Austin FC Supporters Plan “Blackout” as Anger Over Fan Ban Grows
Los Verdes and Austin Anthem say the club has been silent on community safety. The club says it followed stadium policy.
When Austin FC takes the field against Nashville tonight at Q2 Stadium, a large part of its home crowd is expected to be dressed in black, with no green, no flags and no colors.
The “blackout” was called by the supporter groups Los Verdes and Austin Anthem, and it is the latest chapter in a dispute over the club’s policies and its relationship with the Latino community that fills its stands.
The incident
The controversy began on September 26, Hispanic Heritage Night, when fan Daniela Silva wore an “Abolish ICE” shirt to the match against San Diego FC.
Silva, a 2022 City Council candidate and immigrant-rights organizer, says staff told her the shirt broke venue rules and offered her a free club shirt to wear over it. She declined, was removed, and received a criminal trespass warning that bars her from Q2 for a year.
“It just felt extremely timely to wear this shirt to show solidarity to the people in the stands who might be afraid of going about their daily lives for fear that they’ll be kidnapped by ICE [and] to show the players that we stand in solidarity with them, regardless of where they come from. Because it’s important now more than ever that people take a stand for what is right and decent in our country.” — Daniela Silva to the Austin Chronicle
Austin FC says the shirt violated a stadium policy against signs or symbols advocating for or against candidates, parties, legislation or government action. The club says it handled the matter according to matchday policies and offered Silva a way to stay. It also says that ICE has never been present at Q2 Stadium and does not use its offices.
The community’s response
Silva says she wore the shirt in solidarity with Wilber Garcés Pérez, whom she says was shot in the back a week earlier, and with others critical of recent immigration enforcement. She also says the club makes money celebrating Latino culture and has not responded to her.
A student publication, The Daily Texan, reports that supporters, the club’s drum-and-horn ensemble and a UT alumna have criticized the club’s handling of the ban. The Austin Chronicle called the ejection a “bad look” and noted that such policies are often enforced inconsistently.
The blackout
A flyer from Los Verdes and Austin Anthem asks fans to attend in black, leave the green at home and “let the message be clear.”
It says the community asked for answers and the club must do more, and it carries the slogan “ICE fuera de Austin.” The groups say the front office has not done enough to address the policies and practices that leave their community feeling unsafe at Q2, and that continued silence has consequences.
The format is notable.
A black-clothing protest carries no slogans, which sidesteps the rule cited against Silva, and it keeps supporters in the stadium.
What remains unclear
The competing claims have not been independently verified, including viral social media posts alleging that a guard said ICE agents were inside the stadium. The club denies that.
As of this writing, Austin FC has not publicly responded to the blackout.
While team officials have remained silent regarding the subsequent supporter fallout, the club did issue a formal public statement on September 28 clarifying the baseline incident:
- Policy Enforcement: Officials stated that the shirt violated Q2 Stadium’s guidelines prohibiting signs, symbols, or images displayed for electioneering, campaigning, or advocating for or against government actions. They noted that Silva was offered a complimentary, neutral T-shirt to stay, but refused.
- ICE Rumors Refuted: Addressing widespread online speculation that federal immigration agents were inside the venue, Austin FC explicitly stated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was not present at the stadium and does not use any club facilities.
Within three blocks of Austin FC’s main office on 1825-B Kramer Lane, Suite 150 is BI Incorporated. According to Geo Group, BI Incorporated is a subsidiary of Geo Group which works directly with ICE to help carry out their “Intensive Supervision Attendance Program.”
BI Incorporated provides ICE case management technology for individuals under immigration supervision.
Sources:
- San Antonio Current, “Woman banned from Austin FC games after wearing anti-ICE T-shirt on Hispanic Heritage night” — https://www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-news/woman-banned-from-austin-fc-games-after-wearing-anti-ice-t-shirt-on-hispanic-heritage-night/
- KXAN, “Austin woman removed from Q2 Stadium over anti-ICE shirt” — https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-woman-says-she-was-removed-from-q2-stadium-over-anti-ice-shirt-ties-incident-to-concerns-about-immigrant-treatment/
- Austin American-Statesman, “Austin FC addresses situation of fan wearing ‘Abolish ICE’ shirt removed” — https://www.statesman.com/sports/mls/article/abolish-ice-q2-stadium-austin-fc-22453314.php
- Yahoo Sports (Statesman syndication), “‘Abolish ICE’ shirt gets fan kicked out of Q2 Stadium before Austin FC match” — https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/abolish-ice-shirt-gets-fan-223058384.html
- The Austin Chronicle, “Fan’s ‘Abolish ICE’ T-Shirt Ejection Is a Bad Look for Austin FC” — https://www.austinchronicle.com/sports/the-verde-report/fans-abolish-ice-t-shirt-ejection-is-a-bad-look-for-austin-fc/
- The Daily Texan, “Austin FC suspends a fan for one year due to her anti-ICE jersey during Hispanic Heritage Night” (Oct. 8, 2026) — https://thedailytexan.com/2026/10/08/austin-fc-suspends-a-fan-for-one-year-due-to-her-anti-ice-jersey-during-hispanic-heritage-night/
- Operation Sports, “Texas fan says she was kicked out of an Austin FC game over an ‘Abolish ICE’ shirt” — https://www.operationsports.com/texas-fan-says-she-was-kicked-out-of-an-austin-fc-game-over-an-abolish-ice-shirt-then-she-said-a-guard-told-her-ice-agents-were-inside
- Los Verdes and Austin Anthem, “Blackout” flyer for the 10/10/26 home match (image provided by the requester); statement on front-office action as relayed by the requester, original source unverified
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis says APD is still waiting for key evidence from federal authorities as the department investigates the shooting of a Venezuelan man by a federal immigration officer in Austin.
Music fans are returning to Zilker Park for the second weekend of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, stepping onto a vastly transformed landscape after torrential rain turned the opening days into a torrential “MudFest”.
Following last weekend’s downpours—which delayed gate openings, forced early show cancellations, and tore up portions of Zilker’s iconic Great Lawn—city turf specialists and festival grounds crews launched an aggressive, multi-day repair effort.
Maintenance teams used specialized heavy machinery to clear excess mud and level ruts, aerated the compacted soil to promote root recovery, and laid down extensive layers of mulch, straw, and temporary artificial turf across high-traffic walkways to stabilize the ground.
Monday
- The lawn was cleared of all staff and machinery traffic. Favorable weather conditions enabled many saturated areas to dry out.
Tuesday and Wednesday
- Work crews pulled up temporary turf and removed trash, leftover materials, and hardware buried in the ground.
- Work crews removed leftover material piles, cleared mulch from the stage areas, and leveled ruts in the lawn with rollers.
- The lawn was fully aerated.
- Irrigation lines were inspected and found to be in full working order.
- Lawn watering began on Wednesday and continues through Friday.
Thursday
- Lawn protection for Weekend Two was loaded in.
- Weekend Two lawn protection will remain in place through the event. All equipment will stay on lawn protection for the restocking of hospitality, food, and refreshment areas. No exceptions are permitted.
- Work crews began laying down artificial turf in high traffic areas prone to excessive dust.
- Work crews continued watering the lawn.
Friday
- Restocking of hospitality, food, and refreshment areas continues.
- Work crews finish laying down artificial turf in high traffic areas.
- Work crews continue watering the lawn.
Saturday and Sunday
- The lawn will be watered overnight on the weekend.
As with previous years, once event organizers conclude the post-event load-out from Zilker Park, APR and ACME staff, along with C3 representatives, will continue site assessments to plan next steps for this year’s restoration and remediation.
With sunnier conditions aiding the drying process, organizers and city officials say the grounds are stabilized and ready for the final slate of performances—though post-festival remediation will continue long after the music stops to restore the public park.
With tens of thousands of music fans in town for ACL, Austin’s airport broke a record Thursday for passenger traffic.
Travis County election staff have processed more than 32,000 delayed voter registration records from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
A new national survey found a gap between where registered voters get election information and which sources they trust.
Protesters took to the streets of Austin on Thursday, marching from City Hall to UT Austin as part of a nationwide day of action against sexual violence following allegations involving fraternity members at Cornell University.
Authorities in Hays County are searching for two suspects linked to a string of overnight vehicle burglaries in the Crosswinds subdivision early Thursday morning, where multiple firearms were stolen.
An Austin man is facing a first-degree murder charge after his arrest in connection with the killing of a 66-old man in the 1000 block of Norwood Park Boulevard early Tuesday morning. (Austin Police Department)
One person died at a construction site in downtown Austin Friday afternoon after being electrocuted, according to the Austin Fire Department.
Austin police said they received a check welfare urgent call at approximately 2:41 p.m. to a construction site on Reserve Road, where one person was pronounced dead on the scene. (KXAN-TV)
In a pivotal move for Williamson County’s rapidly expanding tech corridor, the Taylor City Council voted unanimously this week to annex and approve a massive 664-acre data center campus, clearing the way for a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure development.
The decision brings the sprawling project—led by Big Watt Digital and PowerHouse Data Centers—into city limits, granting local officials direct regulatory oversight on noise controls, closed-loop water usage, and land development.
While the deal promises upwards of $28 million in community investments and over a billion dollars in projected long-term tax revenue, it has ignited sharp opposition from local residents and grassroots groups concerned over air quality, local resources, and the rapid pace of industrialization in their backyard.
As more Central Texas communities cut ties with companies that operate automated license plate readers, new research is raising questions about where the cameras are placed, what they collect and whether they reduce crime.
WEATHER
…OZONE ACTION DAY… The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has issued an Ozone Action Day for the Austin area for Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the Austin area on Saturday.
You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking or riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive through lanes, conserving energy, and keeping your vehicle properly tuned.
If required, the next Ozone Action Day will be issued by 3 PM.
FRIDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
A reminder that while the burn bans in Williamson and Hays counties have been lifted, Travis County’s ban remains in effect.
What was Hurricane Isaias has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, the National Hurricane Center announced early Saturday morning.
As of 5 a.m. ET, all storm surge and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued. The storm has weakened significantly, with maximum winds now at 35 mph, with higher gusts. The storm is expected to move across Alabama into the Tennessee Valley later today into Sunday.
Isais is expected to dissipate on Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Ending a nearly two-week absence from the campaign trail that sparked intense political speculation, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Rep. James Talarico made a surprise public return Friday afternoon at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Talarico’s campaign maintained that his 13-day hiatus from in-person events was due strictly to a severe bout of the flu—a recovery complicated by his Type 1 diabetes.
However, GOP rivals seized on the prolonged disappearance in the race’s final stretch.
Republican opponent Ken Paxton launched a mock “tipline” and distributed “MISSING” flyers across the state, while President Donald Trump weaponized the absence on social media, claiming Talarico was “MISSING IN ACTION” and suggesting “bad rumors” were circulating about his health and stamina.
Dismissing the GOP attacks as bad-faith conspiracy theories, Talarico’s team posted video of the candidate greeting voters at Zilker Park, framing his ACL appearance as the start of a full-throttle sprint to Election Day.
Meanwhile, Paxton continues to face a stream of bad press with accusations of using taxpayer money to fund at least 17 trips over three months, including to resort destinations Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colorado. He visited the Oklahoma town where he owns a vacation lodge and a Utah community with a golf resort, where he later bought four condominiums. (Texas Tribune)
So much cover: This week, Harvey has the lowdown on how some GOP women got up and walked out when Sen. Angela Paxton told them to vote for her estranged husband. Before that, Evan and I called the Ken Paxton “tip line” to let him know what we’ve heard about the whereabouts of James Talarico.
Defending the Texas House GOP majority, Speaker Dustin Burrows is now working right alongside the rightwing megadonors who his original supporters feared would take over the Texas House last year.
Then, after AG Paxton said in leaked audio that he’s not fully in control of his campaign, Sarah Rumpf with Mediaite joined the show to talk about who’s really been running Paxton’s campaigns all along. Hint: It was those same megadonors now helping Speaker Burrows’ efforts to save his majority.
And after one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s endorsed candidates went on a racist rant during a DWI arrest in the Houston area, it’s worth asking what ever happened to Abbott’s plan to turn Harris County “deep red.” Evan Mintz with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board checks in about that.
(Episode from October 10, 2026)
Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina examine President Donald Trump’s relationship with the Supreme Court, including his recent comments about the justices he nominated and several major cases before the court this term. They also discuss Trump’s decision to publicly share Senator Tom Cotton’s phone number following a disagreement over daylight saving time.
In Texas, the hosts look at Trump’s upcoming visit to the state and his efforts to appeal to Latino voters, as well as the decision by Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to skip Trump’s San Antonio rally.
The episode also examines the race for Texas comptroller, including Democratic candidate Sarah Eckhardt’s accusations that Republican Don Huffines is politicizing the office, along with the latest campaign advertising from Ken Paxton and Greg Abbott.
(Episode from October 10, 2026)
President Donald Trump returnedto Texas to rally Republicans and boost Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign, while also making a push for GOP candidates in competitive congressional races. Dylan McKim examines whether Trump’s support will help Republicans in tight contests or create challenges with independent voters. Renzo Downey and Brad Johnson join us to break down the congressional and Texas House battlegrounds and what they’ll be watching on election night.
The federal government has inked two leases totaling $51 million for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at an office complex on San Antonio’s Southeast Side. (San Antonio News-Express via MSN)
The Trump administration on Thursday asked a federal judge to allow construction on border walls and other infrastructure to continue across the Big Bend region of West Texas.
The move comes less than a week after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone ordered the immediate pause of all Big Bend area border construction and the use of federal waivers accelerating the project, which claim the region is an “area of high illegal entry.” (Texas Public Radio)
August was very dry across Texas, drought expanded sharply, and reservoirs and groundwater declined. The state remains split between a wet, well-stocked east and a dry, depleted west and south.
Rainfall
- Most climate divisions received little to no rain. Rainfall was 0–75% of the 1991–2020 normal everywhere, and 0–50% across most of the state.
- Wetter pockets (up to 6.11 inches) appeared in the northern High Plains, parts of the Trans Pecos, Edwards Plateau, Southern and South Central divisions, the Upper Coast, and parts of East Texas.
- Small areas of the Trans Pecos and southern Southern division reached 200–300% of normal.
Drought
- As of August 25, 90.06% of the state was in D0–D4 (abnormally dry to exceptional drought), about 52 points higher than the end of July.
- 57.36% was in D1 or worse, 22.13% in D2 or worse, and 10.45% in D3–D4. Exceptional drought (D4) covered 2.49%.
- The worst conditions are in the Panhandle and High Plains.
- For comparison, only 31.66% of the state was in drought a year ago.
Reservoirs
- Statewide storage: 72.6% full (23.5 million of 32.4 million acre-feet). That is down about 1.07 million acre-feet (-3.3%) from July and 925,000 acre-feet (-2.9%) from a year ago.
- Of 120 monitored reservoirs, 6 were 100% full and 35 were at or above 90%.
- Fifteen reservoirs were at or below 30% full. The lowest are Palo Duro (0.4%), Greenbelt (5.0%), Twin Buttes (6.2%), Abilene and E.V. Spence (9.9% each), Mackenzie (11.0%), and O.C. Fisher (11.6%). Others are Oak Creek, Sweetwater, J.B. Thomas, White River, Falcon, Choke Canyon, New Terrell City, and Medina Lake.
- Elephant Butte (New Mexico) was 1.4% full.
- By climate division:
- Normal or high: Upper Coast (93.9%), North Central (88.6%), South Central (87.6%), East Texas (84.1%).
- Moderately low: Low Rolling Plains (52.9%), Edwards Plateau (47.5%).
- Severely low: High Plains (34.3%), Southern (29.8%).
- Exceptionally low: Trans Pecos (7.9%).
- By river basin:
- Exceptionally low: Upper/Mid Rio Grande.
- Severely low: Canadian, Upper Colorado, San Antonio, Lower Rio Grande.
- Moderately low: Nueces.
- Normal to high: Red, Sabine, Trinity, Brazos, Neches, Lower Colorado, Guadalupe, and several others.
Soil Moisture
- Root zone moisture was low in parts of the High Plains, Trans Pecos, Southern, South Central, and East Texas. It was high in the central High Plains, Edwards Plateau, eastern North Central, and the Upper Coast.
- Compared with July, moisture increased in the High Plains, Low Rolling Plains, Trans Pecos, and parts of other western and northern divisions. It decreased across much of East Texas, South Central, Southern, and the Upper Coast.
Streamflow
- Most subwatersheds recorded normal flow (25th–75th percentile).
- Above normal flow occurred in the Upper Red, Upper Sabine, Cypress, San Antonio, and Nueces basins.
- Below normal flow was widespread, including the Canadian, Brazos, Colorado, Rio Grande, Pecos, and Guadalupe basins.
- Much below normal flow (under the 10th percentile) occurred in portions of the Canadian, Upper Red, and Upper Colorado basins.
Groundwater (18 monitoring wells)
- Levels fell in 16 wells and rose in 2.
- The largest decline was in the Dallas County Trinity Aquifer well (#4), with water 8.68 feet deeper. The largest rise was in the Reeves County Pecos Valley Aquifer well (#14), at 2.16 feet.
- Other large declines were in La Salle County, Carrizo-Wilcox (-8.18 ft), Bexar County, Edwards (-5.71 ft), Kendall County, Trinity (-3.45 ft), and Hudspeth County (-3.19 ft).
- San Antonio J-17 index well: 86.62 feet below land surface (644.38 feet above sea level). Because of this, the Edwards Aquifer Authority raised the San Antonio Pool to Stage 2 permit reductions, effective August 6, 2026.
Takeaways
- Drought coverage grew sharply in a single month and now affects nearly the whole state.
- Statewide reservoir storage is still healthy at about 73%, but that hides severe shortfalls in West Texas, the Rio Grande, and the Edwards Plateau and Southern regions.
- Groundwater declined almost everywhere, and San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer is under Stage 2 restrictions.
The University of Texas plans to build an AI-native medical center in North Austin featuring a new tower. (Austin Business Journal)
SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Cotton Bowl is set for another chapter of the Red River Rivalry today, as Texas and Oklahoma meet at Fair Park with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CDT.
The Longhorns arrive fresh off a 20-17 road win at Tennessee on Sept. 26, a result that gave them momentum going into the sport’s most storied October rivalry. Oklahoma is the designated home team in this year’s neutral-site matchup, and the stadium will again be split down the middle, with burnt orange on one side and crimson and cream on the other.
TEXAS A&M / TEXAS TECH / HOUSTON
The Aggies and Cougars see action today while the Red Raiders have a bye.
NBA: The Houston Rockets made an emphatic opening statement to start their preseason tour in Asia, cruising past the Dallas Mavericks 135–117 on Friday morning in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena. (Houston Chronicle)
ON THE SCHEDULE
The Texas rivalry moves to round two in Macao. The Rockets and Mavericks will hit the floor Sunday morning.
The San Antonio Spurs play the second of their five preseason games tonight in Phoenix with tipoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. CDT.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Austin-area scores Friday, October 9.
Class 6A
- Cedar Park 37, Hutto 35
- Cedar Ridge 35, Lake Travis 34, which spoiled the debut of Lake Travis’ remodeled stadium
- Stony Point 57, McNeil 39
- Buda Johnson 63, Del Valle 7
- Rouse 17, Leander 0
Class 5A
- Smithson Valley 42, Anderson 7
- A&M Consolidated 49, Weiss 47
- Bastrop 71, Crockett 0
- McCallum 21, Lehman 7
- Manor 54, Cedar Creek 14
Smaller classes and private schools
- Lago Vista 64, Austin Eastside Memorial 0
- Fredericksburg 56, Austin Northeast 7
- Austin Hill Country 64, St. Mary’s Hall 13
- Austin San Juan Diego 46, Kerrville Our Lady of the Hills 34
- Fischer Canyon Lake 54, Austin William Travis 7
- FW Trinity Valley 49, Austin SPC 0
MLS: Austin FC hosts Eastern Conference foe Nashville SC in a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open Cup Final night. The match is set for a 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Q2 Stadium. (Austin FC)
NHL: The Dallas Stars take their road roadshow into Pennsylvania tonight for a inter-conference matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
Coming off a strong road performance in Buffalo, the Stars (2-2) will look to keep their momentum rolling against a Penguins squad (2-2-1) seeking a bounce-back win on home ice.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation to survey bridges across Texas and learn more about the bats that may be calling them home.
