For a short stretch on Thursday, federal immigration agents turned Buda City Hall into their base camp, parking a transport vehicle outside the building while carrying out enforcement in nearby neighborhoods. City officials say they told the agents to move the vehicle to free up the already tight public parking downtown, and the agency went along with the request. Buda leaders stressed that neither the City of Buda nor the Buda Police Department took part in the operation. The brief appearance of the bus is the latest flashpoint in what has been a month of stepped-up immigration enforcement across the Austin area.
According to MySA, the city said in a Facebook post that ICE planned to temporarily park a transport vehicle at City Hall as a central hub while agents worked in surrounding areas. The post said city officials asked that the bus be relocated so public parking would be available, and agents complied. The vehicle was moved to Historic Stagecoach Park and, to the city’s knowledge, was no longer there later in the day. MySA also reported that the city reached out to ICE for comment and pledged to share only verified information as it comes in.
At about 7:45 a.m. Thursday, the Kyle Police Department says it responded to a 911 call for ambulance assistance involving a person detained by the Department of Homeland Security/ICE. That individual was taken to a hospital with Homeland Security personnel accompanying, according to the Houston Chronicle. Kyle police said they were not notified ahead of time about the federal enforcement action and were there only to support EMS. Officials did not immediately release the person’s identity or condition.
Officials and neighbors respond
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra praised Buda and Kyle for “speaking plainly” when federal activity stirs uncertainty in local neighborhoods, The University Star reported. City staff fanned out through downtown and park areas after residents began posting sightings and tips on social media, according to Hays Free Press. Local officials urged residents to look to confirmed city updates, not speculative social posts, as they tried to clarify what was actually happening on the ground.
Context and recent incidents
Buda, a city of roughly 16,000 in Hays County, ranks among the Austin region’s fastest-growing suburbs. U.S. Census estimates put its July 2024 population at about 16,090. U.S. Census QuickFacts shows that about 78 percent of residents are white, with more than 30 percent identifying as Hispanic or Latino.
Local coverage has framed the bus sighting as part of a broader uptick in ICE activity in the Austin area this month. MySA reports that agents arrested five people at a January 11 protest; they were later released but still face charges. Advocates and relatives also raised alarms after ICE detained a mother and her 5-year-old daughter on January 5. Family members say the child, Génesis Ester Gutiérrez Castellanos, is a U.S. citizen and that for several days after the arrest, her whereabouts were unclear, according to Univision Austin.
Legal note
The operation was handled by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, or ERO, the branch responsible for interior arrests, transportation, and removals. On its website, ICE's ERO describes that work as part of its mission to enforce immigration laws and manage removals. Local leaders repeatedly underscored that municipal police agencies were not participating in the federal operation and that the city would continue to share only confirmed information with residents, The University Star reported.
