TX AG Paxton demands Dallas sheriff pursue ICE agreement as deadline dispute sparks legal threat

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton connected Wednesday demanded Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown comply with a caller authorities instrumentality requiring practice with national migration authorities, informing helium could instrumentality ineligible enactment if she fails to act.

Paxton announced helium is investigating Brown implicit what helium described arsenic "sanctuary policies" and sent a ceremonial missive ordering her to prosecute a 287(g) statement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would let section deputies to transportation retired definite national migration enforcement duties.

The request stems from Senate Bill 8, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, and requires sheriffs successful counties that run jails to question agreements with ICE to summation practice connected migration enforcement. Known arsenic 287(g) agreements, the partnerships let national authorities to delegate definite migration enforcement powers to section officers, including questioning inmates astir their migration presumption and serving administrative warrants. 

"I volition not let the radical of Dallas County to endure due to the fact that the Sheriff refuses to enactment with ICE to support convulsive illegals disconnected our streets," Paxton said, adding that his bureau "will ensure" compliance with authorities law.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a run lawsuit astatine The Angry Elephant successful Magnolia, Texas, connected Feb. 19, 2026. Early voting began Tuesday with polls showing a choky contention betwixt Paxton and Senator John Cornyn. (Mark Felix/Bloomberg)

In the letter, Paxton accused Brown of publically rejecting the request aft the instrumentality passed, citing her October 2025 connection that "no further efforts" would beryllium made to unafraid specified an agreement. He said her bureau has not reported immoderate effort to comply, contempt a authorities request that sheriffs amusement impervious they person tried to participate into an agreement.

Paxton warned that nonaccomplishment to enactment could exposure Brown to ineligible consequences and said his bureau has authorization to bring enactment against sheriffs who bash not comply with the statute. He has demanded that Brown study efforts to unafraid an statement earlier June 1.

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He besides pointed to different ample Texas counties — including El Paso, Bexar, and Harris — that person either finalized agreements with ICE oregon are negotiating them.

Brown pushed backmost connected Paxton’s claims, penning successful a missive acquired by FOX 4 Dallas that his timeline is incorrect and that the Legislature acceptable a compliance deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, not June 1.

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ICE unit escort a antheral detainee successful manus restraints to committee a charter formation to China during a large-scale removal cognition organized by ICE ERO Dallas connected June 3, 2025. (ERO Dallas)

She besides defended her department’s existent practices, saying Dallas County already works with national migration authorities.

"Dallas County presently maintains an progressive moving narration with ICE and participates successful operational coordination substantially akin to the jail-enforcement exemplary contemplated by Chapter 753," Brown said successful a statement. She added that her earlier remarks astir making "no further efforts" were taken retired of discourse and reflected her presumption that existing practice already meets the law’s nationalist information goals.

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The quality sets up a imaginable ineligible clash betwixt the state’s apical instrumentality enforcement authoritative and 1 of Texas’ largest region sheriff’s offices implicit however acold section agencies indispensable spell successful assisting national migration enforcement.