Paxton files suit to have McManus removed as chief over 2017 immigrant release incident
SAN ANTONIO โ A lawsuit filed in Bexar County district court last month by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton calls for San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus to be removed from office over his handling of a 2017 immigrant release incident. On Tuesday, a Defenders investigation revealed the city has already spent more than $2.75 million defending McManus and SAPD as it fights a sanctuary cities lawsuit filed by Paxton over the same 2017 incident. The suit claims McManus limited the enforcement of federal immigration laws in December 2017, when he made the decision to release 12 suspected undocumented immigrants found inside a tractor-trailer on the East Side, instead of handing them over to federal immigration officials. San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia (left) and SAPD Chief William McManus (right). RELATED: Texas AG alleges San Antonio mayor told staff to not contact ICE, flouting SB 4 law
City of San Antonio has spent $2.75 million defending SAPD in sanctuary cities lawsuit, records show
SAN ANTONIO โ The City of San Antonio has now spent more than $2.75 million in outside attorney fees to fight a sanctuary cities lawsuit filed by the state against Chief William McManus, the police department and the city, records obtained by KSAT 12 Defenders show. The filing claims high-ranking city officials were told โthe Mayor does not want ICE called,โ and that Nirenberg later described their release without being handed over to federal immigration officials as a โChristmas giftโ for their families. City officials have repeatedly refused in recent months to make Segovia available for an interview about the suit. AdDepositions were still being gathered as recently as early this month, court records confirm. AdNichols was given probation in the case in May 2019, according to court records.