Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wants the City Council to explore the financial benefits of participating in the controversial 287(g) program, established by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which allows police officers to help enforce immigration laws.
Earlier this week, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux, a former federal agent, told members of the Community Police Oversight Board that he had turned down a $25 million offer by ICE to participate in the enforcement program. The funds would have covered reimbursements and operational costs.
“We were contacted by the federal government, I think it was last week, or within the last two weeks, and we were offered $25 million to be a part of 287(g), and we said, absolutely not — no,” Comeaux said during Tuesday’s meeting. “That was me who said that. Turned it down.”
But Comeaux’s unilateral decision appears not to have sat well with Johnson, who sent a memo Friday, directing council members Cara Mendelsohn and Maxie Johnson, chairs of the public safety and government efficiency committee, to convene a joint meeting with ICE representatives and Comeaux to discuss the merits of the program.
Political Points
“Clearly, participation in ICE’s Task Force Model could provide significant financial benefits to the city,” Johnson said in his memo, adding that the police department could use the federal funds to hire additional officers with no impact on the city’s budget.
“Dallas might be forfeiting significant direct financial benefits by declining ICE’s offer,” he said.
Johnson said the program could act as a “force multiplier” and hand the police department a pathway to deploy additional resources to reduce violent crime.
Comeaux did not respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.