Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez addresses the Laredo City Council regarding homelessness downtown and their approach to mental health on April 20, 2026, at City Hall.
David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times
The Laredo City Council approved a two-part effort aimed at addressing homelessness, combining expanded enforcement with a push for new mental health resources.
The first measure directs city management to develop a timeline-based campaign to better identify the city’s unhoused population, connect individuals with available services and enforce existing ordinances in public spaces and other high-visibility areas. Officials said the issue has spread beyond downtown into neighborhoods across the city.
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The second action focuses on pursuing state legislation to establish a dedicated mental health facility in Laredo and create a court-supervised homelessness diversion program.
District VIII Councilmember Alyssa Cigarroa, who introduced the legislative proposal, said homelessness requires a coordinated and long-term response.
“Homelessness is a complex challenge facing communities across the nation, and Laredo is no exception,” Cigarroa said. “It impacts public safety, economic vitality and speaks to our shared moral responsibility to support those most in need.”
Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez told council the issue is closely tied to gaps in the local mental health system, placing a significant burden on officers.
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“Mental health is a big problem in our city,” Rodriguez said. “And when we are not addressing the core problem, we’re gonna continue seeing this increase.”
Rodriguez said officers often spend hours or even days with individuals in crisis once a case escalates to emergency detention.
“Right when it jumps into an emergency detention, it’s game over for us because we know we’re gonna be at the hospital sometimes hours, sometimes days,” he said. “Now we’re responsible to transport that individual from here to San Antonio or from here to the Valley because we don’t have a state hospital.”
He described the process as a “revolving door,” noting that individuals are often released shortly after intake and return to the streets.
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“The only way to address that component of it is to have a mental state hospital here in our city,” Rodriguez said.
The strain has also been compounded by jurisdictional limits, with the county no longer assisting in certain transports, leaving responsibility with the arresting officer.
To address visible homelessness, police recently conducted a two-week operation downtown and along the San Bernardo corridor that resulted in a 33% decrease in incidents.
“In two weeks we’ve decreased 33%,” Rodriguez said, adding that while effective, such efforts require sustained resources. “We cannot be there 24/7, 365 days of the year.”
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The operation included more than 100 traffic stops and nearly 200 suspicious person checks and cost about $18,000, according to city officials.
Cigarroa said recent investments, including a $7.5 million partnership with Bethany House, have helped expand local capacity. The facility, fully operational since March, includes emergency beds, separate spaces for men, women and children and a centralized resource center.
Councilmembers emphasized that homelessness in Laredo often involves severe mental illness and substance abuse, requiring more than traditional housing solutions.
The proposed legislation would seek to establish a regional behavioral health campus similar to one in Uvalde, as well as a specialized court program designed to divert individuals into treatment and services rather than the criminal justice system.
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Cigarroa said continued collaboration between city, county and community partners will be critical moving forward.
“This is not an issue that should be politicized,” she said. “It is one that demands collaboration, clarity and a commitment to real solutions for our community.”