‘We stand up for our neighbors,’ San Antonio mayor says of protests against ICE raids

Geoff Bennett:

Well, today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said 5,000 National Guard members have also been deployed throughout that state ahead of planned protests.

Several mayors are pushing back on that move, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

I spoke with him earlier today.

Mayor Nirenberg, welcome to the "News Hour."

How would you characterize what unfolded in San Antonio last night? What did you see and what did it signal to you?

Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas: It was a peaceful demonstration in opposition to very cruel and inhumane ways that the Trump administration is carrying out its interpretations of immigration law.

Once again, San Antonio has demonstrated that we have a long tradition of peaceful demonstrations and protests in support of human rights and civil rights. And it was there last night. And it was also monitored and supported in people exercising their First Amendment rights by our San Antonio Police Department, which does a great job in supporting people's right to assemble.

Geoff Bennett:

Governor Abbott says the decision to send in the National Guard will allow for what he called a more robust response. Do you agree?

Ron Nirenberg:

Well, we don't need the National Guard. We know how to handle these kinds of protests and demonstrations. We have a long history of that. We didn't ask for the Guard. We weren't notified about it. My hope is that DPS and the San Antonio Police Department will remain coordinated.

But, in my estimation, this kind of anticipatory show of force only feeds into the people that want to escalate tensions. And that's not the goal if our effort is to protect public safety.

Geoff Bennett:

And how does that complicate your job as mayor?

Ron Nirenberg:

Well, number one, this nation and our democracy is founded on the right to exercise speech and to assemble and to oppose dictatorial law — or dictatorial rule. And that's what people are doing here in the street of San Antonio and so many other places.

It ought to be supported by people, at the same time protecting public safety. And that's what we have continued to remind our community. There is a way to do this right and also make your voice heard. And that is to ensure nobody gets harmed and property isn't damaged. That's what the police department here is very good at supporting. And they're going to continue to do that.

National Guard hasn't been deployed in San Antonio in a very, very long time. And we don't see it's necessary, given what we saw last night and what we have seen repeatedly over the years.

Geoff Bennett:

How have the ICE raids affected the San Antonio community?

Ron Nirenberg:

Well, San Antonio is an international city. We are a binational community by heritage. We are a community that's the largest Latino majority in the country.

And so we treat people with dignity and respect and compassion, and that goes for immigrants too. And so the kind of really cruel and inhumane approach to immigration policy that you have seen from the Trump administration really rips at the fabric of families here. And that's why you're seeing the resistance and the opposition out in the street.

We stand up for our neighbors. We stand up for the people that we work with and go to school with and who fight our battles in the military for us. And that's going to continue. It's making people very angry. It's making people who have immigrated here fearful. And that rips away the fabric and social cohesion that is an earmark of the San Antonio community. That's why people are upset.

That's why I, frankly, agree with their anger. And that's why we need to peacefully assemble and oppose these kind of inhumane laws and try to bring some reason back into our lawmakers.

Geoff Bennett:

Ron Nirenberg, the mayor of San Antonio, thank you for joining us this evening. We appreciate it.

Ron Nirenberg:

Thanks for having me, Geoff.