy to study the site’s utility impacts, arguing the studies and a lawsuit lead to the same place: delay paid for by residents. Trending Family of five killed after SUV leaves wet IH-10 overpass in Seguin, parents identified Rain-slicked IH-10 in Seguin turned deadly when a Chevrolet Tahoe left an overpass near FM 725, killing a Porter family of five, including three children. 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