ICE plans for expansion

RAYMONDVILLE — Willacy County officials have taken preliminary steps to build a 1,000-bed expansion to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.

Planning for three permanent buildings is in the works, rather than additional Kevlar dome tent-type structures that are used now, Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence said.

“They’ve been having meetings with Homeland Security and ICE,” said Spence.

“They’re wanting to expand. They’re waiting (for federal approval). At least they’re laying the groundwork for it.”

District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra said county commissioners violated the Texas Open Government Act this week by discussing the detention center in closed session and then voting for it afterward without discussion.

Guerra said Thursday that commissioners illegally approved the “$40 million project.”

In a letter to Gov. Rick Perry last month, County Judge Eliseo Barnhart said commissioners have had to hire outside attorneys to advise them because Guerra hasn’t attended a county meeting for months.

Spence said Guerra did attend part of Monday’s meeting, but said Guerra, the district and county attorney, has rarely attended county meetings in the past several months.

Commissioner Eddie Chapa would only confirm that an “economic development” item was passed Monday after discussion in closed session.

That item was listed as No. 5 on Monday’s Commissioners Court agenda:

“EXECUTIVE SESSION as authorized by Texas Government Code Section 551.087, discussion and consideration of an Economical Development Project and approving an amendment to the agreement between Willacy County, U.S. Homeland Security, and Immigration Customs Enforcement Contract No. DROIGSA-06-0031HSCEOPTG00004 and authorize the County Judge to execute the agreement.”

Meeting minutes provided by County Clerk Terry Flores show that Chapa made the motion to approve the agreement, which was seconded by County Judge Pro Tem Emilio Vera.

Commissioner Aurelio Guerra abstained from voting. Barnhart was absent.

Neither Barnhart or Vera could be reached for comment.

When the first phase of the federal detention enter opened in August 2006, federal officials said it was designed to hold 500 illegal immigrants.

Carl Stuart, spokesman for Management and Training Corp., the company that operates the Willacy detention center under a contract with ICE, said he could not comment on future plans at the center without clearance from federal officials.

ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda in San Antonio said media inquries about the project have been forwarded to officials in Washington.