Dallas Police Department Chief Daniel Comeaux revealed this week that his agency turned down $25 million in federal funding to assist U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with immigration enforcement in the city. 

Comeaux made the comment Tuesday evening during a meeting of the Community Police Oversight Board. It came in response to a question from board member Brandon Friedman, who asked about the extent of DPD’s involvement with ICE.

Friedman pointed to multiple instances where DPD officers were reported to have been helping ICE agents make immigration arrests. He also brought up the department’s slow response times to lower priority calls, suggesting officers should be helping Dallas citizens instead of ICE.

Comeaux replied that there were instances where people had posted on social media about DPD officers working with ICE when it was actually the U.S. Marshals supporting federal immigration operations. 

“We have had very little interactions with ICE on anything. That’s the truth about what’s happening in Dallas right now,” Comeaux said.

Comeaux added that within the past few weeks, ICE reached out with a $25 million offer to be part of the 287(g) program, which he declined.

In a statement to CBS News Texas, Dallas police said: 

“The Dallas Police Department and Chief Comeaux are focused on serving our city by answering 9-1-1 calls and aggressively fighting violent crime. Federal authorities have a different mission with the same importance. The Dallas Police Department has and will continue to assist any law enforcement agency in their lawful operations, while remaining focused on our core mission. DHS can comment on the specifics, but the funds would have been provided by the federal government to reimburse salary and operational costs.”

What is the 287(g) program?

Since 1996 state and local law enforcement agencies like police departments and sheriff’s offices have been able to partner with the Department of Homeland security to conduct some immigration enforcement duties through a voluntary program called 287(g).  

There are three models within 287(g) that departments can cooperate with:

Serving administrative warrants in jails.Executing civil immigration warrants on behalf of the federal government.Conducting limited immigration enforcement activities.

Earlier this year, the Texas Legislature passed a law requiring all county sheriff’s departments to participate in at least one of the 287(g) models. 

In February, CBS News Texas asked the sheriff’s departments in North Texas’ four largest counties how they were helping the Trump administration with immigration enforcement. Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties were checking the immigration status of any inmates that came through their jails. The Collin County Sheriff’s Office also said it assists federal authorities to apprehend undocumented immigrants when requested.

The city of Keller also participates through its jail.