OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Antonio City Council Meeting – February 12, 2026

City Council — Thursday, February 12, 2026
BodySan Antonio, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, February 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:26:36

Transcript — Verbatim
1:15

Good morning.

1:15

The time is now 9 02 AM on Friday, February 12th, and the meeting of the San Antonio City Council is now called to order.

1:22

Madam Clerk, please call roll.

1:24

Councilmember Corps.

1:26

Councilmember Mickey Rodriguez.

1:29

Councilmember Viegran.

1:30

Here.

1:31

Councilmember Mungia.

1:32

Present.

1:33

Councilmember Castillo.

1:34

Here.

1:34

Councilmember Gauban.

1:36

Here.

1:36

Councilmember Alarete Gabito.

1:38

Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez.

1:40

Present.

1:40

Councilmember Spears.

1:42

Here.

1:42

Councilmember White.

1:44

Mayor Jones.

1:47

Mayor, we have here, thank you.

1:50

Okay.

1:53

Councilmember Kor is not here, however, her invocator I see before us.

2:01

So please step to the mic and welcome your remarks.

2:42

Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the fully enlightened one.

2:48

Good morning, Council members.

2:52

With reverence and mindful presence, we begin this gathering with the practice of Metta, which is a Sanskrit word for loving kindness.

3:00

We acknowledge this moment as precious, born of many causes and conditions, and we pause to set our intention.

3:08

As taught by the Buddha, may we establish our minds and goodwill, clarity, and non-harm, so that whatever arises here may be guided by wisdom rather than impulse, and by compassion rather than self-interest.

3:39

May all beings be safe, may all beings be free from fear and hostility.

3:44

May all beings live with dignity, health, and peace.

3:48

As we take up the responsibilities before us, may we remember the truth of interdependence, that no decision exists in isolation, and no life stands apart from another.

4:00

What we choose here ripples outward, shaping lives, families, neighborhoods, and generations to come.

4:07

May our speech be truthful, timely, and spoken with a gentle heart.

4:12

May our listening be deep and unguarded.

4:15

May our minds be steady, free from greed, ill will, and ignorance, so that we are not driven by narrow views, fixed identities, or the need to prevail, but guided by what is genuinely by gut but guided by what is genuinely alleviate suffering.

4:34

In moments of disagreement, may we practice patience and right effort.

4:38

In moments of difficulty, may we recall our share our shared purpose, which is to serve, to protect, and to uplift the well-being of the whole community.

4:49

May we hold differing perspectives without contempt, remembering that understanding grows when the when humility is present.

5:00

May compassion guide our concern for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and those whose burdens are heavy.

5:07

May wisdom guide us to consider long-term consequences and not merely immediate gains.

5:14

May ethical conduct guide us to act in ways that build trust, fairness, and harmony.

5:20

As the Buddha taught, let our care be boundless, without exclusion, without resentment, and without division.

5:27

May we cultivate minds that wish no harm, harbor no hatred, and cling to no rigid sense of us and them.

5:36

With this aspiration, maybe work may the work undertaken here today contribute to peace rather than conflict, healing rather than harm, and unity rather than separation.

5:48

May our collective efforts be a cause for well-being in the city now and into the future.

5:55

With gratitude for this opportunity to serve and with hearts grounded in mindfulness and loving kindness, may you all be happy, healthy, and may your mind be at ease.

6:05

Thank you, Nam Bataya.

6:10

Thank you for that blessing.

6:11

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

6:14

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

6:21

One nation under God and its moment of liberty and justice for all.

6:41

Item three is approval of the minutes for the city council meetings of January 28th and 29th, 2026.

6:47

Are there any corrections or edits to the minutes?

6:50

Okay.

6:51

Hearing none, is there a motion for the approval of the minutes?

6:54

I make a motion to approve.

6:55

Second.

6:56

Thank you.

6:57

There's a motion and a second to approve the minutes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Immigration Policy█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Public Safety████████████████19%
Legal Procedure██████7%
Procedural████5%
Affordable Housing███4%
Public Engagement███3%
Immigration Detention███3%
Cultural Heritage██2%
Public Housing█1%
Summary of Proceedings

San Antonio City Council Meeting – February 12, 2026

The San Antonio City Council met on Friday, February 12, 2026, at 9:02 AM. Following the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, the council approved minutes, passed a consent agenda including 17 items (primarily resolutions supporting affordable housing tax credit applications totaling 805 units), and held a lengthy public hearing and discussion on Item 4, a resolution to evaluate strategies to protect all San Antonians in the context of immigration enforcement and a proposed ICE detention center. The council heard from dozens of community members, debated legal and policy options, and ultimately voted to approve the resolution.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes for January 28-29, 2026.
  • Approved items 5-21 en bloc, including resolutions of support for 10 affordable housing projects (805 units total), reappointments to the West Side Tours board, and other routine items.
  • Councilmembers highlighted specific housing projects in their districts, with emphasis on senior housing and workforce housing.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Dozens of community members spoke, many expressing strong opposition to a proposed ICE detention facility on the East Side and calling for the city to take action to protect immigrant rights.
  • Speakers described the facility as a “concentration camp,” cited constitutional violations, and demanded transparency and accountability regarding local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
  • Several speakers urged the council to explore every legal avenue to block the facility, including utility denial, zoning challenges, and environmental assessments.
  • A few speakers opposed the resolution, arguing it could jeopardize federal funding, impede lawful immigration enforcement, and shield criminals.
  • One speaker presented an addendum to the resolution calling for recognition of Marian devotion as a symbol of protection and peace.

Discussion Items

  • Item 4 – Resolution Supporting Evaluation of Strategies to Protect All San Antonians
    • The City Attorney’s Office presented a detailed analysis of proposed actions, categorizing them as: already done/underway, proposed, not recommended (high legal risk), or requiring further evaluation.
    • Actions already taken: updated website resources, staff training for ICE encounters, “Know Your Rights” resources via third parties, and an economic report on immigrant contributions.
    • Proposed actions: linking ICE data, creating an intake form for alleged rights violations (with limitations), and evaluating costs of ICE requests to SAPD.
    • Not recommended: providing legal resources to undocumented individuals, city staff directly providing “Know Your Rights” training, and policies on federal officer masking (due to SB4 constraints and litigation risks).
    • Items for further evaluation: a justice fund, detention facility land‑use measures, vendor accountability, signage, staff training on harm prevention, and holding federal officers accountable.
  • Councilmembers debated the legal limits, with many emphasizing the need to push the boundaries within state and federal law while managing public expectations.
  • Some councilmembers expressed frustration with the pace of action and requested regular updates via the City Manager’s Report.
  • The City Attorney clarified that the city’s prior SB4 settlement imposes unique restrictions on SAPD policies.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote: The council voted to approve Item 4 (resolution). The vote majority was in favor; Councilmember White voted against.
  • Directives:
    • Staff will provide updates on the evaluation of resolution items starting with the March 5, 2026 City Manager’s Report.
    • The City Manager was asked to include progress reports in regular Council A‑session reports.
    • Staff will continue to evaluate the proposed detention facility’s impact on city services, explore legal options (e.g., environmental assessments, zoning), and assess partnerships with other cities.
  • No action was taken on the proposed ICE detention facility itself, as the city has limited authority over federal operations. The council pledged to use all lawful tools to protect residents’ constitutional rights.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning. The time is now 9 02 AM on Friday, February 12th, and the meeting of the San Antonio City Council is now called to order. Madam Clerk, please call roll. Councilmember Corps. Councilmember Mickey Rodriguez. Councilmember Viegran. Here. Councilmember Mungia. Present. Councilmember Castillo. Here. Councilmember Gauban. Here. Councilmember Alarete Gabito. Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez. Present. Councilmember Spears. Here. Councilmember White. Mayor Jones. Mayor, we have here, thank you. Okay. Councilmember Kor is not here, however, her invocator I see before us. So please step to the mic and welcome your remarks. Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the fully enlightened one. Good morning, Council members. With reverence and mindful presence, we begin this gathering with the practice of Metta, which is a Sanskrit word for loving kindness. We acknowledge this moment as precious, born of many causes and conditions, and we pause to set our intention. As taught by the Buddha, may we establish our minds and goodwill, clarity, and non-harm, so that whatever arises here may be guided by wisdom rather than impulse, and by compassion rather than self-interest. May all beings be safe, may all beings be free from fear and hostility. May all beings live with dignity, health, and peace. As we take up the responsibilities before us, may we remember the truth of interdependence, that no decision exists in isolation, and no life stands apart from another. What we choose here ripples outward, shaping lives, families, neighborhoods, and generations to come. May our speech be truthful, timely, and spoken with a gentle heart. May our listening be deep and unguarded. May our minds be steady, free from greed, ill will, and ignorance, so that we are not driven by narrow views, fixed identities, or the need to prevail, but guided by what is genuinely by gut but guided by what is genuinely alleviate suffering. In moments of disagreement, may we practice patience and right effort. In moments of difficulty, may we recall our share our shared purpose, which is to serve, to protect, and to uplift the well-being of the whole community. May we hold differing perspectives without contempt, remembering that understanding grows when the when humility is present. May compassion guide our concern for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and those whose burdens are heavy. May wisdom guide us to consider long-term consequences and not merely immediate gains. May ethical conduct guide us to act in ways that build trust, fairness, and harmony. As the Buddha taught, let our care be boundless, without exclusion, without resentment, and without division. May we cultivate minds that wish no harm, harbor no hatred, and cling to no rigid sense of us and them. With this aspiration, maybe work may the work undertaken here today contribute to peace rather than conflict, healing rather than harm, and unity rather than separation. May our collective efforts be a cause for well-being in the city now and into the future. With gratitude for this opportunity to serve and with hearts grounded in mindfulness and loving kindness, may you all be happy, healthy, and may your mind be at ease. Thank you, Nam Bataya. Thank you for that blessing. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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