The Laredo City Council on Thursday voted to back a federal grant application that would provide $11 million over three years to the Laredo Police Department for personnel and technology, including drones, city officials said. The council’s approval clears the way for the application to be submitted, though the grant has not yet been awarded.
What the funds would cover
According to the presentation to council, the proposed federal award would be used to add sworn personnel and to acquire unmanned aerial systems and related equipment. City officials said the grant requires no local match, meaning Laredo would not have to allocate additional municipal funds to draw down the federal award if it is granted.
- Amount: $11 million
- Duration: Three years
- Intended uses: Drones (unmanned aerial systems) and additional police staff
- Local match: None required by the city
Community concerns and response
Not all residents welcomed the move. Advocates with local immigrant rights groups voiced apprehension about possible federal conditions attached to the funding and how those conditions could affect local immigration‑related interactions. Max Prado, with the Laredo Immigrant Alliance, told council members the money is not unconditional.
“This is not just a free $11 million. There’s a lot of strings attached to this funding,” Prado said.
Those concerns appeared to factor into the council vote. The application was approved by the council, with Council Member Alyssa Cigarroa casting the lone dissenting vote.
Police assurances and operational context
Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez addressed one of the central community worries, telling council members the department will not be asking people to prove their immigration status as part of routine policing. He framed the grant discussion partly around operational capacity.
“I know that there is going to be this question: Is Laredo PD going to be asking for documentation or papers from certain individuals? Absolutely not. We don’t even have the manpower to answer our own calls,” Rodriguez said, adding the presentation was intended to explain current response times and staffing issues.
Chief Rodriguez emphasized the department’s limited staffing to counter suggestions that additional federal resources would be used for immigration enforcement. He also said the grant presentation was meant to help council and the public understand how the funds could affect response times and service delivery.
Next steps and what residents should know
The city’s approval simply authorizes submission of the grant application; it does not guarantee award or obligate the city to accept terms that it deems unacceptable. Officials have said the city would not have to provide a local funding match if the grant is awarded.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grant amount | $11 million |
| Grant length | Three years |
| Local match | Not required |
| Council vote | Approved (1 lone dissent) |
Community advocates and council members will likely continue to monitor any federal conditions attached to the award if the grant is offered. Questions about how drones would be deployed, who would operate them, privacy safeguards, and whether grant terms might require cooperation with federal immigration authorities remain at the forefront of public concern.
For now, Laredoans can expect further public discussion if and when the grant is officially offered to the city, at which point officials would need to consider any required certifications, memoranda of understanding or other stipulations before accepting federal funds.
(Reporting based on a KGNS account of the Laredo City Council meeting.)
