Well, good morning everyone. Um, thank you for being here on such a cold day. Hopefully everyone's trips here were safe and uneventful. Um before we get started, I am happy to welcome Reverend Dr. Brian Warfield from Integress Health Baptist Integra Health Baptist Medical Center um to bring our invocation. >> If you if you can please stand. >> Let us pray. Holy one, on this cold and blistery morning, we give thanks for the courageous and steadfast city personnel who have literally gone the extra miles to plow our roads, ensure our water is running, and keep the lights on for us. Would you bless them with health, safety, and a keen awareness they are loved and appreciated. We recognize though the weather is not our only source of anxiety these days, personal crises, and crises in our nation. We can look to our holy books to find inspiration. That God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. I pray for love and sound minds to prevail. I pray for unity over division, compassion over disdain, and contempt. I pray each of us loves our neighbors as ourselves to see each human being as a divine image bearer worthy of dignity, respect, and life. Bless our city council as they do important work to care for our neighbors. In the name of grace and compassion we pray. Amen. >> And then we have Aan Lee, Vivette, and Evanel Pru from Girl Scout Troop 460 to do the pledge of allegiance. >> Please join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you all. >> Okay. And I am going to call the meeting to order. And uh we we are at item three, office of the mayor with an appointment of John Miliner to serve as a member of the Oklahoma City Planning Commission. Um do we have a motion? >> Yes, Vice Mayor. I I move approval. >> Oh, sorry. I thought that was voting. There we go. I vote yes. >> And that passes unanimously. On to item four, we have um items from council. a resolution approving travel expenses for council members Bradley Carter, Kamal Pennington, and Mark Stonecipher to attend the National League of Cities. Um, we do have a resident signed up to speak on this item. Um, Steve Hunt. And, um, just for everyone's um edification um when you come to speak, you have a maximum of three minutes. Um, the city clerk will, uh, give you a 30 second uh, verbal time, uh, time count. Um just so so you're aware of when your time is coming to an end. Um go ahead. Thank you. >> All right. Um Steve Hunt 2825 Northwest 57th Ward James. Um let me go ahead and read this. A few meetings ago I pointed out that this council appointed uh approved nine contracts going to 10 private equity or private equity adjacent companies. This was not speculation. It was on the agenda. Um so I'm concerned about where these outcomes really originate. Conferences like the National League of Cities con Congressional City Conference don't sign contracts, but they do something just as important. They manufacture familiarity with the companies that uh end up on our agendas. Um, private equity companies that take about 2% consulting fees for not consulting. But so business cards are exchanged, swag is handed out, vendors are framed as standard, trusted, or already used by peer cities. Um, months later, these same companies appear on no bid uh contracts with the city and we're told that there's no reasonable alternatives. Um, so private equityowned uh companies are are normally at these events and I was looking at u another item that I signed up for and I'd like to since I've got a minute and 45 seconds and there's all these people here, I'd like to go ahead and consolidate that. Um, a few down is a company by the name of Perfect Mind Software that is used by the parks and recreation department. I spoke with a number of people in the parks and recreation department. No one's like either heard of it or uses it and it is a $15,000 contract that's being signed with them. Um, that's another company that has been taken over by a private equity firm. Um 15,000 doesn't seem like a lot, but that much money could like pay for FanDuel sports to be on all the senior living facilities in Oklahoma City, you know, since people have to pay to watch the Thunder. But so two things. Um the conference and I know you all are not allowed to speak to us because Mayor Holt made a rule that you're not allowed to. Used to be able to which was great. I had a great conversation with James Couch several years ago. It's um but uh so like is it $6,000 per person for the conference that's being approved and paid for by all these folks or is it 6,000 for the three of them? >> Dave's not here, so don't be afraid to answer. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> Okay. Well, I'll just have to submit a request or something. Um that's all I got. So, this conference I'd like to maybe and and you know, if if y'all been do up in approving it, maybe next time a citizen could go along or maybe Joe Beth could go along because I think that she's the one that definitely this kind of stuff's on her radar. So, all right. Thanks. >> Thank you. Um, we can take a motion on item 4 A. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And it passes 6 to one. Moving on to item five, we have city manager reports. Assistant city manager. >> Uh yes, ma'am. We have four city manager reports for the council this morning. Uh we have a quarterly riverport foundation update. You'll see that uh report in your packet. Um that report will detail some some different programs uh that occurred throughout the year, some special events such as the uh Oklahoma riotta, the holiday river parade. Um and uh we've just included that in your packet forformational purposes. Uh we also have a city manager report. Uh it's a status update regarding a inquiry the city received from the US Department of Homeland Security. Um we'll have a presentation on that from our planning director, uh Jeff Butler, just to provide council with a very quick briefing. Um item C is our January 2026 sales and use tax collections. Um we'll have Angela Pierce, our finance director, share some information with council and then of course claims and payroll. And so I believe uh Jeff is ready to go. Uh good morning uh city manager, council, vice mayor. Um we have a a brief presentation um informational presentation about the facility uh the US Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facility that we'd like to share with you today. Um last month uh we received a letter uh from DHS and they were required to communicate with the city to satisfy requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act. Um they uh consult with with uh state historic preservation offices with cities and tribes uh when they uh are uh looking to put a facility at a certain location. That's required by law. So they issued a letter and we received it uh December 23rd, 2025. Um and in that letter they said ICE has determined that the undertaking will result in a finding of no historic properties affected. Um in there they they indicated that uh it would be a processing facility. Um and they used uh the language here that you see in the second bullet. They may construct holding and processing spaces, office spaces, public facing visitor spaces, cafeterias, and healthcare spaces. >> Can we please refrain from comment while staff are presenting? Thank you. >> The location of facility is shown here. It's at Council Road and Southwest 29th Street. And here, this is an aerial view of the location. This image was provided by the Department of Homeland Security in their letter. uh these current photos of the warehouse. These were also provided by uh the Department of Homeland Security in their letter. So the detention centers, they're normally subject to the city's special permit process. However, the federal government is exempt from zoning approvals due to the supremacy clause. Uh, for example, facilities such as Tinker Air Force Base, the FAA facility at Will Rogers Airport, uh, also have not and do not apply for city approvals. Uh, nevertheless, the city sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and that was dated January 22nd requesting they voluntarily comply with our special permit process. This slide is an excerpt from that letter just kind of outlining the process and benefits. So, I'll just read through that. So, we said on our letter, participating in the special permit process offers significant benefits for both DHS and the community, including public hearings in front of the planning commission and city council, where residents can voice concerns and ask questions, review of the facility's effect on traffic and other issues that may need special standards applied for the facility to better coexist with its neighbors, opportunities for DHS to address community concerns more directly, and a transparent process that builds understanding planning and trust. The mayor also sent a letter on January 21st to our congressional delegation that emphasizes the importance of following local guidelines. Uh that concludes my presentation. Are there any questions? >> Thank you. Um, Jeff, could you tell us? Okay, so we received the letter from the Department of Homeland Security and the letter was saying that they're complying with the Natural Historic National Historic Preservation Act. So, your job was to respond with whether or not um there are implications to the his to historic preservation as a result of them constructing this facility. Um they what they do is they give us an opportunity to make comment. Um city staff agrees that there are no historic resources affected. So uh we're not obligated to provide comment or certify anything or anything of the kind. Uh we did elect to provide comment but not related to the historic preservation status. Just what we what we see here. >> So the special permitting process is required for any facility any detention facility that's non-municipal. Correct. >> Uh yes. And that that is the normal process for what we call a uh forced detention facility. >> So it doesn't matter that um so it doesn't matter that uh we have a law that requires there to be a special permit. The federal government doesn't intend to comply with the city's existing law. Is that your understanding? >> They have not said one way or another. Uh but and this is maybe getting into legal territory, but we understand that they're um that they're not required to do so. They haven't responded to letter to the letter as of yet. So then I guess I guess my question is for the municipal counselor's office. Um there are newspaper articles saying that um in cities like Durant and in cities like Kansas City that they have successfully banned um the federal government from opening detention facilities. And I' I'd like for the municipal council's office to clarify that that is in fact not true that those facilities are that those cities are in a different legal position than the city of Oklahoma City. They have passed ordinances that saying that say any non-municipal detention facility that there is a moratorum on those for believe Kansas City was five years. Uh I'm not sure what the other one was, but it was similar to that. And though, of course, those haven't been tested in court. The So, we're doing a legal opinion on that, which will be issued after after the this meeting. We were just drafting it yesterday. So the law appears to be that the federal government is probably does not have to comply with a municipal ordinance as far as locating uh where a detention facility is. They they are supposed to consult with the local uh governing entity and get their input which I believe Jeff has provided. Uh but but at the end of the day, whether or not they have to legally comply with it or not, it's we do not believe that they're legally required to comply with the ordinance. >> So if my understanding is correct, in Durant, they actually enacted a law requiring the special permitting process. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> But our existing law in Oklahoma City already requires that special permit. Is that correct? >> Correct. So, if we were to um pass a ban, what would be the difference between the ban and the current special permitting process? Nothing. I mean, they technically on the face of it, they should comply now. But if you get into a legal argument about it, they can ignore it. Then we would have to sue them and go to federal court and try to stop them. BUT THEY CAN THEY CAN JUST ignore it. >> So if we're >> What did he just say? >> What' you just say? I'm sorry. >> I say they can just ignore it. >> You So because of the supremacy clause, the federal government being a higher form of government, correct? You believe that they if they did not comply and we were to sue that suit would not be successful. >> Correct. >> Would that be similar? Would that be similar? >> Excuse me. Exc Sorry, Councilman. I am sympathetic to the vibes in the room. I'm asking please, you all have a chance to speak. If you signed up to speak, please let this conversation continue so we can all hear the information that is being presented. Thank you. So, let me go back to this our special permit existing requirement. So, if the federal government opened a facility, a detention facility, would they be complying with existing Oklahoma City law? >> No. >> So, they would not. So, if we had a ban, it would be the same thing as our existing special permit process, except the special permit process would allow the voices of the public to be heard about whether or not a decision is made to grant the special permit. >> Right? You don't you don't accomplish anything additional by passing the ban. It's supposed to apply now. >> Okay, that makes sense. And there are there are also federal code of federal regulations on this specific which basically says for federal buildings the federal government is supposed to consult with the local entity and it specifically says for detention facilities they do not have to cons even consult with us. So would this be similar to the special permitting process that we went through for the relocation of the Oklahoma County Jail? So the county jail was going to be moved from downtown to a different part of Oklahoma City. They requested a special permit. The council denied that permit. Then what happened? the council denied the permit and uh I believe the county went to court and sued the city. Then ultimately the attorney general ruled that the county did not have to comply with the local ordinance and that ended the lawsuit. >> So it's very similar to what we're dealing with now. Now, I don't want my comments in asking these questions just so we can thoroughly understand the legal issues um to confuse my opinion that they should not open a detention facil I should not open a detention facility in Oklahoma City. Um so, I just want to be clear about my position, but I think it's important that we understand what things that the the council has the ability to do and what things we don't have the ability to do. Can we go back to the letter um that the mayor sent to um our congressional delegation? Would the congressional delegation have the ability to put pressure on the federal government to change their mind about where the detention facility is located? >> Yes, they could put pressure on them. >> Because it's the same level of government. They're all federal representatives talking to the federal government. >> Right. >> Okay. All I've got. >> There any other questions for staff at this point? I I'll just say uh I want to wait to speak. I definitely have comments as I'm sure no one will find themselves surprised to hear, but I'd like to wait to speak till closer when the people speak. >> Um I think I do have one question um as it relates to the ownership of the proposed property. Um cuz recognizing you know that we don't really know if that's like in process or where or I guess I should ask do we know maybe that's the maybe I'm making an assumption there. Do we know um the my understanding is that the current ownership is private but do we have any knowledge of intent to purchase the property by the federal government or how do what does that look like? >> Uh yes that's correct. It is it is privately owned. Um, sorry I don't recall the name of the property owner off the top of my head, but they did state their intent to purchase the property. The DHS did in their letter. >> Okay, thank you. That's helpful. >> Any other questions at this time? >> So, sorry, just one more question. Um, so as far as any other permitting like building permitting, construction permitting, things that would go through the city of Oklahoma City, is that would the federal government also be able to ignore those processes as well? >> I'm not sure we've specifically looked at that, but I I think uh we can look at that too as far as the building permit. >> Okay. >> As opposed to the zoning. So, just so we're clear, at the conclusion of this meeting, there there will be a legal memo that's produced talking about what our options are, which include the potentiality of there being a a lawsuit if the federal government was to move forward and ignore our existing requirements that they seek a special permit. >> Yes. >> Um and we're going to look into any other permitting that the federal government would be required to do. >> Be glad to do that. We're specifically asked about the zoning. Kenny, when will you have the memo prepared? Uh later today. >> Okay. Thank you. Um city manager, is that all we have at this time on this on your on item five? >> Uh we have uh a brief uh some brief comments by Angela Pierce, our finance director, regarding the uh sales and use tax collections. >> Perfect. >> And that will conclude the comments from staff. Good morning. Angela Pierce, finance director. Um, for this month's sales and use tax collection, we continue to see quite a bit of uncertainty. The combined sales and use tax is down 282,000 or 1.2% below the prior year. Excuse me. This is down about 3.2% below projections. The combined projections for the year are 1.4 million or 6 above projections. So, as you can see, things are going up and down. We'll continue to monitor that as we go along and keep you informed. >> Thank you, >> Angela. >> Okay, we are on item six, journal of council proceedings. We have two items that we can accept with one motion. Please cast your votes. And the item passes unanimously. Um, now we are on item seven, requests for uncontested continuences. Listed on the agenda, we have item 11B, 11 D, 11 I, 11 L, and 11 P. Mr. Assistant City Manager, do we have any other items? Say they're all named. >> Yes, we have some additional items to strike. Uh, item 11 U1, that's page 16 of the agenda. Uh the locations are 1528 East Uclid, uh 1629 Northwest 42nd Street, 1317 Southwest 44th Street, and 821 Southeast 51st. Um each of those the owner has secured with the exception of the 821 Southeast 51st. That's going to be reworked as a dilapitated. And then for item 11 V1, uh, abandoned buildings, page 16, um, each of those same addresses is being, uh, stricken, uh, for the reasons that I described. >> Thank you. Um, >> I would go ahead and read the item. >> Oh, >> read the addresses >> or the item number. >> Oh, the item. Uh, so the item number, uh, 11 V1. We have um items uh C, J, K, and L that will be stricken. >> And then for all the items I listed that are posted on the agenda, those will be deferred to February 10th. Okay. Item eight, we have no items under revocable permits and events. I am going to reassess the council meeting and we will convene as the Oklahoma City Municipal Facilities Authority. Um where we can take all items with one motion. Um we do have a resident who signed up to speak. Did you want to take that time or do you feel like you already got to address your concerns? Okay. Thank you. Okay. We can take a motions uh on item A through G under municipal facilities authority. Okay. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes and that passes unanimously. Uh we will adjourn OCMFA and convene as the Oklahoma City Public Property Authority where we have items A through E. We can take with one motion. Uh, Vice Mayor, um, item D, uh, I would like to defer move to defer that for two weeks so I can discuss with our municipal counselor, uh, the insurance program that's being considered within that. So, at this time, I'm going to move for a two-eek deferral. It also comes up on the consent docket, so I'll have to do it then again, too. Thank you. >> Okay, we have a motion to defer. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. The deferral passes unanimously. And now, do we have a motion on the remaining items under public property authority? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. At this time I am will adjourn the OCPA and reconvene as a council meeting where we are on page three on the consent docket. Uh Councilman Stone Cipher, what item was that under consent? >> It is. >> Oh, a it sounds like >> a >> Okay. >> 9 a please. >> A and then um I know we have a presentation on items BA and BB. Do we have any other items that council members wish to pull for separate conversation or a vote? >> Yes. Uh, vice mayor, I would like to remove for a sec, excuse me, a separate vote item E. There's an elephant. >> Okay. Any other items? Okay. Okay. Then at this time, we'll take those in order uh for Do we have a motion for item E? >> Uh may I speak? >> Would you like to make some comments? Sure. >> Uh city clerk, is it at all possible to share my screen? If not, I can just read and let it go from there. >> So, uh forgive me, W 2, if you're here. Sometimes I might miss an item when I go through the consent docket, but other times, uh, I tried to see everything that's on there, and this one just kind of stood out to me, so I did a Google, um, because the resolution authorizes the soul source purchase of a current virtual crime center information. So, I just typed in a current and then the word controversy. Knowing nothing, I just had a hunch. And sure enough, this article from CBS came up. um where uh as you can see here, data broker Lexus Nexus Risk Solutions allegedly violated Illinois law by collecting and combining extensive personal information and selling it to third parties, including federal immigration authorities according to a lawsuit u filed Tuesday by immigration advocates. So that's a no for me on this one. And um I I I don't even I I'm I'm very concerned when it comes to uh our Bill of Rights and when it comes to any violation of our privacy and I really worry about this item. So I'm pulling this out for a separate vote and I will not be supporting it. Vice Mayor, do we have anyone from the police department that could speak to this as to maybe why we chose this company or >> That was ominous. city manager. >> Let me see if uh Chief Basy can make some comments on that while I give him just a few minutes to get in get in here. >> Thank you. >> Why we're waiting on the chief? Why are you here? >> Good morning, council. Um, I believe you're asking about Acurant, um, which is a database that we use to, um, do background information and it's an investigative tool that we've used. You know, we have a 92% clearance rate on homicides and we use technology like this to close the gap uh, in order to solve these crimes. I don't know specifically what your question is. So, if you would just please. >> I was just wondering if you could help us understand why maybe we chose this specific company, kind of the track record they've had with us, if we've used them for more than just this. >> Absolutely. Um, we've had a amazingly successful um use of this product. It's helped us solve a number of cases. We vet all of our software um not only through police IT, but city IT as well has to bless anything that that we purchase. And so it's gone through an extensive vetting process. Um it's been successful. Um and it's helped us resolve a lot of cases. >> So maybe this question is for the assistant city manager. I know the municipal counselor is leaving. Um maybe it would be uh good for us to hear from the municipal counselor's office even if we have to defer this item so that we can understand what protections are in place for protecting personal data when it comes to implementing this um contract. >> Sure. Yeah, we're we can uh if council desires, defer the item, provide some some briefings to council as we've done in the past sometimes when uh some of these software technologies uh uh come across the the agenda. So, I think we're happy to do that. >> So, then if if I'm not getting in in Councilman Cooper's way, I I'll move that we continue this item to the next meeting of the city council if you're all right with it. >> Y'all can uh I Well, first of all, let me just say to Chief Bassy, I know he just stepped out. I I really respect Chief and his work and I also respect the fact that working together with the community over the last few years we have seen a dramatic reduction in um homicides and violent crime as a city. So respect um we can defer this as we want. I will never support this. It is deeply troubling to me. And so whatever the process is that we need to do to dig into it and I I respect that that's something we could do. Assistant city manager Fairbrush. Um so I just want to be on the record. I So whatever the process is is fine. Uh clean >> I I don't know if you put it up for a deferral. I mean I guess I could support a deferral but when this comes back I will not be supporting it. But >> thanks. But I and that makes sense. I understand that. I share your concern. I think the opportunity for us to learn because that may not be the opinion shared by a majority of the council. So, if it's enacted, I would want to know, okay, well, what are the legal protections that are in place for people's private information? What are the procedures that the police department is required to do? And if that gives us more of an opportunity to learn more about that, then I think it would be helpful. >> I understand. Thank you. Okay, with that, it sounds like we have a motion to defer. It'll >> be for the February 9th, I mean 10th meeting. I'm sorry. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. >> Oh, it's on this item. I see. >> Okay. Sorry. We couldn't tell which item. Uh this was this was pertaining to >> item n >> item nine. Okay. Um yes. Uh please state your name and you have three minutes. >> Um my name is Jordan Kelly. I'm a school teacher at US Grant High School. I wanted to um first say that uh the association with Lexus Nexus that they're a supporter of ICE and so that would be a good reason to not renew. Um I would also say that um I want to speak to the 8% of homicides that don't get cleared. Um to put kind of a human face to that as a school teacher at US Grant, we lose about kind of in my experience of being there, we lose about one student per year to homicide. Um, we had a student last year, Daniel. Um, if my memory serves me right, Daniel was murdered in an elementary school parking lot. His murder was never solved. Um, this Halloween Diego Esparza Vila was murdered. This past Halloween, his murder isn't solved. There's no suspect named that I know of. As far as I know, there's been no cash money offered for information leading to the arrest of his murderer. So, um, these are injustices that tear at the heart of our community. So, um I want to encourage the police to think of creative efforts and treat every homicide equally. Um I know sometimes when other people are murdered they offer money to um reward those that come forward with information. As far as I know, this hasn't been done in the cases of Daniel or Diego Esparza. Um so um, if you vote to not renew this contract, um, I think that there's a lot of creative tools that the police have that they're not using. very simple tools that I don't think you have to fear the clearance rate dropping very much because the police can just kind of roll up their sleeves, get creative, and some of these 8% unsolved cases I think could really get solved if they just do the work. Um, and thank you. That's all I have to say. >> Thank you. We have a mot and We have a motion and a second and please cast your votes. This is to defer the item and that passes unanimously. Okay, moving on to item AZ. Do we have a motion on that item? >> I move to defer at this time for to the next meeting. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that deferral also passes unanimously. Um, and now we are in items BA and BB. >> Yep. Item BA, David Todd is going to introduce consultants that are working on the maps for South May Avenue Trail. I believe we have a preliminary report, David. >> Right. Good morning. David Todd, maps program manager. Um, remember that part of the maps for program has an additional trail in it and we have a preliminary preliminary report for you today to go through that. Russell Kent from MacArthur Engineers is here to take you through that. Thanks, David. Good morning, uh, city council members, vice mayor. This is the South May Avenue Trail. Let me just Here we go. Okay, so yes, we've been working on this for the last couple of months. Maps for trail on South May Avenue. This is the trail. uh three miles long, 74th Street to 119th uh approximately from OOT trip C proximity to Early Wine Park and that's the corridor right there. This is a pretty important connection. We know the city trail system is growing rapidly, which is a great thing. You can see the two red circles there. The one above is actually an existing trail that's under construction right now, or will be an existing trail very shortly. And the one below that is the trail we're talking about right now. So, this will provide connections going north into the Oak Greater Oklahoma City area and uh connections there on. So, where we're at, uh we've been working on the last few months. Like I said, uh preliminary report is complete. Our preliminary recommendations are complete and that's what we're going to talk about. Uh we've had a lot of public meetings over the last few months, seven, I think there's actually been eight or nine, but you can see some of the people there, the parks department, homeowners association, embark, etc. We've met with a lot of different people. um got a lot of different information. This is the construction cost estimate. We're below the budget. 3.494 is the uh current budget identified by maps. Uh currently the estimate appears to be a 3.2 just below 3.3 million um with room for alternates, which we'll talk about in just a second. So this is that trail. Um this is the the south segment of that trail running from 119th. So north is to the right. Um and as we talk through this, I'll just mention that one of the major things that we've done this plume report is analyze the east and the west determine where the trail needs to be. So on this south section, we're on the east side of May Avenue running all the way up. And you can see that as we go through just some uh pictures. You can see most of this section of May May Avenue does not have sidewalks as a major consideration trying to provide connections. This will act as both a trail and a sidewalk. Um and then as we extend north, we're still on the east side, but we plan to cross over 89th Street as you can see to maximize connectivity of OOT triple C and some of the sidewalk connections that are not currently present. Again, representative pictures trying to make uh fill in the gaps between sidewalks as you can see as we go up. Um this is uh just as we approach OOT trip there is some existing sidewalk. We'll plan to be parallel to that um and looking for as many opportunities as we can to connect into OOT trip. Um this is just identifying some of the coordination issues that we'll continue to have. You know any trail is going to have these issues. utilities, water bodies, there are a few of them. We're going to minimize those wherever we can. That's one of the major considerations with the location of this trail. Um, Embark, I think most of you are aware, the new BRT extension on the southwest part of Oklahoma City, that is uh coming soon and that will extend down May Avenue to ootc obviously the Amazon facilities on 89th. So, we've got a lot of coordination with Embark to make sure that those bus stops can fit with the trail. Um few other things, you know, there's areas that need retaining wall like this. Um this is actually at the Aviva Apartments next to that lake. Um you can see OOT trip just above that. Again, just highlighting that there's potential for connecting into that campus. Five signalized intersections. All of them are existing. All of them need improving. Um I'm going to go into detail, but each one will get upgrades to accommodate the trail section. Um this is some of the landscape rest areas. These are I think there's 14 of them potentially identified. We won't be able to afford all of these. These are what I talked about with the alternates. So depending on where the budget falls, we'll be able to in uh incorporate two or three or four shade structures, trees, things like that. Boyfinding signage just like any other trail will be incorporated. You can see typical signage right here. Um and that's where we're at. So, we've already presented this to the subcommittee, been working closely with the city offices, maps office. Um, we're at the point where we've made a recommendation with the preliminary report, completed preliminary design, and we're ready to move into survey and final design. So, after approval, we'll start on that survey, do the design, and begin continue that coordination we've already begun with the groups we talked about. So, these are the dates. Um where we're at now is well it's actually January 27th but uh council approval in January. Um so if all goes to plan we'll be starting survey next month getting into design construction beginning in the summer and going through until next summer. And that is all. Happy to take any questions. Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Our next item uh BB is also a preliminary report. This is on the maps for multi-purpose stadium. David, thanks. >> Continuing with exciting maps for projects. Today we have the preliminary report for the multi-purpose stadium. You may have seen some press already on this and and uh you know when we take it to the subcommittee, it it gets pressed then. But Travis Paulie is here to take you through the preliminary report so that you can see that all that's included with this I think really exciting project with maps for so Travis Paulie with populace is here. >> All right. Thank you very much. I'm excited to be here. Uh we're excited to show you guys where we're at with this project. It's been a long time getting here and we're excited to be at this stage. So preliminary report for the multi-purpose stadium. Um we'll walk through several items here. We'll touch on the plans, look at some seating. Um touch real quickly on the interior design and walk through the budget and project schedule. So the scope uh not going to go through the entire scope, but one important thing to note here as we start is uh the team as a whole went out to the market and went out to our citizens um quite a while back years ago to see what the interest and excitement was for this project and also gauge what they'd be interested in from a seating product and experience and things like that. The response that they got back was incredible. Um this is probably three times what they would expect back from most cities. So the excitement is really there for this project. Uh but more importantly what you see here on the right is it kind of guided us gave us a a starting point for um seating distribution interest in different premium products and different GA products and things like that that we use to design uh the seating layout that you'll see in the bowl a little bit later. So let's look real quickly at our site. We've got an amazing site. Hopefully everybody is familiar with where we're going right here. Right in the heart of uh downtown OKC. um just south of Oklahoma City Boulevard uh and east of Shields there. We got the convention center, Bricktown's right there, downtown the new arena and the riverfront district is is to our south. So, we're just surrounded by an incredible um district around the city. As we zoom in a little bit, um this site is nine acres within an overall development that's about 50 or 60 acres. The long-term goal of this is to build out the entire development and this stadium to really anchor that development. As we zoom into our site here, you can see we'll have entries primarily from the northeast and west. So, our main entry will be there right there from the north. As the site develops, that's where the main entry will funnel into that north side. Um, but we'll also have entries all on the east side there. You can see entry gates as well as three entry points on the west side. You can see one's labeled ticket, one is the player and premium entry, and one is right there where it says field and kitchen. We'll have another entry right there. Uh on the south side is where we'll have our broadcast and some additional parking along the the highway side. All right, so looking at the plans really quickly here. Um this is the concourse level plan. So our field is actually recessed about six feet below where you walk in right here. So this is the level you walk in to the stadium at. This is where you'll have almost all of your um experiences as far as concessions, restrooms, and things like that. So, as you're looking at this plan, on your left side is our primary building that has our locker rooms, our club space, ticketing, kitchen, and then above that are our press uh press areas, our suites, and some other spaces. Um, one thing I'll point out on that left side there on our on our main building is the lockers. You'll see two sets of lockers on the north side. They're the ones in kind of the turquoise color and two sets of lockers on the south side. That's an equal men's and women's locker on both v home and visitors. So, a primary um driver of this project is to have equal facilities for both men and women um for both soccer for soccer teams. Um exact same layout mirrored on both sides. Um, we've designed that also so that not only can it be two locker rooms, but this is called a multi-purpose stadium and we want to make it as flexible and multi-purpose as possible. Those locker rooms are divided by an operable partition. So, they can open up and be one large locker room for football. So, if they want to host high school football here or any level of football, it can not only host soccer, but it can host football, obviously concerts and everything else as well. Um that red space in the middle is our primary club space and then the purple space uh on the bottom is our kitchen space. Around the kind of long buildings, the concourse buildings on the other side, those are primarily made up of concessions and restrooms that will be accessed from that uh big wide concourse area that you see there in white. So the whole stadium kind of makes a U-shape and opens up to downtown Oklahoma City. So it kind of backs up to the highway. Of course, we don't want to be looking out on the highway and we're looking out towards uh downtown Oklahoma City. So, as you can see here on the left side, that's where our primary premium spaces are, our our suites and our press and broadcast spaces. The broadcasts are in the green and our suites there are in the orange. And then you can see the different kind of seats kind of wrapping around and creating that U-shape. As we go up, just a higher level of the seating bowl. And then as we go all the way up top, this is our canopy roof plan. Uh key thing to notice here is nearly all the seats are covered. So that was a big goal of ours to do to try to fit into this project. Um we didn't know if we were going to be able to do it, but luckily with bond money and the progress of the scope, we are able to bring that canopy in and have full coverage of the seats. So if you cut this thing in half and look at it, this is kind of how it all lays out. Um our main building there on the west is on your left side. You can see how you kind of step down into the um the fe field. So, it's going to give it a really tight, intimate feel when you're in there. The field being recessed like that, it creates a really great environment. Um, and then we'll look at a few 3D pictures to give you a better idea of what the seating is going to look like here. So, you can see all the different colors on this plan. This is all the different seating products that we have throughout the the stadium. All totals up to about 10,000 seats, and it's spread out, as I mentioned when I first started, according to that feedback that we got from fans. That's kind of how we've divided out how many club seats we have, how many GA seats, how many supporter seats we have. So, we'll look at this in 3D and give you a better perspective of where everything lies. Um, so starting off with the general admission seats, those are spread out throughout the south, uh, east and north sides here. Uh, those are the ones you see in blue. That's the primary. The majority of our seats are those GA seats. A really unique section that we're integrating in here is called the safe standing supporter section. That's on our south side. So, if you ever watch soccer, you're familiar with soccer. Um, one of the defining features of those stadiums and what makes them different is that wall of color and supporters that is right behind the goal waving flags and they have smoke and everything going on. That's what that section is right there. So, those will have safe standing rails in front of them so people can stand safely as well as flip down seats behind them so that they can still be used for other events. um that whole section right there is actually recessed a little bit below um the rest of the the seating around it. We do that. It's really easy just to say this section is supporters, but when they stand up and they're cheering and waving flags, it blocks everybody else's view, right? If they want to sit down. So, we want to create a great experience for everybody. Um so, we've actually recessed that down a little bit so that if they're standing up and waving flags, the people around them can still see over them and see to every part of the pitch. Um, so that's why you see it angled like it is right there. Uh, our club seats are there on the right side, which is the the west side of the building. Um, those will have access into the building as well as some club spaces outside of the building. Um, we've got some what we call low seating spread throughout the space and that's like different experiences. Um, seats with kind of tabletops in front of them and things like that that people can get group seats of four little half moon tables. So really fun experiences there. Um, and our suites obviously are on the second level and our standing area up on the north side. So that'll be an area that they can activate with all different kinds of things. They can bring stages and concerts and food trucks and all kind of activation there on the north side to really make it a fun experience on the north side. And right as you walk in too, uh, as we cut a quick section here through the west side, you can see how this all starts to lay out with our suites up top and then our club seating below. The player benches are right there in pink. So the players, you can see those ramps and those stairs coming through the center. So if you watch soccer or any match, they kind of come through at the at the halfway line. They'll be able to watch those guys from the club walk walk over to the center and then walk out onto the field. So it'll be a really cool experience as they walk down those ramps or down those stairs onto the field. So safe standing sported section. So I talked about that a little bit. That's what this is going to look like. So you can see how it's recessed below the areas around it. Um we're trying to create a really really unique environment here. So, we're not going to have the biggest uh stadium in the country, but we can make it really special in other ways like this. And one of the ways that the team had this vision for this is to create the closest supporters section in the world. And so, that's what our goal is here. Um, we looked at experiences that you have at say NBA basketball games where you're sitting courtside and your feet are actually on the court and we thought, why can't we do this at a stadium? Why can't you do this for a soccer and not just for the premium seats? Let's do it for the supporters, the people that are here every day in every game waving their flags and cheering loud for the team. So, we actually, you can see there, we actually put that first row on turf, so they're actually standing on the field only about 15 feet away from the action. So, it's going to be an experience like no other out there. All right, let's look a little bit at the exterior design. Uh, as David mentioned, most of you have probably seen a lot of this, but we'll still walk through it for you. Um the inspiration for the exterior really came from the natural elements in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma and the surrounding areas. So the waving prairie grasses, waving whe the big Oklahoma skies and sunsets that we have um and integrating that and trying to figure out how do we translate that into a structure. And so we kind of took this um structure and this idea of this waving wheat and it boowing out and set that as our structure and then wrapped it with this fabric screen to create kind of this big sky element that we have. And all that comes together uh to create the design that you've seen here today. So, it's really anchored by those concourse buildings and it's all about that canopy structure. Um and then at night and in the mornings that thing can be activated with all kinds of lighting and projection. So, it was really going to be just an amazing beacon right there on I40 for the city. Um not only as you're driving by, but also when you're inside of it looking out towards the city. Um so, then soccer games, it's going to be an incredible experience looking out towards downtown as you're cheering on the team. and then a concert mode when it's activated at night with the skyline in the background. I really think it's going to be uh unlike anything we have in the city right now. Uh some interior design elements. So, this is still a little bit of a work in progress, but it's fun to see kind of where we're going with this. Um a few inspiration images just from other uh soccer facilities and areas that we took inspiration from fabrics and textures that uh are taken into account. And yeah, of course, everything's accessible. And you can see how some of those exterior elements kind of come into play with elements like the ceiling here, uh, and our lobby spaces and the club spaces, the curved ceilings, uh, echoing what's going on in the canopy there. And then up into the premium spaces as well, taking these design elements into account. Uh, budget and cost estimate. So, our our current budget accounts for MAPS funding, TIFF funding, and bond funding coming from the city for about 94.1 million. Uh we're also utilizing about $14.7 million in private donations and sponsorship and additional funding. Uh that comes to a total of just under 109 million and that's right where we are with our current construction cost estimate. Um, our schedule is this is everything that's kind of happened to get us up to this point right now. And then moving forward, uh, once we've approved this preliminary report, we'll move straight into construction documents. That'll take us into about the summer of this year. Uh, we'll start early bid packages in the spring. So, we'll start building and moving dirt out there before actual construction documents are done. That will start and the goal is to be done by the end of 27 so we're ready for that inaugural season in the spring of 28. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. >> Can we folks? >> Folks, >> folks, please, I'm going to ask you to please refrain from speaking right now. We do have to get through this business to get to the point where you all are signed up to speak. So, please, please let us do this business and we can go as fast as possible. Thank you. >> One quick question. Uh, in an earlier slide it looked like there were four points of entry and will the west side only come in from the main entry. >> Sorry, can you say that again? >> Yeah, in an earlier slide you had four points of entry it looked like to me. Will the west side of the building will they come in from the main entry only? >> So there'll be the main entry on the north and then both the east and the west has three points of entry. So yeah, there'll be entries throughout the space essentially. Yeah. So, you can come in from the west or the north of entry. >> Yeah. Okay. Yep. Thank you. >> Do we have any other questions from council? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Okay, that concludes all the items on the consent agenda and we can take all the items that were not voted on separately with one motion. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes and that passes unanimously. Moving on, we are on item 10, the concurrence docket where we have items A through R that we can take with one motion. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Now we find ourselves on page 12 of your agenda items for individual consideration where we have item A, an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval PUD 22084 in ward 1. Councilman Carter. >> Has anyone signed up to speak? >> No, not on this item. >> Okay, then I will move for approval. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item B was deferred to February 10th. And so we are at item C, an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval. PUD 2117. This is also in Ward One. Councilman Carter. >> No one signed up. >> No one has signed up to speak. >> Is the applicant available? I've noticed we've got a note here that says the easements requested but not available yet. >> We haven't received it. >> Dean Kita Dean Kita Civil Environmental Consultants 4700 Galardia Parkway. The the easement that they're referring to is a dedication of rideway which we have agreed to and shown on the plumary plat. Okay. >> And that usually happens during the final plat process. So that that is in the plan to do and we we have it's additional 17 ft which will be also additional turn lanes into the subdivision >> but we've agreed to it and we'll have it in on the preliminary. >> Yes. >> Thank you. That's all I needed to know. I appreciate it. >> Yes, sir. >> I'll move for approval. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Please cast your votes. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> And that passes unanimously. That brings us to item D, which was previously deferred to February 10th. And now we are on item E, an orance on final hearing, SPUD 1780. Councilman Pennington. >> Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor. Um, I am going to uh move to defer this item for two weeks. >> We have a motion to defer. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. That brings us to item F, an ordinance on final hearing SPUD1782. Um, we do have someone signed up to speak on this item. Sandra Camus. >> This is item. Good morning. I'm Sandra Camus. I live at 1901 Northwest 17th Street, which is just a little bit outside of the Spud. Um we are a block in fact away. Um this this property was illegally rented as an Airbnb for a little while. And I know that for a fact because um one nice summer night when we were sitting on our front porch, there was a large party and it was unbelievably loud. It went on into the evening and there was no one to complain to other than the police. So, um I think it got shut down at some point, but um this was a pattern. the neighbor beside this this uh place has had many complaints about the way it was um run. The the person Tyler Vog, it's easy to find his um problems with paying his bills. That's a a Dr. Google search. And um he has many unfinished projects because he has big dreams and can't finish it with payment for it. um he doesn't comply with the city requirements. He has a failure to pay pattern and a failure to adhere to the laws on the books. And I just don't feel that we can trust him to go forward with this project. It's right there on 16th Street. It's the gateway to the Plaza District as well as the gateway to um to um Gatewood neighborhood. So, I'm against this being approved and um thank you for your time. Thank you. Um, Councilman Pennington. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I'm going to move approval uh because of the prior conversation I had with uh Councilwoman Hammond. So, I I move approval. >> You have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Please cast your votes. Okay, that was uh passes 6 to one. See? Okay, that brings us to item G, ordinance on final hearing, spud, spud 1785, reszoning 1614 Northwest 16th Street. Councilman Pennington. >> Is there anyone sign up to speak? Madam Chair, I move approval. >> We have a motion. and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Now we are on item H, an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval, SPUD 1786. Councilman Pennington. >> If there's no one signed up to speak, Madame Vice Mayor, I move approval. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. That brings us to item I, which was previously deferred to February 10th. So we are now on item J, ordinance on final hearing, recommended for approval, spud 1790. Um, Councilman Cooper. >> And no one has signed up to speak. No. Is the applicant present? >> Would you mind speaking on this? I was reviewing it and I sir, I think it's worth our time. Thank you. >> Do I need to introduce myself? >> Uh, yes. And >> okay, my name is Wes Nim. I'm uh I reside in Norman uh Norman, Oklahoma. I work for Unity Studio and I'm representing my client Hen who is the property owner that we're trying to resone the property for. >> Do you want to tell us just brief briefly uh what you're doing with this property? Uh what he's intending to do is use it as a bakery and a small area for people to dine in and then have a little bit of a like a drop off pick or pickup area to pick up baked goods from. And it was a historically a community uh store since I think 1929 is what the city told me. And so we're trying to bring it back to life. We're not trying to do anything for additions or anything like that. just improve the the um parking and the landscaping for the city requirements and bring the building back to life. >> Uh to which I am grateful when I was reviewing this. I mean uh seeing you all go right off of 23rd just a few blocks into the neighborhood so that neighbors have that ability within their neighborhood to walk to a business like this is just very very important especially for a part of town that was designed a bit more for the automobile. you can actually see the hints of what could have been and what you all are doing is very admirable. So, thank you. >> Yes, sir. And uh part of it we when I discussed with the city what we're going to do to achieve the parking requirements, we're going to need to put in some bike racks and so it'll help with that neighborhood feel. >> There's no reason to flatter me, sir. I >> We've never met before. >> Thank you. No, seriously, thank you for that. I appreciate you. I I'll move for approve. >> Okay. >> Okay. We have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Please cast your votes. >> That passes unanimously. >> Thank you guys. >> That brings us to item K, ordinance on final hearing, recommended for approval, reszoning 424 Northwest 27th Street. Councilman Cooper. >> Yes. And again, no one signed up. And is the applicant present? Cool. Uh, yeah, I like this. It has some designs attached to it that seem uh quite reasonable. And I'll move for approval. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. That passes unanimously. Item L is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval. Um, this was deferred previously to February 10th. So, item M is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval. SPUD1795. Councilman Pennington. >> Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor. Um, I I'm sorry. We're uh I move approval. Yes. Okay. I'll go to second. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. That passes unanimously. Item N is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval. SPUD1796. This is in ward 3. Uh I understand Councilman Carter. Yes. Are you carrying these items today? >> Anyone signed up to speak? >> No, not on this one. >> After talking with the council woman, she has decided to move for approval. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. That passes unanimously. Item O is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval. SPUD 1797. This is in W 2. Councilman Cooper. >> Yes. And unless someone has uh signed up to speak for this item in the next one. Um, and the next one, um, I'm going to work our way through them. So, I'm going to move for approval on O, please. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. That passes unanimously. Item P was previously deferred to February 10th. So item Q is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval SPUD1801 and Councilman Cooper. >> Yes, Vice Mayor. Similar to O. And I will move for approval as well, please. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes and that passes unanimously. Item R is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for approval special permit 604. Um this is in W four. Councilman Stone. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Is anyone signed up? Nope. All right. With that, I'll go ahead and move for its approval. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item S is an ordinance on final hearing recommended for denial. SPUD1767 at 2330 Southwest 27th Street. We do have someone signed up to speak on this item. Um, Victor Pizzotas or Elizabeth Salazar. and Elizabeth, you have three minutes. >> Good morning, council members. My name is Elizabeth Salazar and I am speaking on behalf of my parents that are the applicants for SPUD 1767. It's located on 2330 Southwest 27th Street. Uh word in six. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I understand the planning commission recommended a denial this request of of this request and I respect that process. However, I am speaking to the council to consider that the SPUD provides more control, more predictability, 100% transparency with the neighborhood and better compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood than what is already under existing R1 zoning. The purpose of this bud is not to intensify development but to establish a clear limitations on site specific conditions that address compatibility concerns such as the building uh placement use access and overall impact to the properties under R1 zoning. Those controls are not existing in the same degree. Um, I request uh this request has been reviewed by city staff and I am willing to comply with the summary of technical evaluation and the responsible conditions necessary to multi-gate impact related access parking drainage and site layout. My goal is to develop the property in a minor consent with the character of the area while also making reasonable use of the property. Um, I respectly ask the council to consider approving SPDU 1767 subject to the summary of technical evaluation and to allow this project to move forward in the controlled and compatible manner. Thank you. >> Thank you, Elizabeth. Um, this is an item. This is in my ward, but as ch I'm chairing the meeting. Um, I've asked Councilman Pennington to carry my items today. Okay. So, I'm going to defer to him at this moment. >> Thank Thank you, madam madam vice mayor. Um, I think there's some significant compatibility issues with a commercial use in the middle of a residential neighborhood. That's why you received a unanimous recommendation from the planning commission to deny this application. So, based on what uh Councilwoman uh Hammond has requested, we're going to defer this item for two weeks, assuming the council's okay with that. But I would I would strongly encourage you to consider perhaps this needs to go back to the planning commission for you all to work through. Is there a way for us to get to adequate compatibility for us to to approve this? So I'm going to move for deferral for two weeks. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we have a motion to defer to February 10th and we have a second. Please cast your votes. And the deferral passes unanimously. That brings us to item T, uh, which is a public hearing on the reg, uh, the dilapidated structures listed. Um, city clerk, do we have anyone signed up to speak on these items? >> No, we don't. >> Okay. So, I'm going to close the public hearing and we'll move on to the resolution declaring those structures are dilapidated. Do we have a motion and a second? Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item U is a public hearing regarded the regarding the unsecured structures listed. Uh, city clerk, do we have anyone signed up to speak on these items? >> No, we don't. >> Okay, I'm going to close the public hearing and see if we have a motion on item or bullet two, resolution declaring the structures are unsecured. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item V is a public hearing on regarding the abandoned buildings here listed. City clerk, do we have any people signed up to speak on these items? >> No, we don't. >> Okay, I'm going to close the public hearing and move on to uh item two, resolution declaring the buildings are abandoned. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And those pass unanimously. Now we are in item W, a resolution establishing policies and processes for the application and implementation of local preference and public construction pro projects. I understand we have a presentation. Oh yes, Debbie. >> Yes, madam vice mayor. We have Debbie Miller here, public works director. Thank you, Debbie. >> Good morning, Vice Mayor and Council. Debbie Miller, director of public works. I'm here to um talk about this resolution we're bringing to you. Back in May, the state Go ahead. um the state passed a bill where there's a local preference in bidding. So this has to do with local and non-local where local is within the state and is a certificate of good standing with the secretary of state and non-local is outside of the state. Um so we talk about that. Um so when it applies um is public contracts over 100,000 um construction management trade contracts. And the way it works is if you're bidding a project and you have a non-local out ofstate contractor who's the low bid, then a local contractor is the second bid and he's within 5%. they have the option to take over that bid at the same cost and same terms. So the next slide shows when it doesn't apply um it's lowest and best bid is local uh low lowest and second lowest bids are not within 5% informal bids and then if it has f federal funding in the project it's not compatible with this. So, um, we're going to present this to you. Once it's approved, we'll submit this to the other city departments and trusts, and we'll provide training to staff. Thank you. Do we have any questions or comments from council on this item? Okay, seeing none, thank you, Debbie. So, we can take a motion on item W at this time. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item X is a resolution authorizing the municipal counselor to confess judgment without admitting liability in the case of Perry v. The city of Oklahoma City. Uh I believe we have not had a request for executive session. So we can take an item or a motion on item one if the council chooses. We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. Item 11 Y is uh to enter into executive session on advice of our municipal council to receive confidential communications res concerning the case express Grocery at all v the city of Oklahoma City. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. And that passes unanimously. We will uh enter into executive session when we conclude our other business. Item Z1 is a claim recommended for denial. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. That passes unanimously. Item AA1 is a CL claim recommended for approval. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Please cast your votes. That passed. We are now on item 12, comments from council. Um, ward one. Ward two. >> Yes. Um, thank you, Vice Mayor. Uh, city clerk, would you mind, uh, once more, and I appreciate you, uh, if we could share the screen, and I might need a little bit of patience. Uh, I'm sure you all, some of you have seen the affidavit, sworn affidavit from one of the residents in uh, Minneapolis from over the weekend. And I I feel compelled in a public setting to read this affidavit because of the incredible amount of misinformation I saw spread across the internet. So, um, the blacked out moments is where the person's name is. So, I of course will, you know, not be able to read that. So I resident of Minneapolis declare as follows. I am a 29-year-old resident of blank in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have lived in Minneapolis since 2024 when I moved to the city to begin my medical residency. I am a licensed pediatrician and I have been practicing pediatric medicine in the city since I moved here. On January 24th, 2026, at approximately 9:00 a.m. Central Standard Time, I was awoken by the sound of cars honking and whistles blowing. Shortly after I awoke, I heard screaming from outside my window. I saw several ICE agents and civilians yelling at each other. One civilian was standing in front of a parked car on the side of the road. I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind. Suddenly, an ICE agent shoved him to the ground. My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few seconds, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agent shoot the man at least six or seven times. Initially, I was stunned. From what I could see from my apartment, there was absolutely no need for any violence, let alone lethal force by multiple officers. I immediately put on my boots and coat, ran outside, and approached ICE agents who were near the victim. The scene was chaotic. Many civilians were screaming and honking. Over the noise, I informed the ICE agents that I am a physician, and I asked to assess the victim. At first, the ICE agents wouldn't let me through. They repeatedly asked me for my physician's license, which I obviously didn't have. But none of the ICE agents who were near the victim were performing CPR, and I could tell that the victim was in critical condition. I insisted that the agents let me assess him. Normally, I would not have been so persistent, but as a physician, I felt a professional and moral obligation to help this man, especially since none of the agents were helping him. Finally, one agent agreed to let me assess the victim. He patted me down to quote, "Make sure I didn't have a weapon." End quote. and then let me approach the victim. As I approached, I saw the victim was lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents. I was confused as to why the victim was on his side because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot. Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds. I asked the ICE agents if the victim had a pulse, and they said they did not know. I then asked the agents to make space so I could assess the victim. The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back. I asked the ICE agents to turn the victim from his side to his back. From that position, I saw an additional gunshot wound on the victim's upper left chest and another possible gunshot wound on his neck. I checked for a pulse, but I did not feel one. I immediately began CPR. Shortly after I started compressions, EMS personnel arrived and took over. I remained at the scene for about five more minutes, but protesters began to gather in the situation seemed to be escalating. So, I left and returned to my apartment. When I returned to my apartment, I was extremely distraught. I was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. Eventually, I called my sister who lives in a nearby suburb. I called her for comfort and because I did not feel safe in my apartment, I wanted to see if I could stay with her for the day and maybe even a few days. I also sought advice from a friend who works for the city of Minneapolis. He recommended that I shelter in place because the situation outside my apartment was so dangerous. I was going to follow his advice, but then ICE agents deployed tear gas on the crowd that gathered below, and the tear gas began seeping into my apartment. At that point, I did not feel like I could stay in my apartment any longer. I packed an overnight bag, took the elevator down to the parking garage, and drove about six blocks to a friend's house. I was still carrying, crying, excuse me, and shaking at this point, and I was barely able to speak. I drove to my friend's house because it was close, and I wanted time to collect myself before driving 30 minutes to my sister's house. I am devastated by the killing of a motan by multiple federal immigration agents. From what I could tell, the victim was not actively threatening ICE agents or the public. He was just yelling at the agents because he objected to ISIS presence in our city. A person should not be shot and killed for lawfully expressing their opinions. I am not sure when I will return to my apartment. I do not feel safe in my city. In less than one month, ICE agents have shot and killed two people for protesting and observing their actions. I worry that I or someone I love will be shot and killed for voicing their displeasure and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct. And then he signs. This is who to whom he is referring. We can remove that. Thank you. We can stop sharing my screen. Thank you. I know sometimes people like to give me a hard time for speaking at length. So I will be brief in what remains. Though I felt compelled to spend as much time as I just did sharing the actual lived experience of people on the ground in our one of our great cities. Um I think it's bold. Well, let me just be very clear. I do not support any form of an ICE facility in Oklahoma's capital city. I do not support it anywhere Oklahoma. I do not support it anywhere across America. And I think it is bold that our current federal government can fund 45 billion with a B dollars to fund this network of terror. and to do so at a time when what America's cities and towns are asking for is for us to put our people to work rebuilding our critical infrastructure. And that includes in this city that includes in this city 1.5 to2 billion dollar worth of street resurfacing needs. That includes 500 million to1 billion dollar worth of drainage needs. That includes $1.2 2 billion with a B in affordable housing needs in this city. Those are the needs. Those are the needs. Those are the needs. And let me also just say it is bold that somehow our current federal government can use a 5-year-old as bait. >> Yeah. >> To lure their asylum seeking parents from their home. I was in Amsterdam last year. I saved two years worth of money as a teacher to go support my friends who were traveling over there who live here and are they're musicians. And I went over there and right across the street from where my hotel was was Anne Frank's house. It is not lost on me when someone is seeking asylum and refugee status who they are. Which brings me to the Asian district last week where we have reports that ICE was in Ward 2 in the Asian district where historically historically people from Vietnam fled here as refugees and our churches and places of worship took them in. And today the Asian district is thriving because of the hard work of the people who call that district home from lo ocean to Chinese. That's my people. That's who W 2 is. We are hard workers. We are compassionate and we believe in public safety. ISIS presence in our city does not make our neighborhoods, communities, or our people any safer. IN FACT, IN FACT, too many people have sent me emails and text messages in total fear as I am right now speaking these words because we know that the mayor of Minneapolis, the governor of Minnesota, and the attorney general have now all found themselves under investigation by our current federal government for having the courage to speak out. >> I am asking this council to figure out how to be bold, whether that is a resolution codifying >> cottifying the letter our mayor sent to our congressional delegation, >> codifying it. And even if it means a fight, then we must >> fight. I have never been more afraid than I am right now. And the only thing that is keeping me going is knowing that in the 1970s, to conclude here, the whistles you heard in Minneapolis are the whistles that queer people used in San Francisco in the 1970s, anytime someone attacked them, as they did regularly when it was illegal to be gay in this country and 10 years imprisonment in Oklahoma. That is the history of the whistle. So I speak at link today in fear but in bravery and I have no choice. >> That's a patriot. >> Thank you. >> And to my mother who is watching at home, a retired registered nurse who like Alex worked at the VA hospital. I love you and I am so sorry if this puts me and W 2 in more danger, but we have no choice. We have to speak up on this matter. This is the time for bravery if there ever was one. So, thank you. Thank you. Um, word four, >> word five, word seven. >> I'll make a comment. One, thank you, Councilman Cooper. Well said. Um, and I join you and so many others in opposition to the violence, um, the lawlessness that we have seen in Minneapolis and in so so many other places as of late through the actions of ICE. and I too join you in being opposed to a detention center being in Oklahoma City for for ICE. Um and so the first question I asked myself when I saw the news articles about this was so what can we do? What is within our power as members of this this council? What can we actually do to stop this from happening? And so these conversations and you heard me ask several clarifying questions of our municipal counselor is to clarify where do we have authority to act that's meaningful and where don't we have authority to act and so I just want to be clear about a few things as I've received several emails and phone calls and other people who share my concerns. Um one we we effectively have a ban on non-municipal detention centers in Oklahoma City right now. Um, I hope that the federal government will comply with the requirements that Oklahoma City already has, which is that they should seek a special permit. And so I I would join uh Councilman Cooper in a resolution reiterating that we want the federal government to follow our existing law and allow the public to speak about whether or not a facility like that should be put in our in our city. Um, I think it's important to for us to remember where we do have power and that is with our federal government, our federal delegation. They fund the Department of Homeland Security. They set the rules for ICE. And I think it's important for us as citizens to put the pressure back on them to actually hold ICE accountable. Let's continue to press. So, I I appreciate that there are a lot of people here who uh want us to take further action. Um I you've heard what our abilities are, what we can do, and it sounds like we're going to move forward on what those options are. I will join with anyone who's going to let our federal government know that we oppose what's going on, and we want to see real accountability and respect for the rule of law in Oklahoma City and all across our nation. So, thank you. Kenny, I just ask that you make sure that all of us get a copy of your memo today. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, that concludes item 12. That brings us to items 13, citizens to be heard. Um, just to a little process, a little transparency on process. Right now, we have a very large stack of people signed up to speak on one specific topic. I have >> give me a second. I have two that are signed up to speak on separate things. So I'm going to ask those folks to come forward and speak on those so we can get those out of the way and then that way we can have everyone that's speaking on a similar topic al together. So with that I'm going to invite Tyler last initial is B. I apologize I cannot read your full name. Um that uh do I see Oh please come forward. Um and you have three minutes. Hi, I actually go by Tristan. Um 1520 North Harvard Avenue. Um I wanted to bring up I submitted a little late to talk, but there was a deference on 4E due to uh Lexus Nexus. Um and we also talk about or you guys approved it um in 4A. So it just seems a little silly to defer one and not the other. So, I was wondering if there's a way to retroactively pull that back and potentially defer it as well. >> What is the process for that? Kenny, can you speak to what the process would be for that? >> Yes, you would have to move to reconsider the vote on which the the one passed and then defer it. >> Okay. >> 4 A. Yeah. If if we have a motion from councel to uh to walk that back, we can do that. I'm opening the floor to a motion. >> I would make that motion. I'm sorry. I'm just >> uh it's under consent item A. >> Oh, thank you. Yeah, I would make that motion. Sure. to >> to defer >> to rescend our >> it would be to rescend our previous vote and then we would have to vote to defer is my understanding. Is that correct? >> 4 A. So this this is one we we it we voted under it on it under all of consent. We didn't pull it separately but we can take a motion to it sounds like resend our previous vote on it and reconsider >> and then reconsider >> a deferral >> and a >> just a >> just a yes. Okay. I would make the motion to rescend the earlier vote. >> Do we have a second? >> We're going to get hold >> for clarity. Wait a second. We're voting to reconsider item 9 a >> uh 4 a >> 4 a. >> Yes. Under consent >> the contract with Lexus Nexus >> Copalologic Solutions. >> Yeah, we need to stop saying four because it's not >> Oh, yep. That's a that's a that's an X. Yep. 9A. >> That's why I was confused. Thank you. Sorry, my bad. >> But would we need to also pull it out for a separate vote since it was under the consent docket? >> That is a great question. >> I I I'm so sorry. I just have to make sure the process is >> We've got to We've got to have a separate vote on it. >> It's a separate vote. You're You're pulling it out separately to reconsider the vote on it. >> I understand now. So, I would make a motion to pull this item out for a rescending of for a second separate vote. Okay, >> we have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Please cast your votes and that passes unanimously. Do we have a motion >> to defer >> to defer? Correct. >> And then I Yes. Thank you. Uh thanks for the clarifications. Thank you Tristan. Um, I would like to move to defer this item for two weeks. Please, >> we have a motion. Do we have a second? Please cast your votes. And that deferral passes unanimously. >> Thank you, council. >> Thank you. Um, next we have Ronnie Kirk. I know I saw Ronnie just a second ago. Ronnie, if you have left the room, please come on back in for your three minutes going once. We can always revisit if we see him. So, I will set that aside. Okay. So, I'll just sort of in uh set set some stage here. Um we have a lot of folks signed up to speak. We allow you up to three minutes to share. Um, when you come to the podium, please state your name and you can go ahead and do your comments. Um, as I said before, the city clerk will give you a verbal signal of 30 seconds left in your time. I'm also going to call the next person in my my stack here so you can kind of be on deck um and know that you're up next. So, starting out we have Laura Topia and then on deck will be I apologize if I do not say this right. Uh I think it's Danny and then the last initial is you. So if that's you Laura if you want to come up and start and then Danny will be on deck. >> Good morning. My name is Laara Susana Tapia. I work at an organization called Gaelos, which is a nonprofit that is dedicated to servicing the predominantly Latino neighborhood of the historic Capitol Hill district. I'm not a lawyer, so I am not going to comment on the legality of the situation. My work is much more social, so I will be commenting on the social impact. Our community is afraid. While my evidence of fear is only anecdotal, I ask you not to take my word for it, but the word of the Oklahoma City Police Department. In my work through Guy Cino, I have been working with two officers of the OKCPD to organize an event aimed at building trust between local law enforcement and the Hispanic community of Oklahoma City. You may be asking yourself, why is this event necessary? The two officers that I've been working with have relayed stories to me of people not reporting violent crimes, assaults, burglaries, and other emergencies out of fear. Now, you and I know that the Oklahoma City Police Department does not ask about immigration status when conducting essential services. But that policy alone is not enough to ease the concerns of our communities when every day on our screens we are seeing families ripped apart, inhumane detention centers, and even the execution of US citizens. I ask you to please make decisions that empower our community to feel safe and protected in our homes. To my community um who is exhausted, of resisting, of fighting, of living in fear, I remind you that our joy and our pride in our identities and our culture is an act of active resistance. Council, I thank you for your time. I ask you to make the right decisions. Eva Mexico. Thank you, Laura. Danny you deep apologies if I'm not reading this correctly. Handwriting is is a struggle. Okay, I'm going to move on. But if you we'll we'll problem solve this one. Um next we have Kayla Bonewell followed by Jordan McCoy. No idea. I know I'm Reverend Calebwell, pastor of Church of the Open Arms and Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ and I live and serve in Ward 2. Last week, I traveled to Minneapolis with 600 other clergy to witness and resist firsthand the impact of 3,000 plus ICE agents there. We do not want this in Oklahoma. I do not want this in Oklahoma. I understand that you are not the decision makers for the proposed ICE processing facility here. My ask is for you to work with us to do all in your power to resist what is planned to come here. Please publish all correspondence from the city to the Department of Homeland Security and all relevant parties regarding the proposed expansion of ICE and the proposed detention facility in Oklahoma City. Please end all contracts with Flock as their cameras and databases are being used by ICE. Please draft and share a legal briefing with the public that outlines all legal pathways to disrupting this detention center or others like it from being built here. I thank you for your public service. >> My purse was stolen. >> Next is Jordan McCoy. And I think I've uh is it Danny Yugal? I think is following. Go ahead, Jordan. >> Uh good morning, council. Um thank you for being here. My name is Jordan McCoy. I'm 28 years old. Uh I've been a resident of of OKC for about 20 years. Uh I'm an Eagle Scout. Uh I served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard from 2019 to 2025. I studied psychology at the University of Oklahoma and I'm simply here as a concerned citizen to address the proposed ICE facility um which is proposed at 2800 South Council Road which is in Ward 3 under Councilwoman uh Avers who is not present today. Um my stance is simply this um that this can't be allowed or supported uh in any way, shape or form. Uh the city council must use every tool every tool in its toolbox to oppose this facility. Uh ICE has become a rogue paramilitary force. Simply put, they have trampled on the supreme law of the land which we all acknowledge is the Constitution of the United States uh which I pledged to uh uphold when I served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard. ICE has laughed in the face of due process which all persons, not just citizens, all persons are owed in this country. They have repeatedly under orders from the president and his cabinet violated the first, second, and fourth amendment rights of American citizens. This has been duly showed on video. Um, they have ignored and disregarded federal court orders and they have lied directly to the American public in the face of overwhelming video evidence that ICE officers murdered two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Prey. The time for excuses is over. Uh, the time for lies is over. The time for dehumanization is over. ICE has declared war on the rights of American citizens and this cannot stand. They have declared war on the constitution itself and you cannot and should not work with them. Um I just want to cite some data from Syracuse University that is uh as up to date from uh November 16th 20 uh 2025 where um basically 97% of uh detainees in in ICE detention have no criminal conviction. Um, so they're just holding people that have no criminal conviction whatsoever. Uh, and basically giving them no due process. I also want to acknowledge that there are multiple reports and multiple cases of ICE officers sexually abusing detainees. Uh, there's a specific case in Louisiana that you can Google. Uh, I encourage you, please fight against us. Do not invite this filth and this lawlessness into our community. Thank you very much. >> Next up is uh Danny Yalde followed by Chris Fowler. Going once, twice for Danny. Okay. Um Chris Fowler followed by Kim Bandy. >> Hi, good morning. My name is Chris Fowler. I spent 20 years in the United States Air Force and I just want to first acknowledge that I am grateful for the city's attempt uh to remain transparent on this issue about the ice facility on Council Road. So, um, we welcome that as residents. Um, next, I want to thank council members Cooper and Pennington for your words today, as well as the rest of the council when it comes, uh, to asking critical questions on, uh, converting a warehouse into a detention and processing facility for humans. I want to go back to that uh, memo. Um, first I want to acknowledge I have deep moral concerns about converting a warehouse into a detention and processing facility for people. But going back to the January 20th memo, um, I think we need to change some of that language. Uh, we don't need to request that the government follow the special permitting process. We need to insist that it does. Next, having spent a decade of my career at Tinker Air Force Base and living under the departure path of Will Rogers, I do note that uh the city did acknowledge the federal supremacy clause and used the Mike Monron aeronautical center on Will Rogers as well as new buildings uh that go up on Tinker Air Force Base as you know precedent um for the federal government not following the zoning process. But let's look at those facilities. Those are walled. They are fenced off. They are blocked off for federal use. When a new hanger or a new training center goes up on one of them, it makes sense that they're not going to be going through that process, right? What we're talking about on Council Road is a warehouse sitting across from businesses and less than a block away from neighborhoods and from two schools. If the special permitting process does not exist for exactly this reason, then what the heck does it ever apply to? >> As we see nationwide and in our own city when ICE where ice goes, protests, increased traffic 24/7 law enforcement operations follow, right? So what is going to happen to these neighborhoods, to these businesses, to these schools once that facility is built? We can expect emergency traffic to be impeded. We can imagine uh not >> 30 seconds remaining. >> Thank you. Uh we can also foresee that there's going to be significant safety concerns there. Um, I urge the council to use every lawful lever that you have to uh force the government to follow the special permitting process and to oppose um the procurement of this warehouse for the facility. And finally, please remain transparent with the public at every step. Thank you. >> Next is Kim Kim Bandandy followed by Josh Higin Botham. >> Hello, my name is Kim Bandy and I oppose this center the tactics of ICE and the inhumane conditions of all the of the facilities for all individuals regardless of the journey that brought them to be our neighbors. Today I am sharing on behalf of some friends and community members who became our neighbors through a specific journey. Refugees and asylum seekers. They've uh they have been forcibly displaced from their home due to a well-founded fear for their lives based on race, religion, persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. I've gotten to know many of these individuals as neighbors and friends through my work at the Sparrow Project, a local nonprofit. Refugees arriving through the United States refugee admissions program underwent robust vetting processing and processing prior to officially resettling through this program. Over 120 million forcibly displaced people uh are people are forcibly displaced due to war violence globally right now and less than half of 1% have the chance at resettlement into a third party country. That's not due to the number who can successfully get through the process or be vetted successfully. It's simply due to the amount of individual individual third party countries like the US. Um I'm sorry, due to the amount of individual spots a third party country like the US will offer. For example, this year the United States has said our maximum is 7,500 people. Right now, Operation Paris, P A R I S, is underway reviewing cases of refugees simply um because they arrived during the Biden administration. All of those individuals are at risk. I have friends who applied for asylum, meaning they have applied for refuge while here in the US that are still waiting eight years after they applied um because their court date has not been set yet and they are vulnerable. Refugees and approved asylles have applied for green cards as prescribed, but they have not been issued because this administration stopped processing all green card applications from these countries. They are vulnerable for detention. Right now, individuals through par operation Paris are being um detained in Minneapolis and then transported to places like Texas. They're being reviewed. It's determined because there was no precipitating event that they are actually refugees. They are legally allowed to be here and then they are being released on the streets in Texas with no resource to get back home. One Burmese mother of a five-month-old was taken away from her nursing child. It's unconscionable that we would upend the lives of individuals who have already experienced this. They've lived decades, maybe their whole lives in >> 30 seconds remaining. >> And we've offered refuge. We promised it. Now they are in the same vulnerable and terrified state. I hear the limitations being shared related to the this city's ability to block the facility, the ICE ex the facility detention existence. But I don't just not want this facility here. I don't want it anywhere. So let's demonstrate how we do that and invite others to do it with us and be bold together as you said. And we appreciate your leadership in this effort. Joshua Higenbotham followed by Lori Walking. >> Very quickly, uh before my comments, can I switch spots with someone who needs to leave in about five minutes so they can speak? >> Ramirez Perez. >> I will allow that. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Gabriella Ramirez Perez followed by Lori Walk. Hello. Uh, my name is Gabriela Ramirez Perez and I live in Wart 6. Like many Oklahomaans, I am extremely concerned about the conversion of a warehouse into an ice processing facility. Our city has worked hard to become a place that cares for its residents. We invest in our public programs and our infrastructure and in making sure that Oklahoma City is a place where people can live good lives. But opening an ICE center processing center in our city will hurt all Oklahomaans, immigrants and citizens alike. For many months, we've already lived in a state of heightened fear, knowing that ICE is out in our communities, looking to arrest as many people as it can, seemingly with little regard to immigration status. And now, knowing that ICE is planning to open a processing site capable of holding 1500 people, I'm worried that this will lead to more arrests, more families being separated, and more federal disruptions in our neighborhood. In itself, the facility is going to disrupt the everyday life of people who live near the warehouse. There are three schools just 5 minutes away and hundreds of houses just east of the facility. Residents won't be any safer with a processing site housing agents looking to make as many arrests as they can and local traffic and businesses will be disrupted. I live about 15 minutes away from the proposed sites and I know that I wouldn't feel any safer knowing that there's a facility in my city with the express purpose of speeding up deportations. The federal government may be able to circumvent local zoning laws, but it doesn't mean that they should be able to do so, especially without the residents of Oklahoma City having the opportunity to weigh in. I'm here today to urge you to demand that the federal government follow our local process, to stand up and say that we don't want an eye center to open in our community. We may not be able to outright preempt ICE from opening opening a new facility, but it would be worse not to try. It would be worse to accept this as a done deal and fail to protect Oklahoma's residents because this processing facility will hurt not just immigrants but also US citizen, family members, friends, and our neighbors. Oklahoma needs to stand up for its residents and so I urge you to do everything you can in your power to oppose ISIS attempt to open a facility. Thank you. >> Thank you, Gabriela. Hi, I am Reverend Dr. Lori Walk. I am the senior minister at Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ in Northwest Oklahoma City and a resident of Ward 2. Counselors, I invite you to put your phones down to sit up a little straighter in your chairs and spend a few moments making eye contact with as many folks as you can who have gathered here, some of whom are in overflow seating in the hall. >> Yes. If the neighbors here today make you nervous, just wait until you experience the organizing being done for the city council meeting happening on February 10th. Among the other things that have already been requested from you, I repeat the call for you to draft and share a legal briefing with the public that outlines all legal pathways to disrupting this detention and processing center or others like it from being built here. Again, if you think there are a lot of us here today, just wait. I'll see you soon. THANKS, >> JOSH. >> Josh Higgin >> Josh Higin Bothotham followed by Candace Verama. >> My name is Josh Higin Bothotham. I live at 8500 North Oklahoma Avenue. I'm uh 44 years old and allegedly of sound mind. Um I'm not here. Most of you know my views uh if you know me, but um actually here to talk about the views of the conservatives that I've had conversations with who raised me recently. And they're different from the conservatives that are in here. They don't got money, wouldn't be comfortable in boardrooms. They say wash, not wash. and couldn't afford thunder tickets even if they saved up and really wouldn't caught much to know multi-purpose stadiums. Um, but they did love me a lot and uh taught me to hunt deer and squirrel, especially swamp rabbits with beagles. Places like Eagle Town, Muscogee, Ravi, Slaughterville, towns like that. Um, they don't have a lot of resources, but they did have plenty of guns. Um memory from that time came back to me recently when I was about 12. A man named Jim who was a veteran was discussing something that happened recently at that time in place called Ruby Ridge and he said to me in your lifetime mass federal agents are going to be sweeping people off the streets taking their liberties and their lives. Now, I hadn't thought about that in a while, mainly because the next year, um, someone, another vet like Jim, blew up a building within walking distance of this place. A blast that was so large, the the blast radius actually knocked a few of us out of our seats at the middle school that I went to. Um, I'll never forget the sight of a man covered in drywall coming to pick up his son. Was quite scared. Well, bounce forward to the present and uh Jim's worst fears been realized. Masked armed federal agents are doing just what he thought. And uh just the other day they murdered someone who like Jim lawfully carried a gun cares a lot about veterans. Even though a lot of them voted for this administration, they're experiencing a lot of cognitive dissonance right now because their worst fears are being realized by, let's be frank, ICE agents who are doing exactly what they've been trained to do. Now, I don't have an answer for everything um really for any of our problems, but the last thing this city needs are for masked agents to be taking our neighbors to a detention center in our neighborhood. >> 30 seconds remaining. Uh, so all I can say is that if you don't do everything in your power to stop this and our people from getting taken, I reckon there are still some other Oklahomaans out there who will. Thank you very much. Candace Candace Walderama followed by Elena last initial P. >> Um, my name is Candace Walderama. I have lived in Oklahoma City all my life. I grew up in southwest OKC about not very far from where this detention center is going to be. Um, in middle school actually, James Cooper was one of my teachers. Um, I'm I'm there are people much more educated and eloquent here than I am. I'm just a Waffle House employee. Um, but I wanted to talk a little bit about my father. My father, um, Luis Worama is an immigrant who immigrated here when he was 16. Um, and he has had his green card for about 25 years. He recently renewed it actually. He is a legal immigrant. He um, he has created his own business. He is a contractor and has been for 20 years. He did the concrete work for um our local police department in Valley Brook. He adopted me when I was about 8 years old, I believe. Um, I was a foster child and without him it is possible that I could still be a foster child and a ward of the state. Um, he adopted my little sister who has no blood relation to him at all as neither do I. And she is he did not have to do that. He did that simply because she was related to me and I was a member of his family through marriage and she was a halfsister that I was placed with and had a bond with and he did not want us separated. With that being said, I believe very strongly he has commun he has contributed a lot to our community a lot more than even some people who live here. And um honestly, it breaks my heart to fear that with this detention center and bringing ICE here that he might be safer >> 30 seconds back to his home country >> even despite his status. And with that, I just want people to, especially our city council, to keep that in their minds when pushing back against this detention center. Thank you. Vice Mayor. I hope Candace hears this as she's walking away. She was so quiet when we were in seventh and eighth grade. and it is remarkable to hear her voice today. So, >> Elena followed by Miranda L Prey. Hello, my name is Elena Palmore. Um, I didn't grow up in OKC. I grew up in a small town uh called Crescent. And um while the Hispanic community was not as large as it is in OKC, um I think everyone in our town knew the members of our Hispanic community and loved them and they knew that they worked not just as much but harder than everyone in our community. Um and that's farmers. I mean, that's hard to work harder than that. Um, but sitting here listening to everyone talk about the stadium and giving funds for you guys to go to a meeting whenever most of us can't afford to feed ourselves more than a meal a day. Um, and I'm sure more people would be here to speak out against the ICE facility if they weren't so worried about missing a shift this morning. Um >> I know um the fact that this there's two schools close to the new ICE facility has already been addressed, but I'd like to talk about Western Heights. Um the population, the Hispanic population of that school is 46.4%. And to go even broader, 84.6% of the student body isn't white. And I don't think there's uh I don't think it's a coincidence as to why the federal government wants to put um a detention center that close to a school. We already know that they're not above taking children like Liam Ramos and um I'm sorry if I mispronounced her last name, but Khloe uh Velases. Um they're babies. Khloe was two. Liam is five. And it's a lot harder um to empathize with people whenever um you don't know their name and you don't know them personally. But I think it's important that I'm pretty sure it's 11% of the Oklahoma population uh is immigrants. And I'm sure we can all think of someone we went to class with with someone we've worked with, someone who has served us at a restaurant anything. We all know an immigrant and oh frig, sorry I didn't even get to Lexus Nexus and Project Guardian. Um James Cooper and uh Mr. Pennington, I wanted to thank you guys specifically for talking about the ice facility the most. Um, but since everyone is talking about the ice facility, I'd like to say that project guardian passed by Governor Stit earlier this month um could work uh with Lexus Nexus considering that project guardian >> uh is something passed by Governor Stit which allows racial profiling on the highways so they can pull people out of their cars. Um, and I believe if we continue to use Lexus Nexus, they could use that to figure out who is an immigrant, whether they're legal or not. And since they're not given due process, they can just take them to this new ice facility. And I think it's disgusting. >> That's disgusting. >> Next is Miranda. Miranda followed by Miranda Le Prey. Apologies. Uh followed by Aubrey Thomas. Are you Aubrey? That's You're making a way. Why don't you come on ahead and make your way and we'll see if we can catch Miranda. All right. Good morning, council. I'm Aubrey Thomas. Um I have a house in Southwest OC and I have two businesses in the farmers market district. Um, everybody else is going to be coming from a more emotional standpoint than I am. I could talk about all the emotional stuff of being uh the granddaughter of an immigrant during the Holocaust. And um, I could do the whole entire spiel to make everybody emotional, but I'm going to actually give you guys a business aspect of this. So, um, since ICE has been in Oklahoma City, uh, specifically on the 35 and the 40, um, I have had several of my clients that have been too scared to come up from Norman. And money out of my pocket means money out of your pocket because every single tax dollar that we pay to you guys that's being lost through um people who are too scared to live leave their homes. And we're not just seeing that with immigrants, right? We're seeing it with people who are just scared in general. And that's a very natural fear to have. They don't want to drive up the 35 and possibly get stopped by ICE agents or policemen on their way to something that is supposed to be wholesome like a dance class right? So, I'm here to let you guys know that I as a business, it's from a business aspect, we don't we don't want to see this for our clients, right? We want money to flow through Oklahoma City. We want money in your pockets. We want money in our pockets. That's kind of like the whole reason of opening a business. However, if something like the detention facility is put in Oklahoma City, it's going to make a lot of district like especially the farmers market district businesses leave. And I have already talked to all the other business owners in the district. And so if we leave, that's money once again, taxpayer dollars out of your pockets that will go somewhere else. And um so I just wanted to give you guys a more capitalism based view of what could happen. Um and I hope you guys consider that. Thank you. Aubrey second call for Miranda L Prey. Okay, next is Victor Tovar followed by Mark Faulk. Um, good morning. I'm a resident of W 3 very near the 2800 2800 South Council and I excuse me I implore you to do everything in your power to keep this processing facility from being established here. The inhumane conditions these centers are known for have no place here or anywhere else. Furthermore, this location would disrupt the school lives of many families in the area by instilling fear and uncertainty to the safety of themselves and others. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Mark Faulk, followed by CJ Weber Neil. My name is Mark Faulk. Um, like a lot of people, I may be living at 2800 South Council before this is done. Um, first of all, if everyone on this council does not fight against this with every fiber of your being, then you are not patriots, you are fascists. >> What you're seeing right now is democracy in action. This place is packed. It has overflowed out into the next room. There are for every person here another thousand people who would agree with this crowd. I want to thank the people of Oklahoma City for standing up against this. But I am going to tell you now this will not happen in our city. Um, I want to talk about this from a different perspective. The real estate agent, the real estate company who has this listed is New Mark Robinson Park, the oldest and one of the largest real estate companies in Oklahoma. They have made massive amounts of money from maps projects and tiff projects. The CEO of their company, Mark Befert, is the vice chair for the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce in charge of economic development. >> Why is a realtor who is in charge of economic development trying to sell a property to the federal government to turn Oklahoma City into a war zone? I know that um our mayor has some pretty close ties to him as well. Maybe that's why he's not here today. Maybe that's why he will not speak against this. They are a subsidiary of and I would tell everyone go to their website newarkrp.com. All of their phone numbers are there. call them and tell them not in our city. Really quickly, they are an affiliate of Newark Group Incorporated, the third largest real estate agency and brokerage in the country and close friends with Donald Trump. Their CEO became the secretary of commerce for the United States government. So this goes all the way to the top and all the way to our city. I will say this now. If you do not stand up, we will stand up every step of the way and fight this and make sure that this will not happen. >> Next we have CJ. CJ Weber Neil stands up against this and not someone who rolls their eyes against people stars. You are so gross. >> Without a name plate. >> YOU ARE SO GROSS. >> OKAY, next is CJ Weber Neil followed by Jack Zeditz. >> Thank you, council. My name is CJ Weber Neil. The Neil Center for Justice is located in the Capitol Hill District at 301 Southwest 23rd Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We are a notfor-profit incorporated in December of 2017. We are a civil rights and civil liberties organization and we are a proud supporter of immigrant rights and opportunities here in Oklahoma. I come to you today speaking as an African-American and as a Native American of the Cherokee Nation. On Junth of 2026, since we're talking about putting this in perspective here in Oklahoma, we had an event where we spoke of advocacy efforts for documented citizens here in Oklahoma. One week after the Department of Homeland Security froze our assets and refused to comply with two court orders to unfreeze those funds. We have been told numerous times that if we needed to just comply or if we needed to cooperate with their efforts that this could be settled and that the funds would be released. We have and we continue to refuse. Our sign in front of our building was taken by someone claiming to be our vice agents in September. And when I addressed it with them, the man told me bluntly and straightly, "We will tell you when you're allowed to have justice." The person the person the personal cost of this fight of this action is currently approaching our organization thousands of dollars. We have and will continue our advocacy efforts and we will not be intimidated by sanctioned lawlessness. Civil rights and human rights cannot be sold to those who advocate for tyranny. All that it takes for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. In December, we were finally told that some of the funds would be released in order to pay the bills. Yet, the funds for our rent is still frozen and to this date a violation of a court order. The questions about this detention center are very simple. If they are willing to break court orders where judges have mandated their actions, what are they going to do here in Oklahoma? We already have a county jail that we have problems with with people dying. >> Do we need a federal facility that's going to the same thing? >> Number one, the location of the facility is in an industrial complex. I'm sure that there is a violation somewhere there as far as housing people. the issues with the building design, which is the reason why we were told that the original occupants did not want it because of drainage and sewage. Now, you're planning on putting people there, so that way that can become an issue and a health hazard. >> Minneapolis should show us that transparency is not something that the ICE organization wants to take proudly. There's quote needs to be basically, are you going to believe us or your lying eyes? history of defying court orders and the history of denying due process seems to be the issue of the day. So finally, what I ask is is I ask for all of you council members to stand up and to join us in the same fight that we are trying to propose in this sense. Do not let ICE come in here. Do not let the citizens of this city be terrorized. The citizens are going to gather. We have an event that we've already gained a permit from from the city of Oklahoma City that we're planning on having at that facility this Saturday. Citizens are standing up and we ask you as elected officials to do the same. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next is Jack Zeditz followed by Christina Griffith. >> My name is Jack Zeditz. I'm a resident of Woo. Um, I really came to talk. I didn't know what I was going to talk about when I got here, but it's become clear. It is about fear. It's about power. Um, I spent a couple of years living in South Africa. Uh, studying, um, studying what happened to people under a totalitarian regime. Uh, I was the victim of police violence there myself, unlawful police violence. And what I felt there, the fear that I felt there, even walking the streets after it occurred, um I feel today. Um what happened there was um you know, written well about in the history books. And I cannot believe that I'm in Oklahoma City feeling the same feelings that I felt in post-aparttheid South Africa with a police force that was resisting democracy. That is what is happening today. So that fear is real and it's less about a personal fear of what's going to happen to me. It is a fear about me putting my name in a public register and speaking to you. What is going to happen to my family? Because my name is now in a public register and in a record and being recorded. What is going to happen to me professionally? The fear is palpable. The fear is real. So, let's talk about power, the ability to influence the outcome events in your favor. We've heard about what you're authorized to do. We've heard about legal issues. Um, you all are well familiar with the levers of power, far more than me. Whatever you can do that you are authorized to do, even if you don't think it will succeed, do it. If you don't do it, you are inviting this into our community. If you don't resist with every lever of power, whether you are successful or not, you are consenting to what is happening in Minneapolis to be in Oklahoma City. separate from what you are authorized to do. There is symbolism. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> There is power in symbolism. And I don't care if it doesn't hold up in court. I don't care. You have a fight in the court of public opinion that you have to win or else you are going to be part of that terrorizing force that is causing fear in this community. So use your power whether it's authorized or whether it's symbolic because here we know that the power of symbols is very real. If you don't, I invite you to go look at empty chairs that are sitting at the bottom of a bomb crater not too far from here. There is power and symbolism. Use it. It is what you are elected for is to protect us and we need you to protect us. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next is Christina Griffith followed by Doulce Mononttoya. Thank you. Good morning. My name is Christina Griffith, proud daughter of an immigrant. And I also speak out of fear of what could happen to me, but it must be done. We are told this detention facility is a bureaucratic necessity, a logistics project. But history has taught us that the most horrific chapters of human suffering always begin with clinical bureaucratic language. They begin when we decide that certain people can be processed and warehoused without due process. When we say phrases like never again, it isn't just for history books. It's a directive for the present. We know from the darkest moments of the 20th century that the road to atrocity is paved with a dehumanization of our neighbors. It starts with identifying a problem group, moves to stripping them of their legal rights, and ends with mass detention in industrial facilities. Historians and survivors alike have warned us the infrastructure of mass detention is the infrastructure of state sponsored cruelty. When you take a warehouse designed for freight and fill it with thousands of humans, you are creating a concentration of people based on their status, not their crimes. This is how the benality of evil works. It happens in plain sight in quiet industrial parks while local leaders are told it's not your jurisdiction. We are seeing the same warning signs today. The denial of due process, the separation of families, and the attempt to bypass local laws. We cannot claim to to honor the victims of the past if we ignore our terrified, vulnerable neighbors being loaded into unmarked vans and held in warehouses in our backyard. Across this country, ICE attention has become synonymous with medical neglect, the denial of basic hygiene, sexual assault, and generational trauma from families being ripped apart. We are talking about children crying for their mothers and detainees held in repulsive windowless environments for months on end. If this facility opens, Oklahoma City becomes a link in a chain of state sanctioned suffering. This will be a city that looked at a 400,000 square foot cage and called it logistics and allowed the federal government to treat human beings like inventory. With over 75% of current detainees having zero criminal record or more, we don't know Christ lies. This isn't just a zoning dispute. It is a test of our collective conscience. We must ask ourselves, what will we tell our children when they ask us what we did when a detention camp was built in our community? Will we say we followed the supremacy clause or will we say we stood up for human rights? >> The federal government thinks that they can bypass our zoning because they think this red state won't fight for the invisible people. But they are wrong. I am asking you to fight for the soul of the city to use every legal tool, every injunction, every ounce of political pressure to stop this. Do not let this become a dark stand in our city's history. Tell DHS that OKC is a community, not for detention camps. reject this facility not as a zoning violation but as a human rights violation. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next is Dulce Mononttoya. Dulce Mononttoya followed by Mari Williams. >> Good morning. Dula Mononttoya, War Three. And I echo everything that has been mentioned. As an immigrant myself living in the state of Oklahoma and a person that has done community work with the immigrant community at a state, local and national level, um I wish I could go and have enough time to tell you all the stories and the reports that I have made of the abuse that happens inside of detention facilities and processing centers. But today, I wanted to talk about about the abuse that we witness every day. um and the persecution that immigrant communities are facing in the a hands of the agencies like ICE. I want to express my deepest concern for my fellow neighbors in Oklahoma City and surrender surrounding areas because detention facilities and processing centers alike are harmful by the sign. Not only does these facilities impose concerning public health issues due to their long history of neglect filled in inhumane conditions and mental and sexual abuse. The opening of a processing facility will leave a long lasting impact to our communities. I call the city council to listen to your constituents. This is not something that reflect the Oklahoma City values that we have. We already are struggling with shortage of housing, food security, and I don't know if y'all seen the news, but I saw a lot of own house people on this storm that we just had. To add additional concerns to the community from where we are already experiencing, detention centers and processing centers are known to cause even more strains on our community's resources such as water, electricity, and an increase in rates in surrounding communities. With a school blocks away, I can only imagine the mental health impact that this will bring to childrens and their families who face family separation every day. A processing center does not bring any safety nor security to our community. We must do everything in our power and this includes you council members to ensure the safety of the Oklahoma and this means not opening an ICE facility here in Oklahoma City or anywhere. Thank you. You don't say Ari Mari Williams followed by Audrey Beasley. >> Good morning. My name is Mari Williams. I've lived in Oklahoma City for my entire life. And today I'm here to ask the members of Oklahoma City Council and city manager Craig Freeman to publish all correspondence from the city to the to the Department of Homeland Security and all relevant relevant parties regarding the proposed expansion of ICE in the proposed detention facility in Oklahoma City. put in place a moratorum on evictions so as not to put any of our most vulnerable community members in harm's way at a time when being housed can be the difference between life or death between family or separation and develop a publish develop and publish a plan with OKCPD to engage discretionary powers to limit jailing residents particularly with regard to criminalized survival traffic violations and drug use. Immediately end all contracts with Flock as their cameras and database are being used by ICE, which also cost taxpayers money. Draft and share a legal briefing with the public that outlines all legal pathways to disrupting the this detention center or others like it from being built here. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mari. Next, we have Audra Beasley followed by Max Beasley. I'd like to ask Max. >> Okay. Yes, we can switch that. Max followed by Audra. >> Um I just want to say thank you for putting the um changing table in. And um I think some people should be nice to people in wheelchairs. THANK YOU, MAX. I emailed y'all Sunday about this letter I received from uh the ADA coordinator. Did you get that? You know, I filed my ADA grievance six years ago, February 4th 2020. At the Southside Showdown, Oklahoma City Community College, they had an accommodation made. Matt, how do you explain that to your wife? She serves on the board of regents over there, doesn't she? How do you explain that to your wife while you're named in in complaint with the United States Department of Justice? It's called willful indifference to intentional harm. Intentional civil rights violations is what that is. I want you to look at the history there. How many ADA grievances did I file? Maps for kids put my family in that school down there for us to visit all these buildings. And look at how many of you of of you so boldly and blatantly challenged the civil rights of people. All of us. You You wanted to put homeless people in prison. Who told you to do that, man? Who told you all to be so stupid? Do you know how stupid you are? Where'd he go? Where's Senator Brooks? Did he leave? Y'all know he's named in a complaint with the United States Department of Justice. I I I recommend you all reference your oath of office and rule of law because you will be held accountable for intentional civil rights violations. Matt, that is intentional. and everyone that touches it. John Eckles, the governor. Look at all the people that are tied to that. Why a woman saw my son half naked at a paycom game, at a Thunder game with his peers. Hey, look at me. Are you someone telling YOU TO DO AND SAY REAL STUPID We're taking this complaint to the United States Department of Justice. And how many of you are named? Why have you sat silent? How do you explain that, man? In your own office building. Why' the city tell me they couldn't afford a table? How long has he been here? He has a cath every two and a half hours. His bladder is unhealthy, man. All these buildings, it is intentional civil rights violations and it's got folks in deep Where's Walke? Lori Walk, where's she at? You think her husband ever reported anything? She is he as a member of the representatives, the House of Representatives. When he report that, nobody liked me holding Greg Treat accountable. And then y'all lost your minds and you're all named in complaints. And how far are you going to let it go? Are your friends telling you to say and do real stupid Matt? I have no idea what you're talking about. >> I sent you an email Sunday >> 30 seconds >> and you play stupid. >> Did you get the email, Joe Beth? >> Yes, I did. >> You are stupid. >> It is in our inboxes. >> Audra Beasley YouTube. Go read that. And you ought to be removed from your seat because you have known about intentional intentional civil rights violations. That is called It's intentional civil rights violations with retaliation, harassment, and harm. Matt, hey, look at me. You all are so gross. You write one hell of a nasty history as these pages turn. And you want to laugh at me? We have a history of real stupid angry white men do. >> Audra, we're at the end of your time. If you can, >> you need to respond to me on that. You need to respond to me on that because you're named. Do you understand that? >> It's in our inboxes. We'll address it as time. >> IT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED FOR SIX YEARS. You're bullying him. YOU'RE BULLYING ALL OF US. THE OWN HOUSE IMMIGRANTS. >> We need Audrey, we need to move to the next next comment. >> He left because he's a stupid ass. >> Go look at my videos on YouTube. >> Next is Corey Scott. followed by Sandra Camus. >> Corey isn't going to speak. May I speak? My name is Melanie Fish. I'm with Oklahoma City. Miss, >> are you are you signed up to speak as well? >> Yes, ma'am. And I need to leave here. >> If you can if you can please go ahead and that will be followed by Sandra Casmus. Can you state your name again, please? My name is Melanie Fish and I'm with Oklahoma City Miss and Murdered Indigenous People. I am a Chalkaw descendant, a Muscogi Creek Nation tribal member, a woman of Oklahoma, and I am the president of Oklahoma City Miss and Murdered Indigenous People. I stand here today not just for myself, but for my ancestors, my community, and the generations still to come. Oklahoma is not just another state. It's original Indian territory. The name Oklahoma comes from Chalkaw language. Oklahoma meaning people and Homa meaning red. Oklahoma literally means red people. This land was meant to be a place of refuge after forest removal, broken treaties, and a trail of tears. So when we talk about building detainment centers here anywhere in Oklahoma, especially in Oklahoma City, we must be honest about what this represents. Detention, incarceration, and forced confinement are not abstract concepts to indigenous people. They are part of lived and inherited memory. Our ancestors are rounded up, imprisoned, and removed, including women and children through military for two me two military forts, camps, and later boarding schools. The trauma of that history did not end. It lives in our families today. And as an advocate for missing murdered indigenous people, I need you to understand indigenous women and children have been targeted since the beginning of colonization, since Christopher Columbus. This violence is not new. What is new is how openly it is being erased. Under the Trump administration, the Department of Justice addressing the missing and murdered indigenous people known as the Not One More Initiative was removed from federal websites, dismissed, and erased that stripped away visibility accountability and protection. When our data disappears, our people become easier to tain, easier to target, and easier to disappear. And now on our ancestral land, companies are being asked to profit by selling or leasing buildings in Oklahoma City for detainment or enforcement pro purposes. While indigenous women and children are still going missing. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> Let me be clear. We are here today to oppose any company that chooses profit over people. We are calling on this company to refuse to sell or rent any building in Oklahoma City for detainment or enforcement center. Doing so would make them complicit in a system that has already harmed indigenous families, immigrant families, marginalized families, and our communities and generations. We are also calling on our leaders, tribal leaders, chief, state leaders, and city leaders, including Kevin Stit and Mayor David Holt, to stand with the people, not the corporations that benefit from incarceration. Oklahoma means red people. This land carries memory. It carries responsibility and it demands better. Again, my name is Melanie Fish and on behalf of the Oklahoma City Miss and murdered indigenous people, I urge you not to bring this detainment center here. We are just now getting back. And again, he has erased us and we can't go backwards. >> That's what they want. >> Thank you, Melanie. Thank you. Next, Enra Camus, followed by Robert Brookke. Oh, I'm back. I'm Sandra Casimus again. It's good to be here. Um, I am sidetracked a little bit because I heard the I heard you on on being a long-term caregiver. That was my mother. 14 years of this. I encourage you to listen. She she needs to be listened to and heard and she's my neighbor, too. I'm actually here to talk about the the uh detention facility. And detention facility, as a student of words, um I have a problem with detention facility. That makes me think I'm in a waiting room. And that's not a waiting room. That's um a jail. Um so, I'm going to call it a jail. And we know about jails around here. Um, we were told that this site was a warehouse for logistics and commerce. Now, we find out through a last minute letter from the Department of Homeland Security that it is intended to warehouse human beings. This isn't just a zoning issue. It's a matter of community safety, transparency, and of course, human dignity. There are three critical reasons why this council must exhaust every legal and political avenue to stop this. Number one, safety and proximity. This facility is lo or jail. I promise to say this jail is located in a heavily populated area of South Oklahoma City just blocks away from Western Heights High School. We are talking about a massive 400,000q ft industrial warehouse being converted into a highsecurity detention center jail. This building was never designed for human habitation. It lacks necessary ventilation, sanitation, and safety infrastructure to hold up to 1,500 people. Number two, federal overreach. DHS is attempting to use the supremacy clause to ignore our local ordinances. They are trying to bypass the special use permit pro process that every other developer in this city has to follow. If we allow federal government to steamroll our local zoning laws, we are telling every resident in Oklahoma City that their voice doesn't matter when it comes to what happens in their own backyards. Number three, community impact. South Oklahoma City deserves investment and dignity, not to be a dumping ground for facilities that no other community wants. And it's always South Oklahoma City that gets it. This jail will place an undue burden on our local first responders, our hospitals, and our infrastructure, all while creating a climate of fear in a district that's nearly 60% Latino. We appreciate that the city has sent a letter to DHS and our congress congressional delegation. Letters aren't enough. And so with my remaining time, I will please plead with you, each one of you. I know some of you personally and I hope you'll do everything in your power and seize your power to make sure that this jail is not allowed here in our town. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sandra. Next is Robert Robert Brooke, followed by Adele Marie Ell. >> Before I get started, I want to commend you all. I've been to council meetings in other towns that that that definitely didn't conduct themselves in the professional manner that you have. And and I want to commend you for listening to these folks. So, I'm running for governor and um that's one of the reasons I'm here. Um what's your name? >> My name is Robert Brooks. I'm sorry. >> What's that? >> Um so, I'm running for governor and and and I wanted I want to bring something to light here and I want to give you guys an an out a way to fix this. And I I watched the exchange between Mr. Pennington and the municipal counselor and and that concerned me because basically what I got out of that from the the counselor's standpoint is well the the attorney general said this well that's just an opinion folks. The attorney's the attorney general's opinion is just an opinion. It's it's not it's not a a a a court decision. And if you follow the the the attorney general, he's been wrong a lot. So, I want to give I I want to I want to I've been out there. I've actually looked at this facility and it's like the lady that just came up here stated there that that was designed for industrial use. It wasn't designed to be housing people. So, so I want to ask you, you know, have what's the fire department's stance on this? Are they prepared to handle a mass casualty situation out there? Does anybody know? I suspect they're not because that's not what it's designed for. That's that's not what it's designed for. So, what are we going to do whenever we do have that type of a situation arise and we have 1500 people murdered? How are you going to handle that? Where who whose hands is the blood going to be on? So, this is my this is my suggestion to you instead of just listening to the attorney general because you also got to remember a county detention facility is much different than an ICE facility. So instead of just taking the attorney general's opinion and cowing down and bowing down to the federal government, stand up for these people's rights because that's what you're supposed to do. That's what you were elected to do. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> If you have to fight it all the way to the Supreme Court. Thanks for your time. >> Thank you, Robert. >> After Adele, we'll have Lauren Rogers. I invite you to look up because we respected your time, so you should respect ours. Thank you. My name is Adele Marie Leaks. I'm a senior at Oklahoma City University and I'm a student organizer. I'm here because I've been heartbroken watching what has unfolded in Minnesota, where ICE operations led to the murders of community members. Now that same terror has reached my community and my campus, students are scared and angry. The presence of ice near our dorms and in our neighborhood has disrupted daily life. The other day I was getting ice cream with my friend when we learned ICE was just blocks away. The walk home became a scan of every single car. Friends here on student visas are afraid to leave their homes and some are unsure if their families can safely attend their senior graduations. That level of hypervigilance should never be normal for young people trying to study, work, and imagine a future in this city. Times like these demand bold and compassionate leadership. The proposed ICE expansion would do real harm to Oklahoma City residents, and the statements from Mayor Holt and the OKCPD so far have offered zero actionable steps. When a resident asked what he could do to stop ICE, Mayor Hol replied online, "Well, we have no authority over the federal government, so there is no power to exercise." Many of his replies to his constituents have been similar in tone and content. That dismissive approach is troubling and I believe inaccurate. Political identities do not matter here. This transcends party. It requires every one of us, especially our leaders, to shed their egos and act from basic human empathy. I appreciate what the council has said here today, but talk is cheap. I encourage you to use every legal tool available to slow or stop construction and your contracts with surveillance firms that feed resident data to ICE. Obviously, they don't work that well because there were seven murders a few weekends ago. >> Direct Oklahoma City Police Department to reduce unnecessary arrests for low-level offenses so vulnerable people aren't pushed into federal custody. and explore temporary eviction protections so housing instability doesn't become a pipeline to detention and family separation. And yes, if you have to sue, then sue. >> I recognize the supremacy clause, but I also realize that other cities have used whatever tools they have at their disposal to get creative instead of just shrugging their shoulders. Mayor Hol is in Washington today presiding over the US Conference of Mayors. He has a national platform and I hope he is using it wisely. >> I'm asking this council to act with courage and with one unified voice. Protect the people in your jurisdiction. I know each of you has a heart and each of you has empathy. Make the federal government answer to the community it intends to disrupt. Thank you. >> Thank you. Adel Lauren Lauren Rogers followed by Amarani TZ Shamu. >> Good morning. My name is Lauren Rogers. I am a senior at Oklahoma City University, a proud former student of Councilman Cooper and the affforementioned friend with the ice cream. As someone speaking in front of the city council for the first time, forgive me if everything I'm about to say feels a little theater kid. I'm not an expert or activist by trade, so I don't exactly have the receipts that some of my fellow concerned citizens have brought today. I can only come with my heart. I thought a lot about what I, a 21-year-old musician with feelings, could possibly say to influence elected officials with long and wellressearched careers in politics. But then I realized how cruy ironic it is that I feel I should have to appeal to anything more than the evidence of our eyes and ears and our shared sense of decency. It shouldn't take a master's degree in political science to be able to say that we should not allow the harassment, kidnapping, and sometimes even murder of our fellow Americans. No, our fellow humans. Because if a lack of paperwork means that you care less about someone's safety and dignity, then I think we've ALL BEEN GOING ABOUT THIS BEING human thing entirely wrong. I'm aware that as we have all acknowledged numerous times, the supremacy clause of the Constitution makes it complicated for OKC to go against the federal government's wishes. But we have witnessed time and again ISIS's flagrant disregard for our Constitution's most basic principles. We should not be signing off on the oppression of the people who make Oklahoma City a vibrant, flourishing community in the name of taking some imaginary high road when this administration has committed itself to the depths of antihuman depravity. We have witnessed the same politicians who justify the countless school shootings that have taken place in this country in the name of our Second Amendment turn right around and justify the MURDER OF ALEX PREY SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WAS DOING EXACTLY WHAT THE SECOND Amendment was intended for in THE FIRST PLACE, PROTECTING HIMSELF AGAINST A TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENT. Laws do not, or at least should not, exist to give authoritarian regimes permission to oppress. They exist to serve the people. People you absolutely know if you live in a city like this. People who mix your coffee and hold the door for you on the bus and act in the play you saw last week and make food so delicious it changes your life. In my past four years at OKC, I have seen a city that wants to be part of a safer, brighter, and fairer future. And allowing this detention facility to exist can only take us back into the past. We are being tested. And I implore this council, just as Councilman Cooper did, to be brave and not allow the precious progress we have made in this city to be undone. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lauren. Amirani followed by Tamia Cox Termaya. Apologies. Good morning, council members. My name is Amirani Torres Chamu and I'm a resident of War 2. I'm here today as a community member deeply concerned about the plan for ICE to open a detention center here in Oklahoma City. I want to start with a fact that should alarm every single one of us. 2025 was the deadliest year in ICE custody. 32 people died while detained by ICE. Being in the United States without lawful status is not a crime. It is a civil violation. People end up in ICE custody for things like overstaying a visa or entering without inspection. Many are asylum seekers. Many are parents. Some are even children. Many have lived in our communities for years. And yet in ICE custody, people have died of seizures, heart failure, strokes, respiratory failure, and suicide. Some died inside detention centers and other died in hospitals still under ICE custody. In multiple cases, families and attorneys say that these deaths resulted from neglect from people begging for medical care and not receiving it. We cannot ignore what happens inside these facilities, unsanitary conditions, lack of due process, no guaranteed legal representation, isolation, and trauma. What's being proposed for our city is described as a fully operational facility, but that is far from reality. The processes are not in place. Oversight is not in place. And ISIS track record shows us exactly what happens when people are detained inside warehouses, inside industrial zones for clothes. Far from attorneys, far from community, and far from accountability, we have a responsibility today, not just legally, but morally, to acknowledge what this means for 1,500 human beings who could be held there and for their families and for the fabric of Oklahoma City. I urge you to consider the human cost, the documented negligence, and the pattern of preventable deaths. Our city should not be complicit in adding to a system that has already taken far too many lives. I urge you to use everything in your power to oppose the opening of a detention center in our community. Thank you. >> Thank you, Amarani. Next is Maya Cox. Tamaya Cox Té followed by Steve Hunt. Thank you for the opportunity. My name is Tamaya Cox Trey and I'm the executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma. We have been here in this community since 1964 and really here today to implore you to do everything in your power to ensure that this ice facility does not move forward. Since we learned of uh the possibility of this facility um in December, we learned not from our federal officials and not from the local officials. We were uh reported to by a Washington Post reporter who reached out to let us know this was happening. We have done everything in our power to find a legal way to ensure this does not happen. We understand and completely understand your position that um you feel your hands may be tied. We cannot accept that position at this time. We believe there are ways and meaningful ways that you can move forward to ensure that this facility does not happen. We are helpful and happy to work with you. But one of the things that we can do and we know is that ICS is here. ICE has been here and I is disappearing. Many of Oklahomaans, we were just recently alerted to um a person just Thursday who is here on asylum who is here has been kidnapped essentially and has been told he does have a court date for two more weeks. However, we also know the first is coming up and that means Ren is due. So while we are thinking about the things you can't do, we know there are things that you can do and that is including the moratorum on evictions for Oklahoma City residents who may be facing similar issues. And while we understand the supremacy clause, I think no one is better situated at um suing the government as the ACLU has been recently and has a past of, we recognize what the supremacy clause does do. We also know that this is government overreach at its worst point and we have a duty and irresponsibility to ensure that every measure that we take is addressing this. So yes, while the may currently have um an ordinance in place, we are encouraging to follow Kansas City and to ask for a moratorum on any facility like this. We have been in contact with folks in Kansas City. We are happy to connect you uh to them as well. But lastly, we are urging that you do everything in your power. Is it an easy step to put a moratorum in? Um but what we are seeing here and what is witnessing here right now is that the power of the people is the most important thing. And that is what we're hearing from your constituents right now that you have responsibility and a duty to do everything you can and we implore that at the very very least government accountability and transparency has to be a part of this process. So any and every decision and step that is made we are asking that the public be involved in that. Thank you >> Maya. Next is Hunt followed by Nicole McAfee. >> Steve Hunt 2825 Northwest 57th through citiz pelpeneisian war wrote the tyranny Athens imposed on others it finally imposed on itself. I read that again. The tyranny Athens imposed on others it finally imposed on itself. 2,450 years later in the Oklahoma December 12th, 2008, David Holt when he was working with George Bush wrote a very glowing essay on behalf of the war in Iraq. I'm going to everyone to see this. I think it's worth looking at. Um, this here has meant a lot to me for a long time. Two years before this, at the Unitarian Church down the road, I hosted my dear friend Anthony Shaded, may he rest in peace, who had spent a couple years in Iraq reporting on the war. And I'll never forget, he held up his hand and said, "My rolodex was like this when I got there. It's like this now for the people that have died." And I say this, and let me read what he wrote. Iraq might be a success after all. It appears now that the invasion of Iraq may in fact lead to a democratic society capable of providing alternatives to terrorism. Making that possible that president's decision to pursue an unpopular surge, a singular act of political courage. American forces now have a chance to depart Iraq under circumstances ra resembling victory rather than defeat. History will remember the conclusion of this saga. I shall remember. And what was written 2,450 years ago, the tyranny imposed, that is it. That is what's happening right now. The indefensible indifference to so many things that this man has been doing the last 15 years with his ashucks neoliberalism, the damn arena, the hotel motel tax, what was the other one? I'm I feel like what's his name from Texas right now? There been so the hotel motel tax, the arena, and another thing. There have been so many things on behalf of the 1% in this city. I had an apartment in the PO 400 bucks 15 years ago. It's 2,000 now. >> 15th in Lindsay when I ran for mayor against Mick Cornet. 600 bucks all bills paid. It's 3,200 now. >> I make the same money I did back then. Everyone pretty much makes the same money back then. And this vibrant copy and paste big league city wandering capital >> remaining that's happening right now. That is why this is happening. This is a symptom. Ice here is a symptom. And if everyone wants to be like the Sackler family and address symptoms and not diseases, do it. But this is not going to end well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Steve. Next is Paul McAfee followed by Tame Web. Hello, my name is Cole McAfee and I'm a W six homeowner and a full-time employee based in Oklahoma City as the executive director of Freedom Oklahoma. I'm here today because I believe my community and my commitment to justice is the result of a patchwork of the love of those who came before me and those I've been lucky enough to love in my lifetime. For instance, my great-grandfather, Brigadier General Ross Ruth, died before I was born. But based on a lifetime of stories, I'm pretty sure I would have largely befuddled him. And on days like today, I still think he could have looked past our differences and been proud at my refusal to be silent and my call for you to take action. You see, a career service member, Brigadier General Ruth, one of the defining roles of his lifetime was serving as the finance officer for the 45th Infantry Division out of Oklahoma during World War II. of his years fighting. He often told stories of having to dry out waterlogged cash to pay soldiers after landing on a beach in Italy. But he rarely talked of the moment that most affected him. You see, after the 45th Division joined in the liberation of the concentration camp at Dao as the finance officer, it fell to him to lead the effort to catalog the items of value the Nazis had taken from the community members they rounded up and executed or forced into slave labor. It wasn't money. It was safe after safe. Full of wedding rings, full of gold teeth, of lockets, of crucifixes and religious jewelry. Everything that people held dear. He counted for each item but couldn't begin to assess the value because we can't begin to assess the lives lost in taking that when we round up and disappear people. We cannot begin to account for the loss. I remember my first time going to the Dao concentration camp to see that history up close. I traveled through neighborhoods and wondered, "How could this have happened?" And I shouldn't have because that harm happens every day right here in our communities. As our neighbors are rounded up, as families are broken apart, as people lose their lives and folks in power like you say that your hands are tied. >> 30 seconds remain. >> That you can't do anything. But there are so many steps as a council you can take beyond strongly worded letters, beyond statements, beyond calls on congressmen. You can implement a moratorum on evictions. You can engage with the public and let us know every single legal pathway available to you because you have our support in pursuing those. You can end the collaboration with flock and you can do something besides sit in silence, besides make statements to ensure our neighbors are safe and that ICE is not in Oklahoma. >> Thank you. Next is Tain Web followed by Jackie Dobby. >> Good morning. My name is Tane Webb and I'm a resident of Ward One. I'm here because your recent statement suggested that your hands are tied and the most pressing issue is to preserve historic sites. I strongly disagree. Cities across the country have demonstrated that even when they may not ultimately be able to stop a federal ICE facility, they can demand public input, standards transparency and accountability. Here in Oklahoma, Durant passed an ordinance requiring local approval and a zoning review for the proposed detention facility. Their constituents will have a chance to weigh in. In Kansas City, the council imposed a moratorum and required a special use permit. That's not obstruction. That's responsible governance. I'm glad to hear that you're pursuing this option, but I would ask that you do so transparency transparently and provide us with more than one week to prepare. Chicago established ice-free zones around schools, libraries, and shelters because they recognize that their residents must be able to access essential services without fear. I understand that the proposed facility would be within walking distance of a couple of schools. Chicago also offers a warning. At the Broadway Broadview Ice facility, which was built originally as a short-term processing site, people were held for weeks. Federal courts described the conditions as quote inhumane and unconstitutional. The facility was filthy. There were clogged toilets. There were pests. There was no medical care. People were sleeping on the floor that was covered in urine and dirty water. They didn't have access to minstal products. And they didn't have access to legal counsel or faith leaders. Their findings also indicated that children were given about three cold sandwiches a day to survive. The court had to intervene through a restraining order to mandate basic hygiene and safety for human beings. That's what happens when there's no oversight and when there's no transparency and there's no accountability for these facilities. And there are real local consequences. Protests are inevitable. We've seen it everywhere. So, I'd like to know what guidance our law enforcement officers will receive and which of our legal rights that they will be expected to uphold. There will be e economic impacts as well. As it was said earlier, 73% of ICE detaininees have no criminal record. And we know that ICE works on quotas. People will be pulled out of our workforce and immigrant owned businesses in particular will suffer. ICE is already terrorizing our communities. The federal government government spends about $6,000 to each labor through the deportation process. It's an industry. Someone's going to profit from this. But the fiscal and economic co fiscal and societal costs will fall on us. My request to you this morning is that you do everything you can to stall or deny this detention center. If this moves forward, allow us a chance to provide public comment. Hold listening sessions in your wards. Establish clear expectations for health and sanitation and enforce them using our health department and other local agencies. Communicate which legal rights enforcement will be expected to uphold and which they will be asked to ignore. Establish ICE-free zones to protect our most vulnerable neighbors. Let me be clear. I do not want this facility in my community. But if you decide to not pursue a moratorum, I ask that you leverage your authority to include your constituents in this process. Demand accountability and protect the people that you serve. Thank you. >> Thank you, T. Next is uh Jackie Dobby followed by Katrina Ward. Good morning. My name is Jackie Dobby and I have lived in Oklahoma City since graduating college over 10 years ago. Um and I have lived in Oklahoma for most of actually all of my adult life. I wish I was as well prepared as some of the other people who have chosen to speak today. I urge you to take all of these brave comments into consideration. And while I have little new information or stories to add, I cannot in good conscience stay silent. There are some times when being in Oklahoma has made me extremely proud. The way we stand up after tragedies such as the Mura building uh bombing or numerous tornadoes shows the type of strength and compassion our citizen our citizens can rally to help each other when in need. But it is not often that tragedies are able to be wholly prevented. Today, you have the power and the authority to give us a new reason for pride in preemptive success rather than extraordinary reaction. Our own governor has expressed concern about the way that ICE has conducted operations in Minnesota. Let us use our voices to say no. We protect our own and we reject the notion that violence that we have witnessed elsewhere will make us safer here. We have seen that deescalation is not a priority for these agents. It is abject negligence for our for the safety of our communities for ICE to have any stronger foothold. I fear the trauma that could be so easily prevented. Um, please find your bravery and will to fight with any method possible as the people here have bravely lent their voices to support their neighbors and understand that in the failure to do that, the communities will stand up instead. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jackie. Katrina Ward, >> followed by Pat Reeves. >> Hello. >> Sorry. >> Don't roll your eyes, Jason. Please >> go ahead, Katrina. >> Good to go. Okay. Uh, hello. My name is Katrina Ward. I live in Ward 6. Um, you all have seen me here before. I am a PhD candidate studying criminal justice and urban governance uh at the University of Kentucky, but I've lived in Oklahoma for the last 10 years and I am writing my dissertation about Oklahoma incidentally. Um I hope you feel really honored to be a part of this body today and to have so many people trust you to come and tell you how they're feeling about an issue like this. This is democracy in action. Um, I want to come at this as an educator. Um, as I know some of our body is also, there are 14 colleges and universities in the Oklahoma City metro area. I have plenty of colleagues. Um, at least half of the people I work with are not originally from the United States and they're here on educational visas. They are worried uh moving up flights, trying to figure out legal pathways to get out of the country, trying to figure out how to avoid being detained. They are the most brilliant people I've ever encountered, way smarter than me, um and are here trying to make this country and this world better. One of my best friends is an elementary school teacher in Chicago, and she has had to work with parents to make plans for what happens when ice comes. and tries to take away her elementary school age children. Obviously, uh that should not be happening. Um there are plenty of things that I could say uh and plenty of things that have been said about how immoral this is. Um, and I just want to reiterate >> uh that while Oklahoma City Police Department and the city have made it very clear that they do not ask about immigration status uh and will provide services to anyone uh not dependent on immigration status. That doesn't really matter when we use things like Flock that track people and are tapped into government databases. There have been countless episodes of uh ICE using Flock to track people to monitor people's uh suspicious driving patterns which just includes driving around border areas. Um these things are really concerning. There are steps that you can take immediately and Mr. Pennington has asked about what we can do. You can very easily end your contract with Flock. You can develop and publish a plan with Oklahoma City Police Department. Be more transparent uh about trying to limit the number of arrests, trying to keep people out of the jail and out of ICE detention. You can do a moratorium on evictions. Um and you can publish the legal memo that you are writing so we know what the legal pathways are. Thank you. Next, we have Pat Reeves, followed by Namlu. >> Good morning. I'm Pat Reeves. Uh, I'm a 30-year resident of W 7. Thank you, Councilman Pendleton. Um, and I'm a 50-year resident of Oklahoma City, so I've got a few years on a lot of folks in here. Um, I was here when the Mura Building was bombed. I was at work 12 miles away and we ran out of the building to see what happened. I know what domestic terrorism looks like and I know what it does. I have a whole little speech here that I was going to do, but I'm going to skip most of that because uh folks have said it before me and said it well. Um I do want to talk about our will to action though. I think that regardless of how hopeless it is, and I've been uh an activist in um the feminist and the GBT movement for 50 years, so I know about hopeless, okay? I know about hard. No matter how hopeless it is, we have to act. We have to stop this kind of inhumity in our community. All right. Um, another thing I am that maybe not too many folks are in here are or willing to say is that I'm a boomer, a baby boomer, right? We grew up in the shadow of World War II. The question we were asked, the question we asked ourselves is what would we do if it happened here? So for that little girl in those classes, I'm going to stand up and shout every time I can. It cannot happen here. It will not happen here. not with my permission. So, I cannot and will not acquies. And you can uh bet that as uh Reverend Walk promised, uh we'll be out there doing what we can. We need you to speak up and do what you can. Thank you. >> Next up is Mom Lou. Hello, OKC council members. Uh, my name is Naml Louu. I'm a master student studying microbiology at OU and I've lived at 1214 Northwest 28th Street in the Asian business district my entire life. Um, I'm here today to speak for my community members who are too scared to speak up and those who have already accepted complacency um, in return for safety. Uh, I strongly urge you to stop the construction of this ice ice processing facility on 2,800 South Council Road in any way possible. People have been repeating many uh possible avenues. I agree with them. I, many of my friends and neighbors um are deeply unsettled by the capitulation to federal demands that the state has followed, and this is no exception. It's taken two white cis people uh being killed for our state governor to finally speak up and recognize something's going wrong. But this has been going on for so much longer. There have been multiple reports of human rights abuses happening in these facilities, medical neglect, tainted food, sexual assault by officers, and so much more. They detained a five and threeyear-old at uh and sent them to these places. These places should not exist at all. Uh we had an unmarked federal agent raid close to my home that frightened many of our neighbors. I'm glad to know in my local community that we had people keeping an eye out for um local businesses and uh households, but fear still lingers. My father, who is a naturalized citizen, even now considers he's not home here, um nor the country he fled from. I will call this proposed facility for what it actually is. It's a concentration camp. Yes. >> Um, a concentration camp is a prison or facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, including myself, um, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups on the grounds of national security for the exploitation and/or punishment. The goals of the current federal administration, immigrations, and custom enforcement, and to some extent, some local and state officials closely mirror what has happened in history before. The officer that killed Lick Vuing walks free because the state attorney general permitted it. My family has had experience with these concentration camps after the Vietnam War where my grandpa was taken in as a political prisoner because he fought with the US. I will tell you now, it's not an experience I wish on any of you. We literally carry that trauma epigenetically and culturally. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> My family wants to survive so they can ply and remain uh numb, but I say no. If we allow this um why not install a flot camera in every uh home? Why not hook up some trains to this facility and move people more efficiently? Why not install some ovens to burn contraband carcasses? And why not also detaineees? This city's really pretty. I like to stay here. Let's not stain the city's reputation for um a quick buck. Um thank you. >> Thanks, Pam. I want to pause really just for a minute um and first of all thank everyone who's spoken so far and for the patience of everyone who's signed up. I recognize that we might be losing some people due to other commitments throughout the day but also I recognize that we all exist in bodies. My body in particular needs to use the restroom. Um, so I'm going to ask that we take a seven minute recess. Um, so we can get up, stretch, go to the bathroom, whatever you need, and we will return to public comment at that time. Thank you. unfortunate. We're trying. >> Thanks again. >> Thank you. >> Really appreciate it. >> Appreciate it. >> I I'll let Marty know. I I talked to you. >> He might not recognize me. I was kind of a Baptist boy back then. >> Fair. I think he knows he knew a few of those. >> Okay. I think we have quorum available if we can all find our seats again. Councilman Cooper, I'm looking at you. Councilman Cooper, I'm looking at you. Yeah. >> Um, I am going to call this back to order and, um, I'm going to loop back to a few of the folks that were called earlier that weren't in the room so we can try to catch them. Um, so we're going to resume the meeting. Wait. Uh, oh, we might be losing quorum. >> Well, forum. >> One, two, three, four, five, six. Okay, we're going to resume. Um, I'm going to loop back to some of the folks that I called earlier that weren't in the room. So, I'm going to start with Ronnie Kirk. Who? Wait. Oh, you're going to your seat. Okay. Thought you were walking out of the room. Um, Ronnie Kirk followed by Miranda Lreie. First of all, I want to say thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak. My name is Ronnie Kirk. My address is 2328 North Missouri. Oklahoma's problems really started four years ago when they implemented the new gun laws, the open carry where everybody could carry their guns. When they implemented marijuana, you know, marijuana is an enhancement, but that ain't what I come here to talk about today. on Martin Luther King Day. You know that Friday they had a killing on 23rd in Santa Fe. Sunday two brothers got into it over playing a video game. We had two marches, one downtown and one on the northeast community. On that day, Saturday, there was no killers, no robbery, no crimes that Saturday. And what I want to talk about now, a media five, four, and nine. The only time you hear about something on the east side is when it's bad. We had all the vendors that come up on 23rd and Martin Luther King fed the kids free. All of them all day. No incidents at all. So, our media need to at least come once a month to all the different neighborhoods and say something good about them instead of waiting that there's a killer and you see them every day. I want say thank y'all. So, our media need to come together and do some good things for the community other than telling all about the bad stuff at least once a month. come to our community, everybody else's community. I want to say thank y'all this morning. >> Ronnie, thank you, Ronnie. Next, we have Miranda Le Prey. Miranda Prey or Danny Ugalde. Okay, I'm still holding them just in case. But next is Amy War followed by Addison Crowder. Hello. Thank you. Hes Estango. Amy Warren. Gio Chief Gdos. That is Msogi for hello. How are you? My name is Amy Warren. I'm a resident of W 8. To Mayor Holt, a proud Osage, you made national news last night regarding a proposed ICE facility. People are watching. ICE is not only murdering American citizens, but they are rounding up native peoples. People who have been here since before colonization. and a home to 39 sovereign native nations. We can and must find a solution that and that solution must be no ICE in Oklahoma. to council person council person Pennington. Thank you for asking questions today regarding the status update from the US Department of Homeland Security and for confirming your position on supporting a resolution. To Council person Avers whose ward the proposed ICE facility should not reside in, this is your backyard. There is not only concern about the proximity of this facility to residents, businesses, and schools with a high Latino population. There are real environmental concerns with the proximity of the facility uh and landfill and the physical building being an old tire warehouse. We should be asking questions about the physical and environmental safety of these human lives and demanding answers. To council person Cooper and Vice Mayor Hammond Meadow, thank you for continually uplifting community needs and concerns and for speaking up when it could be easier to stay silent. and a council person stonecipher the ward in which I reside. You consistently vote against the best interests of the community. From public health issues such as voting against a mask mandate in the height of COVID to wanting to criminalize our unhoused community to wanting to avert community benefits agreements with the new Thunder Arena to most recently banning the funding of future bike lanes. I implore you to please look deep within yourself and make good choices. While we know the names of the two white folks who had their lives stolen from them at the hands of ICE, seven more people of color have been executed this year alone. It's January and to Mayor Holt, members of the Oklahoma City Council, and manager Craig uh city manager Craig Freeman, I ask that you publish all correspondents from the city of uh to the Department of Homeland Security and all relevant parties regarding the proposed expansion of ICE and the proposed detention facility in Oklahoma City. put in place a a moratorum on evictions so as not to put any of our most vulnerable community members in harm's way at a time when being housed could be the difference between life or death between family or separation. Immediately end all contracts with flock as their cameras and databases are being used by ICE meadow all my relations. >> Thank you Amy. Next is Addison Crowder, followed by Aurelius Francisco. >> Good morning. Um, my name is Addison Crowder. I used I grew up and was actually born and raised in your ward, uh, James and I, sorry, I don't know if I'm quiet enough here. Um, essentially I work I don't live in W 2 anymore. I I live in Edmund. I uh now work in W 6. Um, and I am a US Air Force veteran. I am privileged to be here. I have a I have a the proximity to whiteness. I am white. Um, and I have a friend that I'm actually here to speak on behalf of who is actually too afraid to even give me full sentences to even say. And she is a US citizen. Um, I have taught her kids at a Catholic school. I have um been her friend. She's been my friend way more. There are a number of people that I go and help on a regular basis um in um multiple wards at this point. Um handing out food to people. Me and my friends, we go out. We don't have a group. We are the group. We are friends and we go out and we hand out food because we have privilege to do so. Um, I'm not going to say these numbers um to put any um I don't I don't want to claim any clout with this, but I want to put it into perspective of things that you can do and things that y'all can do. Um, when I was at the Catholic school, working at the Catholic school teaching robotics and doing it, I was about 35k a year. I was able to put forward about uh I think it was 1,200 last I looked. Um this was up till about last year about six six seven months ago and um I was able to put that amount of money towards helping people just mutual aid stuff. Okay. And that was with a very small salary. I don't know what y'all make. I imagine it's probably not what I make. Um I recently when running from the Catholic school because I figured out I was trans. Um found a new new home at um a tech school where I now uh secure your children's databases. your friends databases that hold their students information and um many of which who I would imagine would be targeted uh by a nice facility. Um here I'm going to wrap this up real fast and there's not enough time. Um you can do things there has in the seven months I have been able to put more money that no one told me to do. Y'all, if you have any ability, even if it's to delay something, even if it is to >> seconds remaining, >> even if it is to make it harder after an a facility has been established, if you can do something to weaken that so that we can come in and do a labor strike, so that we can feed people so that they can labor strike, do it. Find something to do. I've already been finding something to do. I haven't even had good recommendations to do, but I can do this. You can, too. Thank you. Thank you Addison. Next is Aurelius Francisco, followed by Melody Gardo. >> Hello. Good morning, council. Aurelius Francisco, uh, executive director, foundation for liberating minds, one of the organizers with home base. So, I want to reiterate the demands that have already been, uh, put to you all around the things that you can do around putting a pause to evictions. uh ending contracts with Flock Camera uh and transparently releasing legal memo and all other legal avenues that you can take to slow or stop uh this ICE facility from coming uh to Oklahoma City. I want to say very clearly that immigrants are welcome here. Immigrants have always been here. Immigrants will continue to exist here and they should uh they are members of our community. They are our loved ones. They are our neighbors, right? And so no other reason other than they are human beings should we oppose this facility. Caging any human being immigrant or not is wrong. This ICE facility is a jail. It's a part of home base. We've been running a campaign called no new jails where we're fighting against the jail fight at Oklahoma County. This is a jail that is now under your purview in Oklahoma City. So very clearly and very easily we want to say that we oppose all jails including this ICE facility as someone else uh mentioned. It says in a a processing facility it is a detention facility it is a jail and caging human beings is inhumane inherently. I also want to say very briefly that 10 years from now the world will look differently right uh every moment that is passing these three minutes are history. They are part of the historical record. You all are history makers. You get to decide 10 years from now when we look back and our children and our children's children ask us how did that happen? How did we allow a 5-year-old to be taken from their mother and their father crying and deported back? How did we allow residents, American citizens, black people, brown people to be killed in the street in broad daylight by people who are sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sworn to protect and serve us who allowed this to happen and I would think that Mark Stonecipher, Kamal Pennington, Matt Hinkle, Amy Simpson, Joe Beth Hammond, Jason Fairbust, you don't got a name plate, but I know who you are. Kenny Jordan, Todd Stone, Katrina Avis, James Cooper, Bradley Carter. I would hope that you would want to be able to say that I did everything in my power to stop authoritarianism in our country. I don't use authoritarianism uh lightly, right? Like I I want to specifically define it uh in the last 30 seconds. Thank you, city clerk. Um authoritarians do six things. They direct investigations against their critics. They give license to lawb breaking. Think January 6 pardons. They retaliate regulatory. So, think about the condensing of uh federal administrations particularly disproportionately impacting and firing uh people of color. They deploy military domestically. Think DC, Portland, National Guard in our cities. Number five, federal law enforcement overreach. That's what we're talking about here, right? the federal law enforcement coming in and overreaching upon local uh regulations and enforcement. And six, the autocrat won't leave, which is what this Republican administration has promised. So, we don't use words like tyranny and authoritarianism lightly. That is what is happening. So, again, you all as history makers get to decide what side of history you want to be on. We're watching. >> Thank you, Ariel. Melody Melody Garno Melody Garno followed by Sam Morgan Grimmaldo. Not seeing Melody, so I'm going to hold on to this. Sam, if you want to come on up. Allison Riley will be following Sam. >> Good afternoon, council. Thank you all for being here, for your continued attendance, especially in light of the fact that certain significant members of the body aren't here today. My name is Sam Wargan Grimmaldo. I'm a lifelong resident of W 6. Uh well, I guess aside from the time when it was W 4 where I lived. I'm also an attorney here in Oklahoma City. And lately, a large um part of my practice has been defending people who are in the situations and detained in facilities like the one proposed in Ward 3. And I wanted to speak to that because I believe that is informative to you all of what has the potential to exist within our community. And and I would echo all the calls to to action, to flex every muscle in your ability to to leverage every connection you have with realtors, with the real estate community, with the development community to make sure that this doesn't happen. Because if you don't, what you are essentially doing is taking part in a system that is designed in a way to leverage the full power and might of the federal government against human beings. So I represent people in what are called habius corpus actions and I know that the lawyers on the on the council will be familiar with this but this is essentially when someone is challenging their unlawful detention at the hands of the government. And so these people um and they are undocumented immigrants but and they entered here in the United States without inspection and previously they had the ability and the qualification for a discretionary bond if they're to be detained by the US government. Since July of last year, the US government has removed that and they said that there's no jurisdiction for an immigration judge to be able to grant a bond to these people, which means they are forcibly detained in these detention centers without any hope of being able to be released. Whereas for decades prior to that, they had that possibility. And I say that because they are they are using this detention system as a way to force people to make decisions that are against their best interest, to give up their fight to stay in this country. These are people who have lived here for 20 plus years. I'm thinking of two specific clients of mine. One entered in 1999, one entered in 2001. And I'll note that both of those dates are before the formation of the Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Custom Enforcement. So, they've been here longer than those entities have existed. And yet, their rights are being trampled on by our federal government. They're being forced into these detention centers to make decisions again against their best interest because they see no way out. And so if the federal government is using the full might and every tool in their bo in their toolbox to force these people to to do what they want, >> then we as a community should be doing that. And we call upon our city council members to do that, to use every tool. And a lot of these are legal legally questionable. And so I appreciate Kamal Pennington's clarification questions on what can legally be done. But I implore you to get creative, to look beyond that, what you're illegally authorized to do and what are ways that we can put wrenches in the cogs of the federal immigration machine that is torturing our fellow residents of Oklahoma City. Thank you. Um, next up is Allison Riley, followed by London Moffett. >> Hi. Um, I'm Allison Riley. I am 30 years old and I've been an Oklahoma resident for the past 30 years. Um, I am here to show you. It's probably not the easiest thing to see from over here, but it's quite simple because it is a kid's drawing. Um, you see the lines, striations. Um, this is a 5-year-old in jail right now who's served almost 20% of her life in jail with her four other siblings and her mother. in the Dilly facility in Texas. Our facility will be probably transferring our Oklahoma neighbors to this facility. I uh I implore you that I don't care how much your hands are tied, feel tied, you have to fight this with every resource in your being. your being from the court system until we win or standing with us in protest if you lose. Uh I live off of 104th in May. So sorry Mount Ward. Uh Matt from W 5, you are my council member. And uh I know that ICE will still be a medicine prem uh presence in our ward uh because of the international food market because they racially profile and they will not give a crap about who or who they target. My best friend, uh I hope he doesn't mind me talking about him. I won't bring up too many details, but uh I've known him for 25 of the 30 years that I've lived on this planet. And uh I know for a fact that he might be targeted because of the color of his skin. And I don't want to imagine what's going to happen to his parents because they are naturalized citizens. And with these efforts that are happening, uh, it's not going to just stop at, uh, illegal immigrants. And no one is illegal on stolen land, by the way. I got lucky. I am a white person who had ancestors who had to work for 6 months on this in this country and they automatically got citizenship. Meanwhile, I know people that have been waiting for 5 years, 10 years, 15 years of their life and they still don't have it. 30 seconds remaining. Um, we need to abolish ICE. >> I know that for a fact. Sorry for cursing. But in the interim, I really need you guys to do everything possible. Everything to make sure they don't get here. Well, they're already here, but they don't need to be further here. I just kissed. I don't know. Thank you, Allison. Next is London London Moffett, followed by Jonathan Gra. Good morning, everyone. My name is London Moffett. Um, this is my first city council meeting, as I'm sure it is for a lot of people here today. Um, but we are what we do as it counts. So, I'm here as a concerned citizen because Friday, I was already upset about everything going on in this country. I cried. The next day, the first thing I did when I woke up was see a man get shot to death on my screen. And I feel very afraid and powerless. That's the most important part is feeling powerless. And this is a part of us taking our power back. My mom often preaches integrity to me. We which is what we do when no one is looking or when we think we don't have to face the consequences. So, I want to thank everyone here for speaking for inte with with their integrity and bravery while pointing out how ICE has continued to show their lack of it. Maybe instead of the government focusing on another detention center, they should focus on upholding our Constitution, which is the foundation of our nation. The consequence of not doing this is causing further division and chaos. What has happened to the Oklahoma standard? What is that going to mean for our standard? Maybe the federal government can ignore the will of the people, but you don't have to. We're sick of being ignored and it's clear that ICE has ignored ignited a fire in many of our hearts. And if this council decides to not listen to us, then you're not listening to if you don't listen and fight for us. Not only do we have our eyes on you, but also history does. We refuse to roll over and give up, but will you? Especially for the people who put you in these seats right now. It may be the first of my city council meetings, but it won't be the last. and unlike and realize your constituents unlike ICE don't have to show up in masks like cowards. We are what we do and it counts. That's all I have to say. Thank you London Jonathan Gra followed by Amy Lei. >> Jonathan has already left. >> Please, please go ahead. Come on up. After Amy will be Regina Collah. Thank you. My name is Amy Lee. I'm an author and a publisher. Um, I stand before you not just as a resident, but as a Vietnamese immigrant, someone whose life was shaped by a long and painful journey from fear to hope. When I was a child, I came here when I was 5 years old. My family became part of the Vietnamese boat people, refugees who fled a war torn homeland. Not because we wanted to leave everything behind, but because we had no choice if we wanted to live. We braved overcrowded uh boats, storms at sea, and the constant threat of danger. All for the simple hope of safety and a chance for a future. We were welcomed here by families, by church groups, by neighbors who saw our fear and responded with compassion. They saw us not as others, but as people with stories, with tears, and with dreams. That welcome changed my life. It helped me grow up with safety, go to school without fear, and build a life rooted in community work and contributions. But I've never forgotten the fear of uncertainty, the crushing anxiety of not knowing if I would be taken away or whether or where I would be sent next. Today, you are considering a proposal that would place a processing and holding facility for immigrants here in our city. And according to the reports, the federal government is seeking to convert a large warehouse on South Council Road into an ICE processing center where people would be held temporarily by federal immigrant authorities. Let me be clear. I know this is complicated. I understand public safety, legal constraints, and federal authority, but I also know that this place became a symbol of fear for families who had already known too much of it. I've seen what detention centers do to people, and we're caught up in a system without bail, without timely hearings, and without clear paths to justice or dignity. This isn't just policy on paper. is actually human lives. And this isn't about politics. This is about humanity. When families are torn, when children are left without parents for months on end, when people are cut off from their support system, that pain echoes, >> not just in the lives directly affected, but throughout our entire community, and not just today or tomorrow, but for generations to come. And I know I'm on time and I have a lot more to say, but I just please urge you to listen to the people and do everything you can to make this place safe for us. Thank you. >> Thank you, Amy. Regina Collah, followed by Stephanie Terzus. Hi, my name is Regina Collah from Ward One and um I am opposed to the ice facility. I'm a mom of six, three of which are registered voters. So, this is now our problem. Okay? So, it's here. The fight has come to our door. There is no way out. Only through. It is now my problem. Uh my fellow Oklahomaman who are here are here because they understand this is their problem. And I want to say as respectfully as I can, this is now your problem because you live here as a resident. Um, this group is here for the long This group is here for the long haul. Do we as Okeis care less than the people of Minneapolis? History says no. When the pressure is on, Okeis show up. So, picture continuous protests at this location at the location where the ICE facility is planned. Um, I Googled, "Do people protest at ICE facilities?" And here's what AI says. Yes, people frequently protest at ICE uh facilities across the US. Demonstrations often occur at field offices, detention centers, and federal buildings to protest immigration policies, detention conditions, and enforcement tactics. These protests sometimes involve large peaceful rallies, while others have involved clashes with federal agents. Um the protests have been documented at various sites. Uh activities range from peaceful protests and marches to blocking access to facilities. Demands. Protesters often demand the abolition of detention centers, the release of detainees, and the cessation of raids. So, looking at Minneapolis, Minneapolis, this is not a partisan issue. Everyone showed up. It's a mess and it will only be getting messier. You're here because you care about people. Um, you care about our city and you have the g the guts to stand up and lead. So, um, I'm challenging you to continue to be bold, to brave, to be brave, and leverage your power to oppose the ICE facility. Use every tool available to you. So, I'm a reader, so here's my wrap-up from JRR Tolken. I wish it need not have happened in my time, said Fern. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> So do I, said Gandalf. And so do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. Thanks. >> Thank you, Regina. Stephanie Terz's followed by Ashley. Stephanie Terzus, followed by Ashley Creed. Hello, my name is Stephanie Terasas and I probably will say a lot of things that might sound redundant by now. Um, but I think it's still really important for me to share my voice today. Sorry, a little anxious. Um, I am here today to urge you all um to not allow ICE to utilize the warehouse as a detention facility. Um, I am a resident of Ward 4 and I understand that this building is not within my ward. However, this is something that impacts Oklahoma City as a whole. We have seen the chaos and the harm and the death that ICE brings to our communities. This is a safety issue that goes beyond the fact that this warehouse was built for packages and not humans. It goes against our community values. The current administration's party often claims to prioritize state rights and prioritize reducing federal regulation. And yet, in this instance, this is a direct contradiction to that stance. I ask that the city council take the necessary steps to prevent the addition of ICE facilities in Oklahoma City, including taking DHS to court if necessary. Please, Councilman Todd Stone, I ask that you be brave just like your um fellow Councilman James Cooper said and represent your your residents and preventing this from happening and using all the tools available to prevent this from happening. I ask that of all of you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next is Ashley Creed. Ashley Creed followed by Reagan Briggs. Ashley. Yes. Hey, I'm Ashley Creed. Um, I'm a co-founder of Frederick Collective. Um, but I first wanted to say thank you to Council Member Cooper and Pennington for um just speaking up and uh being very clear on your stance on this and ICE in general. Um, so I'm here to speak against the proposed use of a facility for an ICE detention center in Oklahoma City. As we have seen in Minneapolis and beyond, ICE does not make our community safer. Their actions actually make us less safe and as we all know are deadly in many cases. It is imperative that we do not open the door further to the harm and terror that ICE creates. I ask you to push push back as much as possible against the creation of this detention center and any future expansion of ICE operations in Oklahoma City, as well as to do what you can to repair the harm that has already been done to our immigrant neighbors that all deserve to live full, healthy, and happy lives. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ashley. Reagan Reagan Briggs. Reagan Briggs followed by Taylor Bean. Not seeing any movement. Reagan going once. Okay. Taylor. Taylor Bean. Okay. After Taylor will be Nicholas Harnesses. Hi, my name is Taylor Bean. Um, I live and work in Ward 6. Um, I actually had to get my shift covered to be here today. Um, so, um, I sorry, bear with me. I'm a little nervous as well. Um, before, um, moving to Oklahoma City, I was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. And um I am not sure if anyone knows this, but there is a detention center in Norman, Oklahoma as well. Um, it's not an ICE detention center, but it is a detention center um that houses children. Um, it's called the Children's Recovery Center, or at least it used to be called that. Um, and they hold children as as young as 5 years old as well. Um, in the first 6 months of 2008, I spent there as well. Um, at the age of 12, and I I will never forget the screams of the 5-year-olds. Um, and those facilities aren't even as bad as the one being proposed right around the corner. Um, I I just implore you all to do everything in in your capacity to stop this. Um, it's inhumane. It's not okay. As so many people have said before, um, this isn't new. This has been happening. We've been um detaining black and brown indigenous people, children, um dis disabled people um for centuries and uh it needs to stop. We can't let this happen anymore. Um thank you. >> Thank you, Taylor. Let's harness followed by Brady Harold. Are y'all uncomfortable yet? My name is Nicholas Heares. I'm a resident of Ward 2. Um, born and raised in Oklahoma. We do love our sports, don't we? Today I'm going to talk about blood sport. Hinrich Hine wrote, "Christianity has to a certain point soothed the brutal martial spirit of the Germans, but that spirit is not destroyed. When the cross, the talisman that kept it in chains shall be broken, the ferocity of ancient combatants shall revive, and the frenzied exaltation will again take possession of the Germans. The Holocaust happened after this statement. Council members may find this irrelevant, but I assure you it is not. I make reference to Nazi Germany because for some reason it seems white America has a collective amnesia as to what has transpired here in this land to black, brown, and indigenous bodies during the Tulsa race massacre to Japanese Americans during the Second World War in those camps we built and constructed. The brutal Marshall spirit Hine speaks of is alive in our streets today and in the form of ICE who has killed without impunity or punishment causing irreparable damage to communities and families in trauma that echoes the perversions and atrocities committed by Hitler's SS in the camps told horrors occurred. The obstruction, the lack of transparency and reporting allowed in ICE detention centers and the abuse and the disappearance of persons behind those walls should disgust you. Silence and ignorance you might find comforting to not have known absolving you of your responsibilities not only as an appendage of this state but as individual humans. What is your duty to your fellow man and to the people of Oklahoma? What is your duty to the brown indigenous bodies of this state who have been apprehended by ICE elsewhere purely by the color of their skin? Have they not suffered enough? Is this body so castrated it cannot fight tooth and nail to protect the people of this city? 30 seconds remaining. >> From the certain unrest and devastation, an open invitation to ice, the modern slave catchers and Gestapo of our time will bring to our streets. Are you, Pontius Pilate, washing your hands clean when you could have stalled the execution of Christ? Or are you in the crowd shouting, "Crucify them!" Whose blood will be on your hands? Maybe it will be mine. For I cannot stand idly by and watch the pursuit of life and liberty die. I close with this question. Are you your brother's keeper or the accomplice of his murderer? >> Thank you, Nicholas. Next is Brady Harold. Brady Harold. Uh, followed by Carla Fininnel. >> Hello. Thank you, city council. I want to start big and get smaller as I go along. Oklahoma has 245,500 immigrant residents. Last year in 2025, Oklahoma became the fifth ranked fifth in US in the United States's most immigrants per capita apprehensions behind Texas, Virginia, Washington DC, Florida, Arizona, and then US. Over that time, ICE agents in the state of Oklahoma arrested 3,400 uh 3,469 immigrants. That is an increase of nearly 200% from the previous year. In 2024, it was just 1,561, which was also a significant increase from 2023, which was just 480. These apprehensions are going to escalate as they have in other places such as Minnesota. The irresponsible hiring practices of immigration custom enforcement have not led to a more safe and more peaceful city street in our fellow states. We should not allow Oklahoma City to become a facilitator of such practices. We should not allow any ICE facility, training or detention center to be opened up on our streets. It is going to increase the potential dangers that every citizen and every person in the Oklahoma City area could face. I personally would like to think of myself as quite a significant peace activist. Violence has never been a solution that I have found to be quite compelling and I hope that our members of the council agree with me. Peace needs to be at the forefront of our efforts to resolve any conflicts with the federal government in this way. Immigrations Customs Enforcement should not be bringing violence to Oklahoma City or any other place in Oklahoma. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> Thank you. I would encourage everyone here to think about the powers that we have, the resources that we have, the people in our streets who are here to keep us safe, who are here to protect us and encourage them to do so by enforcing our way, our laws the correct way. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Brady. Next is Carla Finnel, followed by Solless Evans. City Councilman, my name is Carla Fenel. I'm a resident of Ward Six. Um, first I want to thank you for your attention. This hearing has lasted almost five hours, so I commend you for your attention. I'm trained in law. I'm a social scientist. Um I think my fellow residents have done an extraordinary job articulating the concerns about this uh about ICE in the proposed facility. So I'm not going to repeat those concerns and the interest of being brief. So in notwithstanding the supremacy clause, our local government has an obligation to protect the public health and safety of its residents. Across the nation, there are lawsuits pending trying to define the tensions between the supremacy clause and the obligations to state and local government. I urge you to join in those lawsuits. I urge you to take whatever action is necessary to oppose this facility. It may be expensive. It may require litigation, but these are extraordinary times. And finally, I'd like to conclude with the impact of not taking action. Not taking action says to our citizens, you don't care. Not taking action means that you are becoming part of the oppression. not take or taking action has symbolic meaning. These this oppression compromises all of our mental health. The moral disongruence this causes is equivalent to public PTSD. But with your actions, we can all feel a little calmer, a little safer. I urge you 30 seconds to do everything in your power. Thank you. >> Thank you, Carla. >> Solus Solace Evans, followed by Adam Lock. Hello, my name is Solace Evans. I am a resident of W 2. Um, I'm a disabled veteran and I'm the director of community at Freedom Oklahoma. Uh, I'm here today to uplift all the other demands that you have all already heard. I'd also like to say that this is my first city council meeting since moving to Oklahoma City. Uh it's crazy to me that y'all have it at 8:30 in the morning. This not an accessible time at all. Um and so I want to uplift all the voices of people who couldn't also be here. Um I have my masters in human development and family science. I wrote my thesis on Trump's zero tolerance policy and the 5,000 children that were separated from their families because of that. I want you all to take a second and remember those foil blankets that I know we all had images of of children in cages cuz that's what's going to be happening here in Oklahoma City. And that's all going to be on your hands. Kids sleeping on floors that aren't made to be slept on in an industrial warehouse without proper ventilation. I'm sure none of you have been to jail, but it's not fun and it's not safe. And to live and to sleep on those floors is a condition that I would hope nobody would have to be put into. But to imagine that kids are going to have to have that happen to them. And we're going to be living with 5,000 kids plus that have PTSD just because people didn't want to do their jobs. Um, so I want you to really think about those foil blankets and think about the kids that are having to lay under them every day under lights that never turn off. And my friend couldn't be here uh cuz the kids had a snow day. So they asked me to pass along this message to you all. Um, if you support this, your mother's probably rolling over in her grave. And if your mother wasn't the type of woman to support this, then she doesn't know God and she's probably in hell. So, thank you for your time. >> Adam Lock. Adam Lock followed by Tunwin. Hello, council members. My name is Adam Lock. I'm 22 years old. I'm going to start this by asking some questions to people who call themselves Christians, not only in this state, but in this country. How can you have love, compassion, and empathy ingrained into you from the time you are born and turn around and watch people be tortured? How can you turn how can you be told to love your neighbor as you love yourself and watch people be tortured by people by terrorists in the streets? And I am saying terrorists, not domestic terrorists because ex ice agents have come out and spoken that not only are some ICE agents trained by Israel Defense Forces. Some a percentage of the ICE agents are Israel Defense Force soldiers. That is not domestic terrorism. That's international terrorism. And if you think history is going to repeat itself, you're wrong. It's already repeated itself. We need to stop it. And if you were raised to believe that this type of thing is all right and then call yourself a Christian, you are not only a hypocrite, you're an extremist and you're a fascist. I'm sorry if that is offensive to you, but I'm not. If you call yourself a Christian and allow people to be sexually assaulted, tortured, children to go lying on cold, hard floors, then the God that you hold so close to yourself that you believe in so strongly is going to watch as you burn in your hell and he's going to smile as the devil himself is burned out from under your skin. Furthermore, if you cannot have empathy for other human beings out of selflessness by the love of your God that this state has been founded on, all the rules and regulations that the state has been founded on on the Christian religion, do it out of selfishness so you do not burn. Thank you. >> Thank you, Adam. Tun followed by Jordan Kelly. >> Hello, council members. TuneIn uh 3004 Southwest 100 Oakland City W 5 Minko. My business is in war 2. I'm here as the president of the Vietnamese American heritage community. As you can see in this room, the whole entire time where is our Asian-American people? Did you know 3,000 of us of of those detained, a whole huge portion of those were Vietnamese, Le Oceanian, Burmese, Asian. There's ISIS in Asian district. I'm also the founder of the Asian district. And I'm saying this is enough is enough. I'm coming to you because have any of you lived a day in a refugee camp? any of you besides Amy? I have. When I was four years old, when I was four years old, every single day, we walked miles for one gallon of water, two cans of food, a small bag of rice. And that's the refugee camp that we're talking about right now in our own city, our own here. And we're going back in time. And I'm calling you out because this I've had enough. Enough is enough. Members of my community, just this last week, I sat down with leadership of Life Church pastors and the leadership of Life Church talking around the table. Our Afghan mother doesn't know how to respond to her 5-year-old daughter when her 5-year-old daughter asks, "Mom, are you coming home today?" Every single member of the Vietnamese Asian community now has to carry their passports with them everywhere we go. This is the reality that Oklahoma City is living in. And I'm not I'm not managing that any more than I am today because this is the reality that we're living in. And I'm here today to strongly urge you, respectfully, to definitely oppose this, ban this, dear resolution, because we're called as leaders. This is not a bipartisan issue. This is not a political issue. This is definitely a human issue, but more so, we're called as leaders to step up to the plate and do the hard things sometimes when it's not easy. >> 30 seconds. And so I just feel that this is the time that we all need to get together to actually do a resolution and everyone the smallest as we are and the biggest as we are as a community we all can actually do this together if we all would be do it with us. Thank you. >> Thank you too. Next is Jordan Kelly. Jordan Kelly followed by Marily Perry. Thank you for your public service and allowing every person to speak. My name is Jordan Kelly and I'm a high school teacher. I'm also running to represent House District 54, which includes part of South Oklahoma City. The ICE Center will make us less safe and less secure in our liberties. It'll also make South Oklahoma City have less control over its economic future. That means the ICE center will have secondary and tertiary effects that will make our citizens more scared, less hopeful, and more anxious. If it's inevitable that the detention facility comes to Western Heights, our local police will be needed in that area more than ever, and we'll need them to provide sound, disciplined, community-based policing. This is the opposite of ISIS policing model. I want to make it clear that I have the strongest convictions that the Oklahoma City Police Department excel that they do excel at serving our safety and security. Your responsibility as city council is to make sure that Western Heights isn't forgotten and our safety is not sacrificed on the altar of the federal government's deportation crusade. I call on the council to end any contracts with Flock and Lexus Nexus because they support ICE and ICE is depriving people of their life and liberty. Citizens of every nation have fourth and fifth amendment rights while they're on American soil, regardless of their immigration status or their criminal history. We have empowered you for the specific function of keeping those rights secure. I'm petitioning the city council to find creative solutions around working with Flock and Lexus Nexus in order to fill your charge of securing of securing our inalienable rights. If any contracts cannot be ended immediately because of legal liabilities, I call on the council to send a notice letter letter that their contracts may not be renewed because of the work that they do with ICE. I have the utmost respect for the Oklahoma City Police Department and I know that they will use all tools that they have to keep us safe and secure of our liberties. They are they use adaptive they are adaptive towards new technology providers and make use of analog policing techniques some of which may not be a bad idea to amplify and use more digital and AI is not all it's cracked up to be. Oklahoma City PD is resilient and resourceful within themselves. Please make please make uh please keep the citizens of Western Heights in South Oklahoma City at the top of your mind and city planning >> 30 seconds remaining. >> And top of your mind for city planning and community policing priorities. Um will can I ask if you're able to send a notice letter to Flock and Lexus Nexus that their contract may not be renewed is in danger of not being renewed? That would have to be a further action that we just can't take today. But >> right is >> we can take it under consideration. >> Right. Well, that is something that could happen. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Whether it will or not, that be seen. >> That that' be in your power to to write a to write a notice letter. >> Yes. Thank you so much. Um >> Marily Perry followed by Taylor McKenzie. Hello, I am Marily Perryam. I live in W 6 in Mesta Park. Um, and I am on the board at First Union Church at 13th and Dwey. Um, I rode the bus here today because I don't drive in ice. So, I appreciate Embark today. Um, I do want to thank councilors Cooper and Pennington for your statements about this ice facility and also uh councilwoman Hammond uh who I know would be speaking more if uh she wasn't running the meeting. Um, obviously I don't want there to be an ice facility in South OKC. People have mentioned lots of great reasons for that that I agree with. Um, I also love the calls for just reducing the harm that ICE is doing in our community right now. Absolutely. Ending our contract with the flock cameras, uh, fewer putting fewer people in detention and transparency and not engaging in any new 287g agreements. Um, I also want to address what I think there's a a narrative, not in this building today, but a narrative that's formed about Minneapolis, that the people who are standing up and fighting back are some kind of like underground paid like uh group that is uh terrible in some way um and being dismissed as liberal activists. Um, and I think that a lot of people think, "Oh, well, that would never have happen in Oklahoma because we're mostly Republican here." Um, but I think that it's not it's they're not paid activists. What they are is people who have gotten to know their neighbors and got gotten to love their neighbors. And we are a very diverse city here as well. And we have gotten to know and love our neighbors. And so I hope that you guys realize I fully believe that we we would be standing up. We are standing up. Um, and if if we were targeted like Minneapolis is being targeted and if this ICE facility were to become go under construction, we would be standing up as well because we care about our neighbors. Um, and that is across party lines. Um, and so I think like everybody said, please do whatever you can in your power as a city council, as just a member of this community who has connections to get this to stop. it would be a disaster um because people would be standing up and fighting against it as best we can and not paid protesters just people who care. Um thank you. Thank you Mary. Next is Taylor McKenzie followed by Brian Pickering. >> Hi. Thank you. Um I just wanted to share what I saw in my neighborhood regarding ice activity last week. uh just a sort of a witness testimony type thing. Uh there was like a commotion in the neighborhood. I drove by and saw like uh six ICE agents and then a couple um Oklahoma County Sheriff officers. They were focusing on two houses and um I so I pulled over in this apartment complex then walked over and just kind of watched what happened. Talked to uh one of the neighbors who was standing outside. He said he had asked the agents what they were doing. and they were very rude and wouldn't tell them what they were doing. Um, they were in these unmarked cars and they were uh like mocking us the whole time. They were honking their horns. They were being very rude and disruptive and unhelpful. They detained two people. They uh went over to one house and uh first smashed the ring camera and then they uh uh battered we used a battering ram to break down the door. We went over and talked to the lady. Um, and she was in crazy uh, surprisingly like good spirits. This like tenacity of the human spirit was so like a kind of juxtaposition with this vicious inhumanity that was on display and she said she was going to handle that was all good. This was like one or two days before all this sub-zero weather. I thought that was just mindboggling and it happened a couple blocks away from where I live. Um, and I would like to just kind of ask uh if there were um you know, I know there are there's a chain of command, there's procedures to this stuff, but um as the leaders of our city, can you can you talk to the Department of uh Homeland Security um and ask them for a chance for the people of the city to voice their their uh their concerns, their discontent uh directly to um DHS and uh to ICE? Um, can you facilitate some sort of uh public accountability transparency process between DHS and uh us as the citizens of Oklahoma City? We don't know much about this proposed jail. U but it does really strike me as someone mentioned it already before that it is like industrially zoned. It's a warehouse and we don't put people in warehouses. We already know this with the travesty of the Oklahoma County Jail. Um I don't know why we would do that again. Um it doesn't make like everyone has said ice doesn't make our our cities feel safer. Um instead it's uh it feels like an inhumane instrument of terror. Um I and uh people all here no one has said anything against uh sorry for seconds center. Thank you. Um, and I I think I uh speak for most people here that this institution um should be just dismantled. Um, and I'm asking of you, the city mayor, uh, sorry, the city manager, the mayor, and the city council to allow us, the people of Oklahoma City, to uh, directly voice our um, concerns and our discontent with DHS and ICE. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Taylor. Brian Pickering followed by Tevin McDaniel. I don't see Brian. I do see Tevin. Okay, Tevin, you want to come on up? Um, and then Echo Yates will follow Tevin. >> Good afternoon. Now, uh, my name is Ted McDaniel. I use he his pronouns. I am a proud resident of W 7 uh 929 Northeast 17th Street. I am here um to echo a lot of the same concerns and asks of the people who have spoken before me um around the things that you all have the capability to do. Um I also want to tie in some connections around um the current jail facility um and the issue we have with that um and the problems that city council can address, right? um where money can go into preventative measures for homelessness, for um mental health, for behavioral health, for drug addictions, where we know our most marginalized people um regardless of their um ethnicity or status are the people who are most targeted regardless of whether that is federal or local or state. Um, and so to understand these things, to find some, um, I hear a lot of people um, using some strong words, but that compassion um, that I would hope a lot of people have around looking into action items that city council can do um, and can be as um, fully disclosed with community as possible. Um, I know that we've come here with Homebase and with FLM before talking about um, being engaged in where money goes in in budgetary meetings. Um, right. These are steps that we're talking about when we say these are things that you all can do um to help folks not only who are being targeted, will be targeted with this ICE facility, but folks who are currently being targeted by our Oklahoma City County jail, but they are also trying to move away from resources that will help those folks. So, I want to implore you to also think about our folks here um who are also still and continuing to be targeted by um law enforcement, whether that is a federal or local level. Um, and so yes, I will leave you all with that and please do the things that you can. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tin. Echo Yates. >> Afternoon, y'all. Um, I'd like to read a famous speech for us all to reflect on. Um, I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible. Jew, Gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world, there is room for everyone, and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we've lost the way. Greed has poisoned man's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has gooststepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives us abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent, and all will be lost. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men. Cries out for universal brotherhood. For the unity of us all. Even now, my voice is reaching millions throughout the world. Millions of despairing men, women, and little children. Victims of a system that makes men hate and torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say, do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed. The bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass and dictators die. And the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. Soldiers, don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think, and what to feel, who drill you, diet at you, treat you like cattle, and use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men with machine minds and machine hearts. You're not machines. You're not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don't hate, only the unloved hate. The unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers, don't fight for slavery. Fight for liberty. In the 17th chapter of St. Luke, it is written, "The kingdom of God is in is within man. Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you. You, the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure." >> 30 seconds remain. >> Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age of security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie. They do not fulfill that promise, and they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people. Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate, and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite. Charlie Chaplain. >> Good echo. Okay, that brings us to everyone who uh I'm going to do one last call for the folks that I called but we didn't see just in case they are back. Um, Brian Pickering, Reagan Briggs, Melody Garno, Miranda Le Prey, and Dan Danny Ugalde. Okay. If someone comes bursting through the door, we'll let them talk. Um I at this time we are at the end of citizens to be heard and we will be uh recessing into executive session. I do want to say a few words u before we do that. Um like many of you there's so much to say that there's never enough time um and never enough appropriate words. Um I think I'll just as as some folks shared which I also want to just pause and say thank you for everyone for coming um for your patience um that was a lot of people to get through and um and I really appreciate you all for um hanging with us um and taking time out of your your week to be here. Um it was hard for me not to think about um you know my some of my own experiences growing up. Um, I grew up in Washington State. Uh, went to Seattle every, you know, year, multiple times a year. Um, and it wasn't until I was in college or high school rather, when I had moved out of the state, um, that I learned I learned about Japanese internment. Um, three years ago, I think it was, I took a trip to Seattle for vacation. Um, and had the opportunity to stay in a national historic landmark that was a hotel. Um at the time in the early to mid you know century 20th century um it had been a hotel for uh mostly single men I believe um of Japanese descent Japanese immigrants um working and living in Seattle. And when internment started to get instituted, um the building was cleared out, as one person shared, a lot of valuables were left, a lot of cherished um pieces of, you know, photographs, jewelry, um things that people couldn't carry with them. And um I believe it was sometime in like the 80s or 90s this person who had bought who the building bought the building whatever I don't know what she was up to but she wanted to re sort of have it in back into a hotel and um it had all of the belongings in the basement still um trunks of people's belongings that had never been found found their way back to them had never been returned to them after they had been detained by the federal government um solely based on their ancestry, their immigration status, the their identity being um associated with um a country that we we had issue with. Um, and as part of this uh uh reuse of the building, she reached out to historical societies and um uh different uh civic organizations and worked to sort of repatriate all of those belongings back to at this point descendants of um many of the people who had um who had left them there. And there's still a lot of the belongings she couldn't find anybody. They couldn't find anybody through this process and they're now in the first floor um sort of basement space as a museum and it's a national historic site um through the national park system. Um, and it just really strikes me and struck me when I was in high school as, you know, like a 16 or 17 year old that I realized I used to go to this town, this city all the time, you know, that has a huge in the state of Washington has a really um rich presence of um not just Japanese immigrants, but um immigrants generally from the Pacific. Um and it was really disheartening for me to realize that I had never been taught this history that was literally like in my backyard, a place that I would go visit and I had all these wonderful memories in this town. Um, but that there were these these places and this history that had never been shared with me. Um and it was only like when I left, you know, the that place and um and I so that memory and that feeling of histories that aren't shared um whether it's just by, you know, malicious or not, um you know, intentional or not, that that lack of teaching and and treasuring and honoring that history. I mean, not treasuring because it's not great. Um, but you know, honoring that history and saying we should not do this again. Um, but we have been doing it again. We've been doing it again for years, right? It's not a new problem. I think many um people in immigrant justice spaces recognize um and and sometimes find frustration um you know, when uh when we start to pay attention in these sort of acute moments of crisis. um because it has been going on for a long long time, right? People have been being detained based on the color of their skin, their accent. Um, and so I just I want to share that um so that folks that are maybe listening at home, people here um know that I also am um determined to utilize whatever platform or power at at my disposal um to to fight against this um to push back against this because um I I don't I don't want to be in the position where you know, yeah, right. We all we we none of us want to be in the position of saying we could have done something and we didn't do anything. Um so that's all I have to say for now. And um please know that there are many determined people working um to find solutions and find like you all like many of you said creative pathways. Um and uh we'll look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks. Thank you. And now we will recess to uh executive session. >> What a day. >> Don't know. Okay, we are adjourned.