Denton County Sheriff’s Office Partners with ICE for Immigration Enforcement

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office in Texas has entered into a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows selected deputies to perform duties typically associated with immigration enforcement. This initiative makes Denton County the first locality in North Texas to implement the “task force model,” which enables deputies to arrest individuals they suspect of being in the country illegally.

Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree emphasized the financial implications of this partnership. “When our officers start handling some of these cases, they begin to be paid by the federal government, and so there’s a lot of things to work out with that,” he stated. Murphree also noted that ICE would cover all training expenses for deputies involved in the program.

This approval arrives concurrently with the announcement from Kelly Hancock, the acting Texas comptroller, about a grant program designed to assist counties with costs associated with immigration enforcement. “The state now is assisting in that from a financial means and assisting based on the size of the county when the counties request it,” Hancock explained. Counties may receive between $80,000 and $140,000 in grant funds to support training and equipment needs.

The financial aid is particularly welcome, as Bill Waybourn, Sheriff of Tarrant County, highlighted the ongoing struggles with budgeting. “We’re always struggling with funds, positions, and so forth like that. So, this is going to be a welcome dollar amount that will assist us in taking care of some of that,” he said.

A recent Texas law mandates that all sheriffs establish some form of agreement with ICE by the end of this year. Currently, over 150 of the state’s 254 counties are participating in the 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration authorities. Waybourn noted that Tarrant County conducts the 287(g) program inside its jail and sees potential for expansion into other areas.

Opposition from immigration activists has emerged, expressing concerns that such agreements could erode trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. Bobbie J. Mitchell, a commissioner for Denton precinct 3, acknowledged the need for safety in communities but raised questions about local police acting on behalf of federal authorities. “I don’t think anybody had any problem with following the law. It’s just how it’s done,” she remarked. Mitchell added that cities should have the right to decide their participation in the 287(g) agreement.

Looking ahead, Collin County is still awaiting approval for its jail enforcement agreement with ICE, while the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department is not currently involved in the program. The Texas law requires that all agreements be finalized by December 1, 2023, marking an important deadline for local jurisdictions considering their options in immigration enforcement.