SAN ANTONIO — Attorneys for an East Side church this week sent letters to city officials, warning them against getting in the way of the church's plan to partner with a for-profit company in opening a temporary shelter for migrant children at the church's community center.
The Second Baptist Church filed an application for zoning verification, which which asks the city's Zoning Commission and City Council to confirm whether leasing its facilities to VisionQuest National, LLC for the purposes of a migrant children shelter is permissible under its current zoning designations.
"We respectfully request confirmation that (VisionQuest's) proposed use as a temporary, migrant children’s housing and educational facility (as herein described) is allowed by right within the ... current zoning designation and by virtue of the Owner’s status as a religious organization," the first letter reads.
A second letter from a Michigan-based firm, addressed to City Attorney Andy Segovia, states that "any such denial of Second Baptist Church’s right to exercise its religion would be in violation of federal and state law."
"The City should not withhold any approval for my client’s ministry lest it find itself in violation of these laws," the second letter states.
Segovia responded to the letters calling them an "overt threat of litigation."
“The lengthy overt threat of litigation is not productive to the review process," Segovia told KENS 5 in a statement. "At issue here is simply whether or not the community facility, which is currently used for educational and recreational activities, can meet the local, state and federal regulations to provide temporary housing services for migrant children.”
While it's up to the city's Zoning Commission and City Council to decide on the zoning verification application, there are still other state licenses needed before the plan could move forward, if approved by the city.
'We are saying no to VisionQuest; we are saying no to migrant detention; and we are saying no to the abuse of our children'
The letters come after Mayor Ron Nirenberg and councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan came out against the church's proposal earlier this month.
Nirenberg told KENS 5 that while the city has always welcomed migrants with open arms, the church's plan to partner with VisionQuest and keep children put in the shelter was "not the answer."
"I'm not comfortable with dropping a facility like this in the heart of our city," Nirenberg said.
Andrews-Sullivan, who represents the district where the church is located, echoed Nirenberg's disapproval.
“The children who go through these centers experience trauma at the hands of VisionQuest and will always carry it with them," Andrews-Sullivan said in a statement earlier this month. "We are saying no to VisionQuest; we are saying no to migrant detention; and we are saying no to the abuse of our children.”
On Wednesday, Precinct Four Commissioner Tommy Calvert also protested the idea, pointing to allegations of abuse and neglect associated with VisionQuest, as well as the company's for-profit model.
The Second Baptist Church is engaged in a multi-million dollar contract with VisionQuest for the facility. The church, however, is a nonprofit organization.
Online records show that VisionQuest has received $37.8 million in federal grants this fiscal year, a surge from the $3.6 million provided in the previous fiscal year.
"It's time for the people to turn the tables on the temple and stop making money off the church," Calvert said. "You look at groups like Travis Park and United Methodist Church, they're doing nonprofit help for migrant families. They are not making a profit off of it. They are dealing with care and compassion and they didn't need a $4 million contract to do it.
"So, we'll empower people about the differences and we'll empower people about who they're going into business with because those are not the kind of folks that I think the church should be going into business with, or any community organization."
Second Baptist Church Deacon Thomas Washington countered, telling KENS 5 via phone Wednesday that he doesn't see the difference between working with a for-profit or a nonprofit.
"We're working with VisionQuest because VisionQuest has already been awarded the contract to provide the shelters for these kids and a nonprofit organization wouldn't make a difference. There's still a certain amount that has to be made to keep churches in business and schools in business whether we'd been approached by charter schools."
Washington also said some of the allegations of neglect and abuse were exaggerated.
"Charter schools have abuse, public schools have abuse and there's abuse in the home," Washington said.
Nevertheless, he said the church is interested in having a third-party exercise oversight of operations.
"That is something we would like to work with the city on. (To have) someone from the community to do that and report back to the city of San Antonio how things are going with the shelter."
Washington said there's no reason to be anything but transparent about operations, should the plan move forward.
"If VisionQuest wanted to open a detention center, they would have leased a warehouse with concrete floors and walls," Washington said. "But they wanted a facility that was good for the kids. We have a bowling alley, we have a gym, we have a full kitchen. It's a top-notch facility. It will be the best shelter in the state."
Washington said he believes other shelters across the nation have not encountered as much push-back in their decision.
"When Second Baptist Church decided to help the children, it for some reason turned negative pretty quick and for reasons that aren't true."
According to the first letter to city leaders, VisionQuest would lease the community facility from the church and "accommodate up to 90 boys between the ages of 11-17 ... while they are transitioning to a more permanent home after leaving detention facilities at the US border. The length of stay at the Community Facility will approximately range from 30- 90 days. During their stay, the children will be provided educational services, healthcare services including vision and dental, community engagement and recreation activities. The children will be supervised 24 hours/day, monitored by security with a staff ratio of 4 children per staff member of duty, and the applicant will comply will all state and federal code regulations regarding childcare facilities."
Washington also shared the following statement on behalf of the church:
"We are positive about the zoning application and the way ahead. We at Second Baptist look forward to welcoming these unaccompanied minors and providing them with a much better way of live. With the help of VisionQuest and the belief in good, these children will be provided safe shelter, education, mental health, trauma counseling, health care and other necessary services for unaccompanied minors with the goal of unifying them with families and placing them in a permanent home within 30 to 90 days. Part of our mission in addition to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ at Second Baptist, we want to provide shelter for those who are homeless, food for those who are in need of food and clothing to those in need of clothing. Here at Second Baptist, our church members have built a facility and it was built on church member donations and it will be able to be used by the community. San Antonio has access to health and social services that these kids of this age need. The community of San Antonio has been welcoming migrants from all directions since its founding. If we don't open this facility, that's about 90 kids that will remain stuck behind chain-link fences at the border."