Editing El Cenizo, Texas

{{About||the census-designated place in Starr County|El Cenizo, Starr County, Texas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = El Cenizo, Texas
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| image_map          = Webb County ElCenizo.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of El Cenizo, within Webb County, TX
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = Texas#USA<!-- name of a location map as per Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of El Cenizo in Texas##Location of El Cenizo in the US
| pushpin_label      = El Cenizo
| pushpin_label_position = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Texas}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Webb County, Texas|Webb]]
| subdivision_type3  = 
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| government_type    = City Commission
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Elsa Degollado
| leader_title1      = Commissioner
| leader_name1       = Salvador Hernandez
| leader_title2      = 
| leader_name2       = 
| leader_title3      = 
| leader_name3       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3  = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 1.37
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.53
| area_land_km2      = 1.33
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.52
| area_water_km2     = 0.04
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
| area_water_percent = 1.4
| area_urban_km2     = 
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_metro_km2     = 418.96
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 161.76
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_note    = metro area includes [[Laredo, Texas]], [[Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas]], [[Rio Bravo, Texas]], El Cenizo, Texas, [[Laredo Ranchettes, Texas]]. [[Larga Vista, Texas]], [[Ranchos Penitas West, Texas]], & [[La Presa, Texas]]
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| population_total   = 2540
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_metro   = 636,516
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = auto
| population_urban   = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 
| timezone           = CST
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CST
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| coordinates        = {{coord|27|19|42|N|99|29|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 390
| postal_code_type   = Zip Code
| postal_code        = 78043
| area_code          = +1-956
| website            = http://www.cityofelcenizo.com/
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-22905<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1377764<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1377764}}</ref>
| footnotes          = Nearby airports: <br> Laredo: [[Laredo International Airport|Laredo International Airport KLRD LRD]]<br> Nuevo Laredo: [[Quetzalcoatl International Airport]] [[MMNL]] [[Quetzalcóatl International Airport|NLD]]
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
}}

'''El Cenizo''' is a city in [[Webb County, Texas|Webb County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 2,540 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=":0" /> El Cenizo is the third-largest city in Webb County. It is located about 20 miles south of the county seat of [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]].

==History==
For many years, El Cenizo existed only informally as an impoverished ''[[Colonia (United States)|colonia]]''. The city was incorporated in 1989.<ref name="NPR">{{cite web |url= https://www.npr.org/2017/05/12/527949161/tiny-and-defiant-texas-town-launches-headfirst-into-show-me-your-papers-debate|title= Tiny And Defiant, Texas Town Launches Headfirst Into 'Show Me Your Papers' Debate|last= Burnett|first= John|date= 2017-05-12|publisher= [[NPR]]|access-date= 2017-06-21}}</ref>

In 1999<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/712524/Texas-town-makes-Spanish-official.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180925214247/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/712524/Texas-town-makes-Spanish-official.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 25, 2018|title= Texas town makes Spanish official|date= 1999-08-14|publisher= [[Reuters]]|access-date= 2016-06-21}}</ref> and again in May 2006,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://lubbockonline.com/stories/051906/wor_051906117.shtml#.WUr8J-vysgs|title= Consensus in Spanish-only Texas town says English-only national anthem|date= 2006-05-19|publisher= [[Associated Press]]|access-date= 2017-06-21}}</ref> El Cenizo gained national attention when it was widely reported that the city had Spanish as its official language.  In an interview on a national cable news network held on May 23, 2006, its mayor defended the decision, but said that official business was now conducted in both English and Spanish.  He also said that while he supported English as the common and unifying language of the United States, he believed that any attempt to make English the "official" national language would have a discriminatory effect against bilingual programs.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

On May 12, 2017, following the passage of SB4, a bill in the [[Texas Legislature]] intended to crack down on [[sanctuary cities]], El Cenizo filed a lawsuit claiming that the bill illegally commandeers local officials to enforce federal immigration law.<ref name="NPR"/> On June 7, 2017, El Cenizo's lawsuit was consolidated with lawsuits filed by much larger cities including [[San Antonio]], [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], and [[Dallas]], with El Cenizo as the lead plaintiff.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/tns-dallas-sanctuary-cities-lawsuiit-sb4.html|title= Dallas Joins Lawsuit Over Sanctuary Cities Bill|last1= Limón|first1= Elvia|last2= Wilonsky|first2= Robert|date= 2017-06-08|publisher= [[Governing (magazine)|Governing]]|access-date= 2017-06-21}}</ref>

==Geography==

El Cenizo is located at {{coord|27|19|42|N|99|29|48|W|type:city}} (27.328442, –99.496658).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 0.5&nbsp;square miles (1.4&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), of which 0.5&nbsp;square&nbsp;miles (1.3&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}) is land and 1.89% is covered by water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1990 = 1399
| 2000 = 3545
| 2010 = 3273
| 2020 = 2540
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''El Cenizo racial composition'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4822905&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic''){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|53
|2.09%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|3
|0.12%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|1
|0.04%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|3
|0.12%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|2,480
|97.64%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''2,540'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,540 people, 789 households, and 605 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  3,545 people, 730 households, and 680 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|6,919.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 811 housing units averaged 1,583.0/sq&nbsp;mi (614.0/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 80.73% White, 0.28% African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 14.67% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 98.90% of the population.

Of the 730 households, 72.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 6.8% were not families; 6.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.86 and the average family size was 5.04.

In the city, the population was distributed as 48.9% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 10.9% from 45 to 64, and 3.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 18 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $13,333, and for a family was $13,438. Males had a median income of $14,200 versus $10,625 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $3,610. About 66.3% of families and 68.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 74.3% of those under age 18 and 60.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
El Cenizo is served by the [[United Independent School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48479_webb/DC20SD_C48479.pdf|title=SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2020 CENSUS): Webb County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2021-04-19}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st48_tx/c48479_webb/DC10SD_C48479_001.pdf 2010 map]</ref>

El Cenizo is zoned to Kennedy-Zapata Elementary School (unincorporated Webb County),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kzes.uisd.net/196606_2|title=School Boundary Map|publisher=Kennedy-Zapata Elementary School|accessdate=2022-08-29}} - [https://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/1571/kennedy_zapata_map_7-2016_school_boundary.pdf PDF map]</ref> Salvador Garcia Middle School (Rio Bravo),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sgms.uisd.net/196495_2|title=School Boundary Map|publisher=Salvador Garcia Middle School|accessdate=2022-08-29}} - [http://files.gabbart.com/1587/sgms-bouncary-map.pdf PDF map]</ref> and [[Lyndon B. Johnson High School (Laredo, Texas)|Lyndon B. Johnson High School]] (Laredo).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lbj.uisd.net/195844_2|title=School Boundary Map|publisher=[[Lyndon B. Johnson High School (Laredo, Texas)|Lyndon B. Johnson High School]]|accessdate=2022-08-29}} - [https://files.gabbart.com/1556/lbjhs_41019.pdf PDF map]</ref> Kennedy-Zapata is adjacent to El Cenizo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.webbcountytx.gov/planning/gismaps/maps/1.4.pdf|title=City of El Cenizo Corporate Limits|publisher=[[Webb County, Texas]]|accessdate=2022-08-30}}</ref>

The designated community college for Webb County is [[Laredo College]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.185.  LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

==Government==

El Cenizo is a Type C General Law city. It has a city commission form of government, which includes a mayor and two city commissioners elected at large. The city is currently governed by Mayor Carina Hernandez .<ref name="NPR"/>

==Parks and recreation==
Webb County operates the El Cenizo Community Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.webbcountytx.gov/elcenizocommunitycenter/|title=El Cenizo Community Center|publisher=[[Webb County, Texas]]|accessdate=2022-08-30|quote=Address: 3519 Cecilia Ln, El Cenizo, Texas}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [http://www.cityofelcenizo.com/ City of El Cenizo]
{{Webb County, Texas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Webb County, Texas]]
[[Category:Laredo–Nuevo Laredo]]