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In a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott, Dallas city leaders said they have revised a police department policy to clarify cooperation with ICE.
The city said the updated policy “reaffirms and clarifies” that officers are not prohibited from asking about immigration status for individuals who are lawfully detained or arrested, cooperating with and assisting federal immigration officers as reasonable or necessary or sharing immigration status information with federal authorities.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said the department will comply with the law while maintaining its public safety mission.
“Our officers will follow the law, and our updated policy will affirm that we will cooperate with federal authorities when required,” Comeaux said. “Moreover, our mission has not changed, and DPD exists to protect the safety of everyone in Dallas, and we will not stop individuals only to determine their immigration status. Victims and witnesses should continue to feel safe to report crime.”
Governor Abbott's office said that the Dallas Police Department could be in violation of grant agreements for not cooperating with ICE. That could mean the city would have owed more than $32 million in grant repayment and risk losing $55 million in FIFA public safety money.