Dallas law enforcement’s relationship with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been in the spotlight the last few months.
In April, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to withhold millions of dollars in public safety funding ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup games if the Dallas Police Department was not in compliance with a state grant agreement that requires the city to work with the Department of Homeland Security on immigration enforcement.
In October 2025, Dallas Police Chief Comeaux revealed he turned down $25 million to join 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to perform federal immigration duties. But following Abbott’s threats, Comeaux announced his department would tweak their guidelines in order to comply—despite public opposition and pleas to reconsider.
Now local leadership is facing another threat.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into the Dallas County sheriff department, sending a letter to Sheriff Marian Brown demanding she seek a formal agreement with ICE by June 1.
A new state law that went into effect Jan. 1 requires sheriffs that operate a county jail to enter into a 287(g) agreement. Under the law, the Texas Attorney General’s Office can sue any department that refuses to enter into an agreement.
Paxton said Brown had publicly declared “no additional efforts” would be put toward entering an agreement in October 2025.
“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.”
But the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement in response to Paxton’s letter, noting the law sets a compliance deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, not June 1, 2026. She also claims the sheriff’s office already “maintains an active working relationship with ICE” and “remains committed to continued compliance with applicable state and federal law.”
There are three different agreement models agencies can select: warrant service officer model, jail enforcement model, and task force model.
The warrant service officer model allows local officers to serve ICE administrative warrants inside jails without ICE officers being physically present; the jail enforcement model allows ICE to train county jail staff to interrogate suspected noncitizens who have been arrested on state or local charges to determine their immigration status; and the task force model permits local officers to carry out ICE functions during daily duties like traffic stops.
Tarrant County entered into a jail enforcement model, and received $140,000 in grant support.
See what agreement your county has joined.
Paxton noted sheriffs in El Paso, Bexar, and Harris Counties have either finalized an agreement with ICE or are in the process of negotiating agreements.
If Brown doesn’t provide proof of an agreement by Paxton’s deadline, he will “use every tool available to secure compliance and make sure that you are personally held accountable for your failure to comply with the law.”
