Item 34 is discussion and action to direct the city manager in collaboration with the city attorney to develop a plan of action to prevent the installation of any immigration customs enforcement ICE detention facilities in the city. Additionally to collaborate with the county of El Paso and El Paso Water to support this measure. This item was posted by representatives Lemon and Canales. >> Okay. Rep. No worries. Representative uh Lemon. >> Thank you, Mayor. Mayor, we place this item on the agenda because of the importance and we have had so many people here today that have voiced um their concern and who really have come forth and have decided that this is an important thing. I could sit here for 10 minutes and I'm not going to do it. The voice of the people is much more powerful in my my esteem. But I w do want to paraphrase Joanne Bernal's comments that she directed to us today. She said, "It is in my opinion that saying that the city has no role in immigration enforcement is simply an insufficient answer. It may be true that we don't have the authority to unilaterally stop detention facilities, but it is true that we have it is not true that we have no power to rise together to oppose detention facilities to do it politically, to do it morally, and to take every legal action that we can in unison with other jurisdictions to unite and oppose this facility. The county has already made some decisions. They gave us a news release earlier that we received. Um the motion is to request or direct our city manager and our attorney to go forth and re make recommendations as to how we can work with the county. I do want to make one particular point clear. I had a conversation with Renee Leon yesterday with water utilities and based on Texas law, we cannot prevent El Paso water from releasing water to facilities like these ice facilities. But right now these facilities are not the proposed facility in our area is proposed and it reads Clint/Sokoro El Paso in parenthesis. So while El Paso Water Utilities is not the venue to put a complete stop to this kind of facility going in our area, we know that they bring a lot of institutional knowledge and that combining them with our two areas of expertise, the city manager and our attorney, that we can set forth and have a policy that we can come together, we can produce that's going to say loudly and clearly, ICE, you're not welcome in the city of El Paso. And that is my motion today, Mayor. >> All right, we have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Representative Rocha. >> Thank you, Mayor. I appreciate it. And and thank you, Miss Leone or Rep Lemon for for bringing this and Rep. Canales. Um I I I also had a a conversation with uh with Renee Leon as well. My concern is that we have to be very careful. In my opinion, there is not a facility that is currently planned within the city of El Paso at all or future plans. And while I support this measure, I feel that including El Paso water to it could potentially come, but asking them to be part of it to support the measure is where I feel there has to be some type of delineation. for that. I am in full support of directing the city manager and collaborating with the city attorney and the county. However, bringing in El Paso water to a situation that would support it, I think would need to take proper steps with maybe the PSB instead of El Paso water directing it. That's my understanding as far as how how that would work. And I don't know if Renee can if that would be even open to it at this point if you all will allow me to to to do that. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, council. Uh thank you, Representative Rocha. >> Yes. Uh >> can you state your name and everything for the record? >> Leon with El Paso Water. Um, we're happy to to advise and answer questions for the council on anything related to water service within our service area. Uh, but respectfully, you know, we would request to be removed from any item supporting this or anything outside of what we're able to do. Uh, if the council moves in this direction, we're happy to continue to advise, to to provide information, to guide. Um, but if we could be removed from any item that says supporting this, it would just be a good policy decision from a water perspective. >> Thank you, Renee. I appreciate it. And and so I just want to want to be clear. I I you know, first acknowledging that we have had so many people come and I am so proud to see so many El Pasoans come and exercise your right to speak in front of council and to uh to continue to peacefully protest within within those rights. I think we are all affected um humanity in general by this conversation that we're that we're going through or these situations that are happening right now. Many of these immigrants come um seeking safety, stability opportunity. And first and foremost, I want to be able to to again restate I support the measure. I am just making a motion to amend the actual um language to remove and El Paso water. >> Okay. >> From it. >> There's a motion. Is there a second for the amendment? >> There's a motion and a second. Any discussion on the amendment? >> Okay. Represent Canales. Um, I just think the legislative intent is maybe important to clarify here. Um, I don't think the word support here means like like to cheerlead for the the item. It's it means support as in provide information and guidance. Um, and so I I don't think anyone is saying that El Paso Water is if the council passes this position, El Paso Water is taking a position in support of anything. It's uh where the council, the city would be calling on El Paso Water to provide again supportive help in that they provide information. >> Sure. And I I understand that. Uh and again, we're happy to provide anything information-wise and help guide policy in any way we can. Uh but we do want to make it clear based on state law, based on federal law, we really have no ability to deny service to to any facility within our CCN. >> Yeah. Yeah, I don't think there's any intent to ask Al Pasawa Water to deny service to anyone. Um, uh and forgive me for speaking for you as well. I know we placed this together. Um, the intention was not to ask for that at all. It was more that uh, El Paso Water uh, is also, you know, a a a steward, a trustee of quite a lot of land, uh, that is city-owned. And so, um, you know, we could potentially have questions about city-owned property, uh, that's in the the PSB, El Paso water inventory. >> That was more of the reason behind the inclusion. >> And I know we had this conversation yesterday, but just for the benefit of the rest of the council, from a land use perspective, you know, we also are limited in our options in denying land sales to the federal government for a facility like this. Um, ultimately the land sales do come to council for final approval, but the federal government still has the power of eminent domain and if we're to deny a sale, uh, they could move forward using that authority and simply take the land and offer us a fair market value for it. >> Yeah. And ultimately, uh, land use regulation authority lies with the with the council for any land, not just city-owned land or land in the PSV PSB inventory. >> Yes. Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Representative Roachcha, you wanna you're good. Okay. So, we have a uh amendment, Miss Bryan. Is there any further discussion on the amendment? >> And Miss Prime, can you read that back for the record, please? >> Yes, sir. So the amendment is it was made by representative Maldonado Rocha, seconded by Mayor Prom Chavez. And this is to strike out the words El Paso water on the on the motion. Is that to is that to strike out just El Paso water? >> Yes. >> And El Paso water. >> And El Paso water >> and and El Paso water. This is to strike out and El Paso water from the motion. >> Okay. Any further discussion? >> Okay, Miss Prime, call for the vote on the amendment, please. >> On that motion, call for the vote. This is on the amendment. >> Mayor, there's a tie. Thank you. End the voting session. And the motion passes 4 to three. Representatives Chavez, Rocha, Nino, Mayor Johnson voting I. Representatives as lemon canales vin the amendment does carry. >> Okay, we're back on the main motion. Represent canales. Thank you, mayor. Um I I won't take my whole time. I will soap box for just a minute. Okay. >> Uh there there are so many things that I want to say about ICE and the actions of the federal government over the past year. I could go on for the whole 20 minutes. I'll I'll mostly spare you all of that. Um, but so many times over the the recent months, I've sat in my house or I've sat here in my office and really seethed um so many of the speakers who we heard from this morning have said so much of what I want to say and so I I appreciate their their boldness. Um, but I'll endeavor to keep my comments spec specifically to the action that we're we're considering here today. Um, for the most part, uh, unquestionably the the really extreme escalation from the federal government that we've seen across the country over the last year has not been normal. Um, really really far from normal. And I I won't equivocate. I think recent deaths at Camp East Montana, uh, not located in the city of El Paso, but on the military installation of Fort Bliss are really unacceptable. And at best, they've they've represented what I think is really terrible, gross negligence. And I mean, at worst, they are murders. Um, in Minneapolis, m multiple people have been brutally killed in the streets by masked agents of the federal government. Renee Good was murdered on video. Alex Prey was murdered on video. I think at this point pretty much everyone in the room has seen those videos. Um, and I, like so many other people across the whole country and really around the world, I think have looked on in horror and anger and shame and disgust. Uh, but unfortunately not quite in disbelief. Um, but this isn't something that's just happening far away. There's been so much direct impact in our community as well. The the recent raids of construction job sites in Horizon City, for example, have targeted local workers. Uh, federal agents have been detaining people, including sometimes US citizens, over whom they have no authority throughout El Paso, but particularly in some neighborhoods in my district in Sigundo Bario, historically known as the the Ellis Island of the US Mexico border, and in other southside neighborhoods in District 8 like Chihuahua and Bario Chamisal. Um, all of these actions have me worried that ICE may look to continue to increase their their physical presence uh here within El Paso city limits. And I know that the media has reported on a proposed warehouse facility in El Paso County, but not within the city limits. Uh, that's a literal existing warehouse facility for people, concentrating people in a confined space. I think there's a name for that. Um, but the federal government's warehouse plan seems to still be kind of in a state of flux as some of their purported contractors seem to be backing out. Um, so if there's a plan for them to pivot and relocate if that has to happen, I think it's important to be clear. I don't want that in the city of El Paso. And so it's important for us It's it's important for us as the city government to understand in advance what tools are available to push back against ICE and and related entities should they seek to locate that or any other facilities within the city of El Paso city limits. And we we can't afford to be surprised and reactive if that happens. We need to be prepared and proactive. And I've I've seen some criticism that this that we're asking the council to consider today is somehow looking to violate the supremacy clause of the constitution. Uh this isn't that at all. And I think that argument reflects a a pretty low-level understanding of of government. >> While the the US Constitution is yes, the quote supreme law of the land, it in no way grants the federal government the authority to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Uh to the contrary, the the federal government in through the constitution reserves itself specific powers and everything else is left to the states. For example, in Texas, home rule municipalities, cities like El Paso have zoning authority, the ability to regulate land use. We have the authority to regulate building safety and other life safety issues. We have permitting authority and the authority to require and carry out uh inspections to enforce all those other authorities. Now, these are just some examples. Um and these specific tools may or may not be effective in this scenario, but we won't know that unless we study and plan and do the work that we need to do in order to understand uh what's available to us. So, the direction to carry out that work is what we're asking the council to approve today. uh it's not any specific ban or anything like that. That probably is beyond our authority, but we need to do the work to understand uh what what we have available to us. Um I'll say my opinion is very clear. I don't want ICE in El Paso and frankly ICE shouldn't exist at all. But that said, to to those who who don't agree with me, I I offer this. Even if you support ICE and what they're doing, the terror that they're inflicting on American cities, surely you don't want the clashes in the streets that we've seen in Minneapolis, in Los Angeles, and Chicago, and in cities all across the country. Um, even if you don't care about this as a humanitarian issue, you can hopefully understand that things like the additional police presence uh will cost all of us in public funds and the economic disruption that those uh activities cause will harm El Pasoans and El Paso businesses. There there are practical reasons, not just ideological ones, to oppose ICE expanding their their detention operations here in El Paso. Uh and finally, I think cooperation with one another is is of vital importance. This item specifically calls out uh the El Paso County government who uh has passed a similar resolution yesterday. Uh but there are others who I think we should cooperate with our neighboring municipalities in Soro and Sanisario and Anthony and many others. uh local organizations who can be helpful in our efforts and of course all the people of El Paso. Uh your participation here today is I think one step in a much longer march to to true justice and and peace for for our community. And so thank you to all the public speakers who spoke this morning. It was very important that you were here. Uh council, I I urge you all to support this proposal today. I think we have a responsibility to the people of El Paso who we represent to be prepared to face a scenario that probably once was definitely once was but is no longer that far-fetched that the federal government could seek to open a human warehousing facility in our city and I see no way in which that would be beneficial to the people of El Paso. Uh so council I I urge you to support today. Thank you mayor. Thank you, Representative Canales. Representative Asavto. >> Thank you, Mayor. I really appreciate everyone being here. Really echo a lot of what my colleagues are saying and a lot of what people have been saying throughout the morning into the afternoon. You know, I I think we're at a place in our country that is something that we don't recognize, or at least I don't recognize. And I always talk to constituents. I had different meetings with um different organizations just kind of talking through a lot of this and we we've been looking at a lot of video, right? It's 2026 and we are seeing footage on social media and everybody is making their own opinion about what they're seeing or what they're not seeing. But what's true is that there's been several deaths that have come at the hands of ICE. Two of them specifically in in Minneapolis over the last few weeks. And those deaths have come to US citizens. And if you look at the history of what ICE is, it started almost 23 years ago. March 1st, 2026, it'll be the anniversary of ICE. And two things can be true at the same time. We can have a good community like El Paso with great public safety, with a lot of our police and fire doing a lot of that work to make us the safe city that we are. And we can also say that ICE is not doing a great job. And really, we don't need them in any of our communities because they are not here to do what they were set out to do 23 years ago. They're also really young. I mean, if we look at it, they they could kind of drink now, two years into it, right, at the legal age of 21. But they're doing this and I think we kind of see a lot of this as there's a sense of, you know, we want to be anonymous. We're we're probably doing some horrible things, but we want to be anonymous and we want to wear masks everywhere that we go. There hasn't really been any accountability from the the federal level. There's always importance that these governing bodies that we have at the local, state, and federal level provide accountability. That accountability is really lacking at this point. Um, there have been some removals of some people in response to a lot of the protests that have been happening throughout Minneapolis, but it's still not enough of accountability. We've all seen the images of Liam. That has really, really struck a nerve with me with a lot of different people. you know, just a child with I think it was bunny ears and having a congressman from Texas really helped bring him back home. It's a 5-year-old like what what is a 5-year-old supposed to be doing? Just having fun and learning things and reading and having that you trauma will be with him for the rest of his life probably. And we need to think about that. And so as we've been having these conversations, there's been specific asks that the community has talked to me about and I think we all kind of know what we're limited on in terms of what we can do at the city level or even at the county level and the county has acknowledged that as well. They had action yesterday on uh moving forward with exploring different options. So I I think for me when we consume information, the better we're informed, the more data that we have, the better decisions we could make or at least try to do something within the confines of our own authority. Um so I wanted to um propose an amendment to the language at hand to add to it, not to change it, but more add to it. And this is based on the conversations that I've been having with community members. Um, so I want to add an amendment that adds the following to the end of what's on the item. Further, direct the city manager and city attorney to research and look into the following and report back within 60 days. One, create and present a protocol that prevents federal law enforcement officers from entering any city facility with the intention to search, detain, or arrest a person without assigned judicial warrant. Two, explore a moratorium on permitting zoning and licensing for immigration and customs enforcement facilities. And three, produce a report that details all points of cooperation between the city of El Paso and Immigrations and Custom Enforcement. And I've just sent that over to Miss Prime. Um, if you could share that with the council miss. >> All right, we have an amendment to the motion. Is there a second? >> All right, second discussion. Okay. >> Okay. There's a second from Representative Lemon and Miss U. Neman, is this something you can advise us on whether or not we can deny what's that? The federal >> Can we see the language? >> Yeah. Can Can you read that back to us, please? >> Yes, sir. The motion, the amendment says, "Further direct the city manager and city attorney to research and look into the following and report back within 60 days to create and present a protocol that prevents federal law enforcement officers from entering any city facility with the intention to search, detain, or arrest a person without a signed judicial warrant. Explore a moratorium on permitting, zoning, and licensing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. produce a report that details all points of cooperation between the city of El Paso and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. >> Okay. So, we have a motion and a second. Uh, Miss Neman, can you advise on the federal part of this to the extent that you can? >> So, so, mayor, traditionally these items are put on the agenda by council members. We don't do any legal research or provide any backup in regards to the council's policy direction. Once we receive full direction from the council, then we'll come back with a recommendation. I I'm not prepared to give you a legal opinion on whatever action the council may or may not take today. >> Okay. Representative Chavez, did you want to speak on this amendment? >> Any discussion on the representalis? >> Just a little bit of a clarification. The the first part of it says to research and look into correct and then it says create on the first bullet point and on the third it has another imperative. Is it just to research and look into the creation of those documents? >> I I think the thought is we might be limited legal legally and if we give them the direction to look into this they could tell us what we can and can't do with that. >> Okay. So it is just to research and look into all three of those items not directing the creation of those. >> Yeah. And then I I think we could take action or not >> at some later date >> at some later date in 60 days. Just wanted to make sure I the answer to that helps to clarify the the >> you know pending question about legal advice. >> Yeah. I thought it was a creation. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Any further discussion on this amendment? >> Representative Brocha. >> Thank you mayor. Miss Neman, is it reasonable to come back with that type of information within 60 days? >> From from the from the legal side, we can provide you some information within 60 days. I will also defer to Miss Mack in terms of any other operational um requests that the policy direction will take. >> I will defer to her if she needs more than that. >> Thank you. We can certainly have some level of reporting on some of these. We'll just figure out whether it's something we can report out and can be shared, but I believe we'll have the information to be able to make that determination within a time frame you provided. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any further discussion on the amendment? >> Okay, Miss Bryan, call for the vote, please. >> Yes, sir. The motion was made by Representative Asabto, seconded by Representative Lemon, and this is to amend the language on item 34 to add the words further direct the city manager and city attorney to research and look into the following and report back within 60 days. Number one, create and present a protocol that prevents federal law enforcement officers from entering any city facility with the intention to search, detain, or arrest a person without a signed judicial warrant. Number two, explore a moratorum or on permitting, zoning, and licensing for immigration and customs enforcement facilities. And number three, produce a report that details all points of cooperation between the city of El Paso and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. >> Okay. >> On the amendment, >> call for the vote. >> Call for the vote and the voting session. And the motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. All right, back on the main motion. Representative Chavez. >> Thank you, Mayor. And I want to start by thanking everyone who uh came forward today, who spoke, who signed up for public comment, who are still in the room right now, who have waited all day for this agenda item to come forward, and who emailed uh my office. I've I've read all those emails, and and I want to thank you for taking the time to send those. I want to uh say that this uh item before us is is further uh more than just an immigration debate. It is a discussion about public trust, public safety, and our responsibility to govern within the law while protecting the long-term stability of the city. I want to be clear. I strongly support our police department and the men and women who serve our community every day. Upholding the law, respecting due process, and honoring the Constitution are not competing values. They are inseparable. Our local officers succeed because they rely on cooperation, communication, and trust, not fear. And they deserve our full support. As leaders in a border city, we must also acknowledge the reality that some members of our community are fearful, particularly when it comes to federal immigration enforcement. Whether we agree with the fear or not, it exists. And when trust erodess, people hesitate to report crimes, cooperate with law enforcement, or seek help. That makes our entire community less safe. Maintaining a clear distinction between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement matters. Cities function best when rules are clear, expectations are predictable, and residents understand what their local government is responsible for and what it is not. Public safety depends on trust. And I'm going to repeat that because I firmly believe it. Public safety depends on trust and trust depends on clarity. There's also an economic dimension we cannot ignore. The decisions we make as a city shape how El Paso is perceived by and building their lives here. This conversation is not about ideology. It is about stewardship. My responsibility as a council member is to ask the hard questions, ensure clarity, and protect the long-term trust and stability of the city. As council members, our duty is to represent the full community, to support law enforcement, to acknowledge concerns being raised by residents, and to carefully weigh how our decisions affect both public safety and economic opportunity. That balance matters and it deserves thoughtful consideration. So, thank you once again for being here and thank you to this council for having this conversation today. Thank you, Mayor. >> Represent Nino. Thank you, mayor, and thank you, Rep. Lemon and Canales for bringing this forward. It's an extremely important conversation that I mean, it's clear by all the members of our community who are here today, and I don't think anyone wants any detention center in their yard. Um, it brings uncertainty. It brings a lot of concerns. You know, um, Campis Montana is about 5 minutes away from District 5. uh it's outside of the city limits, but um a lot of my constituents have reached out to me just in general about, you know, safety presence. Um I know there's also been helicopters that have flown at 4:00 or 5 in the morning that has disrupted sleep and they wonder if our community is safe, but our community is and continues to be safe. So, um I'm very grateful that we're having this conversation and overall um it it clarified a lot of what our my colleagues were talking about and also what you all mentioned about working with a for a plan of action. We're not adopting a specific policy at this time. Rather, we're going to look at all the different avenues and opportunities that we have as a body to in the future look into what is it that we could adopt to uh reflect the voices of our constituents and of our community. And again, I want to thank everyone who took time off work, school, from their busy lives for being here. You know, this is what we're elected to do to to listen to the tough conversations and and ensure that you know we reflect your voice whenever we make these decisions. So, thank you again for being here and thank you. Thank you, Mayor. >> Yeah. Representative Lemon. >> Mayor, I'd like to speak, but after the the public, >> okay, >> speaks fair. >> We have called. >> Okay. So, Miss Brian, we have uh Representative Rocha. >> Thank you, Mayor. And I and I started a little bit earlier um in in my statements before the water piece, but again, I I want to acknowledge that the humanity of everyone that's affected by this conversation is something that is deeply important to me. I'm a first generation American. My father uh lived here illegally for many years. And immigrants come, they are the fabric of our community. They absolutely are. They are the ones that deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion. But I also want to say, and this may sound like it's counter to it, that we do have the ICE officers that are local. And while I understand that there's a lot of disdain for these officers and what they're doing, there's a lot of them that live among us. And a lot of them whose children go to school with my child and a lot of them whose wives go to church or their families go to church with us and they are living fearful as well and I think it's very it needs to be very cautious for us to put all of them into one group and I know that's sometimes very difficult. You know, Pope Leo says that countries have a right to manage borders. The treatment of people must always respect their inherent dignity. And there may be people that need to come to um I guess some type of legal um ramifications for their actions. But I also believe that those families are living in fear as well. It's important to be honest about the role of city council. I want to be absolutely clear. We do not have unilateral authority to stop a federal agency from building a facility. What we do have to what Rep. Canales uh mentioned earlier is responsibility over city processes, over land use, over infrastructure and coordination with our local partners. This is not about assigning blame or devaluing any group in this particular item as how I've read it. It does direct the city manager and the city attorney to identify those lawful tools that are available to us and to work with the county so that decisions of this magnitude are approached thoughtfully, transparently, and with community impact in mind. We can always lead with compassion for immigrants, respect for the families who serve in all forms of law enforcement, and a commitment to responsible governance. I will, and as I mentioned, support this item. I just want to make sure that that um that I put those pieces of my comments into the record. Miss Prime, thank you. >> Thank you. and and Miss Prime, before we have the public comment, I'm just going to say just a few words, but first I want to thank uh Representative Canales and Representative Lemon for putting this on the the agenda. And I also want to echo uh the city council and I'm going to give Miss Lemon the last words on when we're all done wrapping up after public comment. But I also want to thank you, El Paso, for for speaking out to protect your community. Very, very well done. And as I said earlier, no one wants this in our community, nor do we want to be known as the the detention capital of the US or even the world. And you know, for far too long, even when I was campaigning, El Paso gets a bad narrative. We get a bad rap. And in the national media, when they talk about detention facilities, they're not going to say Fort Bliss. They're going to say El Paso. And we are a very loving, we are very warm, we are a very compassionate community and we will always treat people that are here in El Paso with dignity and respect. So again, I applaud you El Paso for coming out today and and protecting your community. You did a very very well well good job today. So thank you guys so much. And with that said, we are going to take some public comment. >> Yes, mayor. We'll begin with Carmelo Brick. Relic followed by Creosodi Hughesby, Josephine Aila, Linda Chu. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, Mayor Johnson and city council members. My name is Carmelo Brolik and I'm a constituent of district 8 speaking in support of agenda item number 34. I'd like to thank representatives Ganales and Lemon for bringing this measure forward. I want the city to prevent the expansion of ICE detention facilities. The actions of ICE are inhumane and unjust and increased ICE present presence is severely detrimental to public safety and to our economy. We've already seen the negative impacts increased ICE presence has on small businesses in other parts of the country. According to the Lake Street Council, a nonprofit that supports small businesses in the Lake Street neighborhood in Minneapolis, small businesses are experiencing a 40 to 100% drop in revenue compared to last winter. It's also estimated that 50% of immigrant-owned businesses have temporarily or permanently closed since December. Workers and consumers, including legal residents and US citizens, fear for their safety with ICE present. They are unable to work and shop comfortably. Small business owners are struggling to stay afloat with the loss of staff and patrons. El Paso's economy is strong because of small and immigrant-owned businesses. We deserve to feel safe in public spaces and feel confident in our ability to support local businesses. I know you, Mayor Johnson, ran on a platform to do what's best for our locally owned business. Instead of investing in ICE detention facilities, I want investment in community priorities for public safety. I encourage the city to invest in employment programs, affordable housing, small business support, education, health services, and the myriad of other avenues that will actually help our community and our economy thrive. I ask you to support agenda item number 34 and explore further options to limit the city of El Paso's cooperation with ICE. Our city is vibrant and strong because of the hard work of our immigrant communities. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Chris Hughesby >> followed by Joseline Aila, Linda Chu, Erica Heesy. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, Mayor Johnson and city council members. My name is Ka So Husby and I am a constituent of Chris Canales in District 8. I came to speak here today in favor of agenda item number 34. First, I'd like to thank representatives Ganales and Lemon for bringing this measure forward. I appreciate knowing that my representative is putting forward policies that reflect the values of our community, and I hope this measure passes with a unanimous vote. ICE activity has long been a danger to our community. We've already seen a callous lack of regard for life from the agency here in El Paso over the 22 years of its existence. They abduct our loved ones. They kill and torture with impunity, and they endanger everyone around them while doing it. Others have called attention to those murdered in custody within our community. I'd also like to recognize that ICE and Border Patrol agents regularly injure and kill our community members just through their reckless driving alone. They are a threat to public safety across the board. I love living in such a vibrant, welcoming community. I love living in a community that's built and kept alive and running by immigrants and their families. I want all of my friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors to feel safe living here. I wholeheartedly support any and all measures the council can take to limit the city of Albaso's cooperation with ICE. I hope that next time I speak here, it's to thank the council members for taking another step to protect their constituents from ICE and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security. I'd also like to remind everyone here that regardless of the council's decision on item number 34, we cannot look away. This measure is a directive to our city manager, Dion Mack, and our city attorney, Carl Neman. We need to keep our attention on them to make sure the detect to make sure the directive is followed, especially considering the federal government has shown nothing but contempt for local governance and is likely to apply pressure. We need them to look at any possible legal avenue to limit ISIS presence here. We need to keep showing up, keep our city leaders accountable, and keep pushing for more. Thank you. >> Next speaker is Joseline Aila. She will be followed by Linda Chu. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, mayor and council. I'm Jocelyn Aila and I am a district 4 constituents. I'd like to begin by thanking representatives Chris Canales and Lily Leon for leveraging your elected official status and power to bring forth this piece of legislation. ICE must be held accountable for denying both US citizens and non-citizens due process on our on our soil as the freest country in the world, racially profiling people on the streets and even murdering innocent people in broad daylight. This is unamerican and while it does not fall under your jurisdiction right to hold them accountable, you can do what you can do and that is meeting the moment and taking action in any and all appropriate capacity in this moment in history. You have the choice to take this bold action because El Pasoans are watching. Our families are watching. Quite frankly, the whole world is watching. And we can't welcome ICE who's being held unaccountable and acting like a rogue rogue organization terrorizing our communities. We can welcome them right in to use our scarce water resources and electricity while further terrorizing our neighborhoods. So, please support item 34. And lastly, I just want to thank everyone who's here who waited all day long to provide this comment. You are the voice for those who couldn't be present today. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Linda Chu. >> She will be followed by Erica Heisy. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council. Thank you, Miss Representative Leone and Gales for bringing this forward. You have heard your constituents, many today, and there are many more that couldn't make it. And I will say that we are doing what we can. Your constituents, our community, we are doing everything we are we can to resist these prison camps. We are organizing and attending marches, protests. We are holding rallies, vigils. We are writing and calling our state and federal representatives. We are appearing at places like city council and county commissioners. But today now we need our leaders also to speak up and to stand up for this community. I urge you to be creative and to be think outside the box assuming that you approve this item and I hope you approve this item. I will leave you with the words as I did at commissioner's court from Yokim Prince. Yoke Prince was a rabbi in the Jewish community in Berlin during Hitler's regime. And on March of 1963 alongside um at the March for America, he said these words. He said, 'You know, I learned many important things during that tragic time. The most important thing I learned was that bigotry and hatred are not the most important problem, the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful, the most tragic problem is silence. I urge you not to be silent. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next speaker is Erica Ky followed by Robert Vines. >> Good afternoon. >> Yes. Good afternoon. Thank you for having me speak. Um my name is Erica Heisy and I'm here as a representative of Indivisible the 915. ICE violates human rights. There are already reports of abuse and deaths at existing ICE facilities here in El Paso, particularly at Camp East Montana, the largest immigration detention center in the US. Three detainees have died at that facility since December, with at least one death ruled a homicide by the county coroner. The ACLU and other human rights groups have documented inhumane conditions, including beatings, sexual abuse, lack of medical care, and hunger among detainees at El Paso area ICE centers. I'm sure this is not what you want your legacy in El Paso to reflect. You have an obligation to uphold moral and community values. Detention centers are inconsistent with El Paso's identity as a compassionate immigrantfounded city. As contended by Representative Lemon, El Paso was built by immigrants and should not support facilities that represent the opposite of our community's values. Please do not make detention part of El Paso's legacy and reputation. Consider the environmental and resource impacts this proposed facility would have on our county. El Paso has recently experienced major water system failures and shortages. This massive detention center will only worsen the problem. 8,500 detainees would demand significant electricity transportation infrastructure, and waste management capacity. ICE has displayed secrecy and limited oversight by local officials at Camp East Montana. What are they hiding? We must not host this massive detention center. Consider the economic and social consequences. Expanding detention centers does not bring sustainable local jobs or economic benefits to our county. These centers are often run by outofstate contractors or private prison companies with poor labor practices. This facility will stigmatize our community, reduce property values, and deter other forms of development near Clint or Sukoro. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, and Seattle have all enacted measures to prohibit ICE detention facilities. >> El Paso can do the same. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Robert Vines, followed by Alexis Rodriguez, Wesley Lawrence. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. I'm I'm Robert Vines and uh something you said, Mayor, uh struck a chord with me, which is that I'm mostly German. My German grandmother once said that uh there was a really nice little town down from where she lived called Awitz. And she said that uh and and today it's not known for a pretty little town at all. it has ruined their reputation and you talking about what our reputation could be. She said that most of the normal Germans at that time just looked the other way and didn't speak up, didn't say anything. We can't make that mistake. We can't make that mistake. When when the FBI rolled up all the numbers of the uh crime in the US from all the police departments, they found that an immigrant was far less likely to commit a crime than a US citizen. El Paso is 82% Hispanic and a lot of them are immigrants which is undoubtedly one of the contributors or maybe the main contributors to the fact that we are often rated as as the top safest city in the country. We have lots of immigrants makes cities safer. I had a neighbor the other day tell me that uh a friend of his asked him to borrow a gun and he he said that the the friend mentioned that he used to have a business in Huarez and uh he had to pay protection to the local cartel and they kept going up and kept going up and he got to where he couldn't pay and he they said we're going to kill one of your kids if you don't pay and he couldn't and didn't pay and they killed his youngest son. He came to El Paso with the rest of his family and now he has a reasonably good business here in El Paso. But he said, "If they come and get me and send me back, I'll be killed, but not before significant torture." And so he said, "If they come for me, I'll kill myself." Uh people often say the people that are doing this often say we're Christians just following the law. Christ was crucified because he didn't follow the law. Where would we be today if he didn't follow the law? If he did follow the law. Those people are not Christians. I support 34. I hope you will. >> Thank you. >> Alexis Rodriguez. Alexis Rodriguez. No, Alexis Rodriguez. Wesley Lawrence. He's not in the queue. Um, Charlotte Weiss, followed by Alan Lisaraga. >> Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. My name is Charlotte Weiss and I'm a staff attorney at Texas Civil Rights Project and a constituent of District 8. Thank you, Representative Canales and Representative Lemon for your advocacy and your leadership on this important issue. I speak today on behalf of Texas Civil Rights Project. I support item 34 and I urge the city to do the same. We cannot have more ICE detention facilities in this city because the most recently opened facility, Fort Bliss's Camp East Montana, is a humanitarian disaster. For the last four months, I have gone weekly to Fort Bliss to speak with detained individuals and document the abuses they face there. Each week I meet with individuals who are given meals the size of a fist and whose meals cause them to experience vomiting and diarrhea. Each week I meet with individuals who are asking for medical attention for weeks and still haven't seen a doctor. Each week I speak with individuals who are beaten, including when they ask for basic necessities such as prescription medication and adequate food. Most concerningly, there have been three deaths in the span of 42 days at Camp East Montana. These individuals who have died are Francisco Gaspard Christoval Andres Heraldo Lunas Campos and Victor Manuel Diaz. Our El Paso County medical examiner recently ruled Heraldo's death a homicide. For months, the government has known of the abuses at Fort Bliss and has refused to improve the conditions. If the government cannot take care of individuals in its custody, how can we expect them to act any differently with the proposed warehouse facility that is almost double the size of Camp East Montana? The proposed development of any additional ICE detention facility will only perpetuate the abuses that we know happen daily at Fort Bliss. I call on the city to approve item 34 and prevent the installation of any further ICE detention facility in this city. Item 34 stops the bleeding of the abuses already happening in our city and it honors the legacy of our city as one that recognizes the humanity and the dignity of immigrants in our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Alan Lisaraga. He will be followed by Patricia Osman. >> Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon, Council. Uh, my name is Alanis Aaram here on behalf of the hundreds of families that are organized under the border network for human rights. Um, today I want to thank uh, Representative Ganales and Representative Lemon for their leadership and all of you for um, you know, listening to us most of the day. Um, today I want to remind you that we are in a defining moment for our city and for our nation. As our country continues to watch the cruelty of current immigration enforcement policies and the abusive treatment of communities by ICE across the nation, this council has a responsibility to reflect the values that have long defined our community. Dignity, family unity, safety, and respect for human rights. El Paso is known nationally as a welcoming and resilient border community. Expanding detention infrastructure moves us away from that identity and towards complicity and harm. Today's item matters because the city is now powerless. Through land use decisions, infrastructure utilities and intergovernmental cooperation, El Paso has real leverage to either enable detention expansion or to stop it. Item 34 is about clearly stating where the city stands and how it will act within its authority. As a community organization that works to bridge the gaps between residents and local institutions, including law enforcement, we are especially concerned about the erosional community trust. When families see masked agents operatives operating with impunity, fear grows. And where when fear grows, people stop calling 911. Witnesses disappear and public safety suffers. Allowing the expansion of another detention facility puts that trust at a even greater risk. Delay also carries consequences. Every month or every day without clear action creates space for detention plans to move forward quietly without public accountability. So today we're also asking you for accountability in this process. We are asking you for a clear timeline with an initial report back to council and an opportunity for public comment. Today, this council has an opportunity to draw a clear line that El Paso will not be complicit in the detention expansion and that you all will use every possible tool to protect our community. We urge you to support item 34 and act with the urgency that this moment demands. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Patricia Osman. followed by Fernandanda Lugo. Everybody has spoken about the immigrants. I want to speak to city council and most importantly to all the citizens in El Paso and the surrounding area that support ICE. I I want to say you may be misled because one ICE and Border Patrol are not abiding by the United States Constitution which is the supreme law of the land. Immigration is a civil issue. It's a civil administrative matter. It's not criminal. These immigrants are not criminals. But their their federal government that they're listening to in certain media is pushing it out. Illegal. That doesn't mean they're criminals. That means it's a civil issue. Are we killing people that are applying for bankruptcy? Because that's also a federal administrative issue. I don't think so. But perhaps we should also ask this. City council members, residents, it's already well documented. There have been murders. There's a murder in our own community over there off of Montana on Fort Bliss. Where's the investigation? Where are the arrests? Those are murderers. If there were a group of five gang bangers that did the same thing to somebody at Sanosinto Plaza, there would have been investigations and arrest. So where are those murderers arrested? How about the sexual predators that are committing all these sexual assaults? Where why are they not arrested? How about we think about those criminals that are employed by our federal government with our tax dollars, murderers and sexual predators in our own neighborhoods going back into our neighborhoods, right? Their children going to our schools. Where are they? We don't know, right? But those are murderers and sexual predators. Or maybe hey, you know what? It does affect El Paso in other ways. There's BDSM sexual prostitution is sexual in sexual assault. The sexual deviants that are occurring those employees. You don't think that's connected? It is. And that was happening in district one right in the Willows. I had to go out of the city out of to state law enforcement to get the one in Willows shut down because local didn't. Why is the local police not investigating these murders? Is it because it's Fort Bliss? Because those are civilians. They're not enlisted. It It doesn't make sense. Please, please let the public know out of our safety why those crimes committed by those people are not being investigated, but you will call the immigrants the criminals for a civil offense. Thank you. Thank you for not shutting me off. >> The next speaker is Fernand Lugo. Fernandanda Lugo, Isabella Korea, Isabella Korea, Amber Williams. >> Good afternoon. >> Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Amber Williams. I am a constituent of district 4 and I'm here to support item 34. I clicked I misclicked this morning. But before I start, I want to say ICE agents should be scared. Let's be clear. They choose to take on those jobs and not speak out against murder every day. They choose every day to follow unlawful orders. And the sad reality is the moment they unmask and remove the badge, they'd be targeted on the street just like the ones that they choose to terrorize and get paid for. I'm here to stand with my community and demand that new concentration camps not be created. I want to make something clear. The existence of human beings should not be political. But unfortunately, in 2026, here we are. History has shown us that. Sorry. History has shown us what happens when whole communities are politicized and dehumanized. I speak today for the people who cannot and for the communities that are being terrorized. We are living through a human rights and constitutional crisis where due process is not given and people are dying in government custody. It is your job to stand up and push back. Demand transparency and accountability. El Paso has always shown us what crossber community can look like. Our community should be leading with solutions to amend the very systems that thrive on dehumanization instead of contributing to the terrorization of our neighbors. We are not powerless and I ask that you draw a line now. Do not allow the creation of another concentration camp. Don't let concentration camps become El Paso's legacy. Please, no more cages and no more expanding cruelty. Thank you. >> Thank you. Dorimar Torres Rosas. My name is Lori Mar Torres Rosas and I'm a constituent of district 8. Thank you to representatives Lemon and Canales for this motion. I am struggling to obtain a master of arts in clinical counseling online at Northwestern University. Alumni of Basset and Canyon Hills Middle School, Burgess High School, and UTEP. As an artist, activist, and poet, I ask you to support agenda item 34 and explore further options to limit the city of El Paso's operation with ICE. I want to reiterate the position of hundreds of community members in opposition of allowing the expansion of concentration camps in the El Paso and Huarees community that I have called home since I was 9 years old. My Puerto Rican immigrant mother is a lieutenant colonel in the US Army and she earned a bronze medal in Afghanistan because no one died under her direct command. And as she taught me in the wisdom of the Nberg trials, just following orders is not a valid defense for committing a war crime. When orders come that violate the law, a soldier's uniform duty is to disobey. How will you use the power that you have been given? Three people have died already and countless children, mothers fathers sisters brothers hardworking community members have been traumatized, taken from their homes and families. The Montana concentration camp holds 5,000 humans where reports of their rights being violated are coming out every other day. This new expansion aims to hold 8,500. How many more lives will you take for shortterm capital profit? How many more war crimes will you allow to be committed on your own people? We deserve a government that reflects our community's values. We support our fellow immigrants and call for you to say no and end all concentration camps and abolish ICE. If you want to open a new facility, how about you start with a mental health facility to address the impact of hate crimes and acts of domestic terrorism we continue to fight or fund the salaries of more counselors and social workers for our schools to deal with this trauma and fear that our children face every day. If you do not act, just know that our voices and community action will only grow stronger and louder together. And as we chanted when Kata Sochiil was released from her inhumane detention, brick by brick, wall by wall, one by one, we will free them all. And now I just kind of want to directly address you specifically, Alejandra. You sat up there and defended law enforcement. And I just want to say that that's kind of a slap in the face to all of the people that are held in detention right now, the people that are starving. I wonder in your district, District 1, probably the most one of the most affluent districts, right? Do you eat food that's soiled? Do you have to worry about where your kids are going to go to school? Um, do you have to worry about any of those things? No. and your education and your privilege affords you the right to have multicultural awareness, especially growing up here in El Paso. And you're >> the next speaker is Victoria Labrado. >> Yes. Hi. Hello. Good afternoon. All right. Can Can you hear me? Victoria Labrado. Yes, ma'am. Can you hear me? >> Yes, ma'am. Go ahead. You have three minutes please. >> Okay. Thank you. Good afternoon. Okay. Um, so I call before you today to voice my deepest concerns and to stand in solidarity with those who have been silenced. I am here to be their voice and to say clearly why El Paso must support item 34 and not build another detention camp. The irony is not lost on me. I wrote these words in a heated home with clean clothes while my daughter sleeps peacefully in her bed without fear of what the night may bring or what awaits her in the morning. Because while my child sleeps in peace, other children are locked behind fences, separated from their families, living in fear right now. And it fills me with outrage and pain to know that children and families are suffering in these camps while we live in comfort and safety. What makes my child more deserving of safety than theirs? What makes my family more worthy of protection? Is it a document, a border, a piece of paper? Because it is not humanity. We all bleed red. We all feel pain. Migration is survival. And every other species on this planet understands that. Humans are the only ones who criminalize it. What happened to El Paso Strong? What happened to a community that came together to protect and uplift our brothers and sisters? We are a city claimed to be built on love, not hate. And yet, these camps are fueled by cruelty, fear, and dehumanization. Where is the justice for our fellow human beings? People are disappearing from our streets, lost in a system that treats them as though they never existed, as though they never had stories, families, or dreams. Just like you and me, unity is not optional. It is necessary. And humanity is not conditional. So I ask you, where does your humanity lie? Would your inner child be proud of the choices you are defending today? Is this the legacy you want to leave behind? Cages, silence, and cruelty. To see the world through the eyes of a child is something many have forgotten. Why? Because of places like these camps. places filled with fear, violence, sexual assault, abuse, and death happening right here in our own backyard. And history will remember who spoke up and who looked away. We have a moral obligation to protect our fellow men, women, and especially children. As Nelson Mandela said, "Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation. Do not build another camp in our city. Do not normalize cruelty. Do not call injustice security. Let us choose humanity. Let us choose compassion. And let us refuse to build systems that thrive on suffering. Thank you. >> That concludes public comment on this item. >> All right, Miss Pran. I just want to make sure that there's no one in the audience that wanted to speak that signed up and we may have missed anybody. >> Did everyone get Okay. Okay. >> I just wanted to say >> come on up. Come on up. >> And give us your name, please. >> Jonathan. >> Okay. >> Really quickly, a vote against a nice detention facility. You are encouraging violence and you sir. >> You address us. >> Well, you can't speak for us because you only speak here. So you want to speak for the community, you speak for the other side. You're speaking and you're pandering here. >> Sir, sir, you need to follow the Sir, you need to follow the rules of order. >> Slippery slope rules. >> Slippery slope. >> All right. So that concludes public comment. Representative Canales. >> Thank you, mayor. Without objection, I'd like to without objection, I'd like to request that a transcript of my comments on the main motion be included in the written record of the meeting. >> No objection. >> Thank you. >> All right, we're going to give the last words to Representative Lemon, please. >> Mayor, this has been one incredible meeting. It it's it's daunting to come to the realization and the beauty of our citizens and our city. You stated from the very beginning the most thoughtful words that we could have. We've had lots of discussion open to the public and so many beautiful messages have come about. I can only reflect right now on Mr. Bines >> and Judge Chu. I personally am going to make sure that I have a transcript of every single one of these comments because there was so much power in this room today. I think that while we do not all agree and while there are areas that you know El Paso water police this was not about police it was about ICE disgruntled gentlemen I think we can come down to one basic thing and the item is on the agenda so that we as a city can take control of our narrative we don't want others to write our story and we make the best decisions for our constituents. We heard it very clearly. We must remain watchful at all times. We can't turn our back until this government understands, values, and respects the rights of all the people in our country. Until that day, we must be vigilant. And we are El Paso, a city of immigrants. We stand for the humane treatment and respect of all our people. And thank you for allowing me to speak and for having this item on the agenda today. Mayor, thank you very much. >> You got it. >> Thank you, Miss Lemon. >> Call for the vote. >> Okay, Miss Prime, we had a motion and a second and we received all the public comment. Can we please call for the vote? >> Yes, sir. And so the motion was made by Representative Lemon, seconded by Representative Canales, and this is to direct the city manager in collaboration with the city attorney to develop a plan of action to prevent the installation of any immigration customs enforcement ICE detention facilities in the city. Additionally, to collaborate with the county of El Paso to support this measure. Further, direct the city manager and city attorney to research and look into the following and report back within 60 days. Number one, create and present a protocol that prevents federal law enforcement officers from entering any city facility with the intention to search, detain, or arrest a person without a signed judicial warrant. Number two, explore a moratorium on permitting zoning and licensing for immigration and custom enforcement facilities. And number three, produce a report that details all points of co cooperation between the city of El Paso and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On that motion, call for the vote and the voting session. And that motion passes unanimously.