Socorro city council members move forward with annexation plans despite threats of legal action from the county.

The decision to go ahead with the plans was made during executive session at Thursday’s Socorro city council meeting.

Some people living in Socorro and surrounding areas shared their frustration with city council members.

Many in the crowd are outraged by the city's plan to annex parts of San Elizario, Clint and Horizon City.

A decision not to annex one of the seven areas was not enough to quiet critics.

"My stomach hurts from the anger. I'm ashamed of what you have done to our people in our city," said one Socorro woman during Thursday night's public meeting.

It's not just the public speaking out against the plan, El Paso County leaders are threatening to take legal action against Socorro's city council.

The City of Socorro did decide not to annex the El Paso landfill.  City leaders also reduced part of the area they planned to annex.

"We're going through the process; we can't tell you where the process is going to end right now," Said city council member Gloria Rodriguez.

County officials said Socorro city council members Jesse Gandara Jr. and Willie Madrid should not be able to vote for the proposed plans; both are reportedly serving past their term limits.

"For them to continue voting when the state attorney says it's illegal, something needs to be looked at real hard on this," said San Elizario resident Paul Johnson.

"They don't know what they are doing," said Socorro resident Margarita Martinez, "they've been used to seeing Socorro with nothing, so they don't know how to live with something."

"We're working for everybody not just a group of ten," said Rodriguez.

A spokesperson from the county attorney told KFOX14 they won't decide whether they will pursue any legal action until sometime next week.