Celebrity TV psychologist Dr. Phil aimed to film Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Texas for a reality show titled Behind the Badge: ICE, records obtained by The Dallas Morning News revealed.
The show was described as an honest look at an oft-misunderstood job, according to an application for film incentives submitted to the state in May 2025 and reviewed by The News. It was denied state subsidies, records show.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Texas Governor, which presides over the incentives program, cited House Bill 54 as the reason for the denial.
Under that legislation, state and local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from working with reality TV shows. The ban came in response to a 2019 fatal police chase in the Austin area that was filmed for the A&E show Live: PD.
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Jerry Sharell, who has been a spokesperson for Dr. Phil, did not reply to requests for comment via email and Joel Cheatwood, an executive who worked at Dr. Phil’s Fort Worth-based Merit Street Media, the company that was behind the show, did not immediately reply to a phone call.
As President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to carry out a mass deportation campaign, Dr. Phil, born Phil McGraw, has emerged as a vocal advocate for ICE.
“Some people don’t like the law, don’t like ICE enforcing the law. Ironic that the critics are the very ones that advocated for the open border that allowed the dangerous criminals to get into our country and cry the loudest when someone has to come behind them and clean it up,” he wrote on Facebook in February 2025.
Last summer, as thousands of Border Patrol agents descended on Los Angeles, McGraw was there with a camera crew to the surprise of many spectators, who knew him mostly for his daytime-TV therapeutic segments. He later told CNN host Jake Tapper his presence aligned with his longtime focus on talking about “things that matter to people who care.”
A proposed description for Behind the Badge: ICE in the film incentives application asked: “What if you could see past the headlines and really get to know the people behind the badge?”
“From the very first episode, you’ll meet agents who open up about the sacrifices they make and the emotional toll their work can take — not just on themselves, but on their loved ones, too,” the overview continued.
“You’ll hear firsthand what it’s like to leave home before sunrise, never knowing what the day might hold, and how they balance the risks of the job with the responsibilities of being a parent, a spouse, or a friend. The show doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff.”
Show status unclear
With 10 one-hour episodes envisioned, Behind the Badge: ICE would capture dangerous field operations and quieter moments where agents reflected on their work, the application said.
The project was estimated to spend over $3.5 million in Texas, a figure that encompassed production, transportation and meal and labor costs.
Among the proposed filming locations were Texas cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso and Laredo as well as Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York — Democratic-led cities where federal immigration agents have been deployed. Of the planned 137 production days, 120 would have taken place in Texas.
Behind the Badge: ICE was slated for a spring 2026 release on Merit Street Media. Merit filed for bankruptcy last July and became embroiled in a thorny legal dispute with a former broadcasting business partner. The company is in the process of liquidating and the status of the show is unclear.
McGraw’s son Jordan produced a similar show, Behind the Badge, that followed New York City police officers. The project, which has not been released, was approved during Mayor Eric Adams’ tenure.
The city, under the new leadership of Zohran Mamdani, sued Jordan McGraw in January, accusing him of attempting to air episodes that would reveal confidential law enforcement information.
The film incentives application for Dr. Phil’s show referenced a “sizzle” reel for its sister show as a reference for its “production style.”
The clip, watched by The News, featured ride-along footage and documentary-style interviews with New York Police Department officers.
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