Last week, I was proud to welcome the International Test Conference (ITC) to San Antonio for the first time in its more than 50-year history. Bringing semiconductor engineers, researchers, and industry leaders together here is an opportunity to demonstrate how San Antonio can contribute to the semiconductor testing ecosystem.   From the Taiwan Expo last month to ITC last week, we’re building relationships with the global semiconductor industry and showing everyone why they need to have a presence in Military City USA. Many thanks to Roman Sandoval and Bianca Rhodes, members of the Mayor’s Economic Security Advisory Group, for helping to welcome this prestigious group to San Antonio.

We continue to keep the family of TSgt Ian Patterson in our prayers. TSgt Patterson was a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) airman with the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, the team that trains the next generation of TACPs. The TACP Foundation has established a family support fund for those interested in contributing. Link below: givebutter.com/tacp-family

Every five years, San Antonio voters consider a bond program to fund major infrastructure improvements, including streets, drainage, sidewalks, parks, and affordable housing.   “Our City’s infrastructure investments should be driven by community need and economic development, while also considering the historic inequities that shape disparities in everything from educational attainment to life expectancy. I am confident Jim, Jelynne, and Mario are the right folks to lead this forward, and I appreciate their willingness to serve our community in this way.”   Tri-Chairs: •Jim Perschbach, CEO of Port San Antonio •Jelynne LeBlanc Jamison, President and CEO of The Center for Health Care Services •Mario Obledo, Jr., Chief of Government and Public Affairs of the San Antonio Food Bank

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of an Air Force service member following an unfortunate accident at Saturday’s UTSA-Navy football game. We will keep his family in our prayers. May perpetual light shine upon him.

San Antonio’s next chapter in air travel and economic development is taking shape. At yesterday’s topping-off ceremony for Terminal C, we celebrated a major construction milestone alongside the 800+ dedicated workers helping to build our city’s future.   Scheduled to open in 2028, we project a $2.8 billion economic impact over the course of the broader terminal development project, supporting jobs and opportunities for local businesses as we strengthen San Antonio’s connections to the world.   Thank you to Hensel Phelps, their subcontractors, Corgan, Lake Flato, and our City and Aviation teams for bringing this vision to life. From local materials to design inspired by our waterways and landscape, this terminal will leave a lasting impression on visitors and residents alike.

Today, the City of San Antonio sued DHS and ICE to require they follow the steps under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For months, my office and City staff have requested basic information that the people of San Antonio are owed, to include: •How do you intend to comply with the NEPA review? •How do you intend to use the City’s permitting processes? •How do you intend to solicit and consider in good faith the people’s feedback?   We received no answers. Instead, the people of San Antonio learned in the media that ICE awarded a $17M contract to GardaWorld, the contractors responsible for Alligator Alcatraz.   That is unacceptable.   Our community deserves basic answers, as we read about unsanitary conditions, insufficient medical care, unsafe food and water in other ICE facilities—not just across the country—but less than 75 miles from here at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, for example.   This is about respecting the law and our community. San Antonio is done waiting.   I appreciate the City Attorney and his staff’s efforts to file suit today.

There’s power in being yourself. As San Antonio’s first openly gay mayor, I’m proud to celebrate National Coming Out Day and remind folks that everyone deserves dignity, respect, and a community that supports them.   Whether you’re thinking about coming out or need support afterward, Thrive Youth Center, Fiesta Youth, Pride Center San Antonio, PFLAG, and the San Antonio LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce are great resources to connect with.   And if someone has an issue with you being out, that’s a them problem, not a you problem.   Happy National Coming Out Day, San Antonio.

Great to join the Witte Museum to celebrate 100 years of bringing Texas history, science, and culture to life for so many.   The City of San Antonio was integral in the museum’s founding, as it was Mayor John Tobin who authorized $75,000 for the construction of the museum. Additionally, all Witte employees worked for the City of San Antonio for the first six decades of the museum, showing how intertwined the City and the Witte were from its origins. Founded through the vision of educator Ellen Schulz Quillin and the support of students, neighbors, and the City of San Antonio, the Witte continues to expand opportunities to learn.   Thank you to Marise McDermott for her years of leadership and for documenting this history in The Witte Museum: 100 Years of Inspiration, Innovation and Resilience. And, thank you to Dr. Michelle Cuellar Everidge, the staff, trustees, volunteers, and supporters for carrying that work forward.   Congratulations to the Witte on a century of discovery and the school trips, family visits, and memories that have made it part of growing up in San Antonio.

Great to join neighbors at Pickwell Park earlier this week for San Antonio Neighbors Together. Across our city, this annual tradition brings neighbors, first responders, and City staff together to build connections, share resources, and help keep our neighborhoods safe. Special treat is always hearing from our littlest neighbors!

Great to join the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) at Our Lady of the Lake University to celebrate 40 years of expanding educational opportunity.   Founded on this campus with 18 other institutions, including five from San Antonio, HACU advocates for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which today enroll two-thirds of Hispanic undergraduates nationwide. That advocacy strengthens colleges and universities serving students of all backgrounds.   Thank you to Dr. Antonio Flores, Dr. David Ortiz, and Dr. Abel Chávez for their leadership. And, a special thanks to the student speaker Monzerrate, a fellow John Jay alum, for sharing her experiences at the Lake.   Congratulations to the HACU team on four decades of supporting students and strengthening the institutions that serve them.

Today, City Council passed a resolution directing CPS Energy and SAWS to assess the potential impacts of the proposed 1,500-person ICE processing center on San Antonio’s Eastside. The review will also examine impacts on public works and public safety.   The City requested information from ICE by September 30 and received no response. The City Attorney is reviewing legal options to halt renovations of the facility. San Antonians deserve answers about a project that could affect their neighborhoods, public services, and safety.

Today at A Session, we approved the SAWS rate adjustment needed to ensure our community has the water infrastructure she needs and deserves as we balance demands from growth and operational risks. Safe drinking water and flushing toilets aren’t nice to haves—they’re must haves, which means we had to invest. Lastly, I’m thankful to the SAWS staff for their hard work each day to serve our community.

“San Antonio is the third most impoverished big city in the country, so it’s not surprising that federal policies causing high gas prices and high grocery bills would disproportionately impact our community—all while aggressive ICE enforcement activities instill fear in our communities, drive up labor costs, and threaten property tax values on the Eastside if the ICE processing facility is built. As Military City USA, we are also closely tracking the Iran War and its strain on operational readiness and military families, as it also drives gas prices in our community to nearly $3.70.”

Update highlights: - The City Council will meet next Thursday, October 8th to discuss and take action to have SAWS and CPS provide impact assessments for the proposed ICE facility on the Eastside. I don’t want to wait another day, much less another week. - I support legal action to halt the proposed ICE facility.

For months, the City of San Antonio has requested information regarding ICE’s intentions to utilize an Eastside facility as an ICE processing center.   September 30, 2026, was the deadline for the latest inquiry, and the City of San Antonio did not receive a response.   Therefore, I support legal action to halt all activities related to renovating the Eastside facility into a 1,500-person ICE processing center. The City Attorney is reviewing options in that vein and will provide an update when appropriate.   The people of San Antonio deserve transparency from their federal leaders on this issue, and I remain committed to achieving that.

Last week, at the invitation of the Taiwanese Consulate equivalent, I attended the Taiwan Expo USA in Dallas where 150 Taiwanese companies set up to highlight their products in all of the areas that San Antonio is looking to partner and compete: advanced technologies, AI, drones, biotechnology, and so much more.     Taiwan is one of Texas’ top trading partners for imports and Foreign Direct Investment, and they’re looking to invest further. This trip builds on the TEEMA delegation I hosted last year, the economic delegation I led to Taiwan earlier, and the recent follow-on engagements I’ve hosted as firms get to see firsthand all that San Antonio has to offer.   We can’t assume opportunities will come to us—we must create them and that means getting out there to build those relationships, raise San Antonio’s profile, and make sure San Antonio is no longer Texas’ best kept economic development secret.   Let’s go, San Antonio.

Join me at my monthly Mayoral Town Hall from 6:30 to 7:30pm on Wednesday, October 21st, 2026 at the Southside Lions Senior Center, 3303 Pecan Valley Dr, 78210.   We’ll discuss pressing issues facing our community, and I look forward to taking your questions.   Registration is encouraged but not required at the link in my bio. This event is ADA accessible, and Spanish translation is available. Light refreshments will be provided.

PSA: Heavy Rain Advisory

Great to join the YMCA of Greater San Antonio in celebrating an incredible milestone: 150 years of serving our community.   For generations, the Y has been a place where San Antonians come together — supporting our children, strengthening families, building healthier communities, and creating opportunities for people at every stage of life.   As the YMCA looks toward its next chapter through the Uniting Generations campaign, we celebrate the people who built this legacy and the generations who will carry it forward.   Congratulations to the YMCA of Greater San Antonio on 150 years of service to our city!