San Antonio police will cooperate with federal agents in deportations — if they’re legal

In a statement issued Thursday, San Antonio city officials said local police will help federal authorities as they carry out President Trump’s plans for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Even, so the statement included caveats.

“SAPD has a long history of cooperating with federal authorities on enforcement of immigration laws,” the city said in a statement emailed to the Current. “We will continue to do that consistent with applicable law and availability of resources. Given that some of the contemplated enforcement actions have never been attempted, the city’s participation in any enforcement activity will be facilitated by effective communication and planning with federal authorities.”

The city’s policy clarification comes two years after it paid $300,000 to settle a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton alleging local police violated a ban on so-called “sanctuary cities” passed by the Republican-controlled Texas legislature. The ban was adopted over the objection of SAPD Chief William McManus and the heads of Texas’ other big-city police departments.

Paxton’s suit accused SAPD of violating the state law during a 2017 incident where local authorities released a dozen undocumented migrants instead of turning them over to federal immigration officials.

San Antonio’s statement about its willingness to work with federal immigration officers comes after the Wall Street Journal last week reported that ICE plans raids in metros with laws that aim to protect undocumented migrants, including the Alamo City.

That San Antonio raid has yet to materialize, however.

On Monday, Trump signed an executive order he said would revoke federal funding to “sanctuary jurisdictions” that “seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of federal law enforcement operations.”

The order led Mayor Ron Nirenberg to cancel planned trips abroad this week, including an excursion to France to watch the Spurs’ matchup against the Indiana Pacers and a trip to Colombia to discuss trade, according to KSAT.

The confirmation that SAPD will cooperate with federal agencies on the deportations also comes a day after 2025 San Antonio mayoral candidate Rolando Pablos, a former Texas Secretary of State, lambasted Nirenberg, claiming the mayor stands behind sanctuary city policies.

“We have a responsibility to deport individuals who represent a danger to our families,” Pablos said in a statement. “I also oppose sanctuary city policies that often shield dangerous criminals who are here illegally and should be deported.”

Before Pablos formally launched his campaign, longtime San Antonio political strategist Christian Archer speculated that the former Republican official would focus on buddying up to his GOP allies in Austin.

“I think one of the things that Rolando Pablos offers is a connection to state government,” Archer told the Current. “There’s always been this poking in the eye of [Gov.] Greg Abbott, and [the governor’s] response is to cut money off from our local government.”
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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.