Dallas County Sheriff’s Office investigated over ICE cooperation
Dallas County Jail
DALLAS - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly failing to comply with a new state law regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperation.
Dallas County ICE Agreement
What we know:
Senate Bill 8, which went into effect at the beginning of the year, requires local sheriff’s offices to cooperate with ICE operations in their counties.
More specifically, sheriffs must request partnerships with ICE, known as 287(g) agreements. The agreements allow ICE to authorize local authorities to perform certain types of immigration enforcement in local jails, including allowing officers to question inmates about their immigration status and serve administrative warrants.
Texas sheriff's departments may soon have closer relationships with ICE due to SB 8
Sheriff's departments in Texas may soon have closer relationships with ICE. Senate Bill 8 goes into effect on Jan. 1, and certain counties may have to help with federal immigration enforcement.
What they're saying:
Paxton reportedly sent a letter to Dallas Sheriff Marian Brown demanding that she seek a formal agreement with ICE.
He said Sheriff Brown has publicly declared that "no additional efforts" would be put toward such an agreement.
"I will not allow the people of Dallas County to suffer because the Sheriff refuses to work with ICE to keep violent illegals off our streets," Paxton said in a statement. "Texas law requires that sheriffs seek a formal agreement with ICE to help stop illegal immigration. My office will ensure that the Dallas County Sheriff complies with the law and that ICE is assisted to the fullest extent possible under the law."
The other side:
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement in response to Paxton's letter, noting that the Texas Legislature set a compliance deadline of Dec. 1, 2026 for the new law, not June 1, 2026.
"Further, public statements citing, ‘no additional efforts’ must be understood in full context. Dallas County currently maintains an active working relationship with ICE and participates in operational coordination substantially similar to the jail-enforcement model contemplated by Chapter 753. My comments reflected my position that Dallas County already engages in cooperation with federal authorities and does not view duplicative administrative measures as necessary to achieve the public safety objectives underlying the statute," Sheriff Brown said in the statement.
The sheriff said Dallas County remains committed to continued compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
Tarrant County ICE Agreement
Local perspective:
Tarrant County Commissioners approved a partnership between the county’s sheriff’s department and ICE in February, despite high public opposition and residents who voiced concerns over eroded community trust and the potential unconstitutionality of the state mandate.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office will receive a $140,000 grant to support expenses related to the sheriff’s activities with inmates who have an illegal immigration status.
Tarrant County Commissioners approve ICE partnership
Leaders in Tarrant County approved a plan to create a partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It’s in response to a new state law that requires county sheriff’s departments partner with ICE.
Commissioners in support of the measure said the money should be welcomed, considering the partnership is a state mandate.
"Some of you will say, ‘I hate ICE. I’m against ICE or whatever.’ And you have that right to do that. But at the end of the day, what this does is protect every single community, regardless of neighbor status, socioeconomic status," said Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Office, and past news coverage.