SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio City Council has approved a $300,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Police Chief William McManus.
The 2018 lawsuit stems from the handling of an alleged human smuggle operation on December 23, 2017.
Paxton’s previous ask of removing McManus emerged from the incident where a dozen individuals suspected of entering the country illegally were discovered in a tractor-trailer. San Antonio police opted to handle the case under a state smuggling statute. Authorities connected the immigrants with catholic charities, RAICES and immigrant advocacy groups.
“This call was situational, based on a fairly fluid situation on the scene,” McManus said in a Jan. 4, 2018 press conference about the incident. “This is not necessarily the way every case is going to be handled going forward."
Authorities connected the immigrants with catholic charities, RAICES and immigrant advocacy groups.
Paxton said McManus violated Senate Bill 4, and called for McManus to be removed.
City Manager Erik Walsh says the city and state agreed the city was not at fault, and did not violate the law.
Chief McManus will remain chief of SAPD.
Walsh says Thursday's action is a good resolution for the city and taxpayers. Walsh says he believes the city would have won, but it would have cost more money.
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