The city is applying to the Model Cities Initiative. This federal program will distribute a pot of $300 million between two to four winning cities, for use in public safety programs ranging from hiring and retention to youth crime prevention.<\/p>\n
Last week, council members debated whether to apply for the money, with some expressing concerns that the program could lead to Dallas\u2019 direct participation in immigration enforcement. The measure to apply passed, but five council members voted against it.<\/p>\n
Wariness about immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump is not misplaced. The administration has broken trust with communities across the United States, even among those who rightly believed we needed more secure borders and firmer enforcement within them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Americans have seen people arrested while attending legal proceedings related to their immigration status. They saw an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shoot and kill an American citizen<\/a> in Minneapolis on the pretense that she had weaponized her vehicle. They saw that culture of recklessness<\/a> on display again with shootings in Texas and Maine.<\/p>\n That\u2019s something Dallas shouldn\u2019t be part of.<\/p>\n Some of the language in the program materials is routine. Applying cities must certify that they won\u2019t block the sharing of immigration and citizenship information with federal authorities. These are longstanding provisions that have been in grant language for years, a city staffer told council members.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other elements are more worrying. Applicants\u2019 goals must align with DOJ priorities. The first priority listed is \u201cDirectly supporting law enforcement operations (including immigration law enforcement operations).\u201d<\/p>\n Another portion of the agreement requires the city to commit to working closely with the DOJ and receiving direction from it. Funds are to be awarded through cooperative agreements.<\/p>\n The Dallas City Council must carefully vet the terms of accepting this money if Dallas wins. This funding is not worth it if our city\u2019s police force would be co-opted by federal authorities. We believe in partnering with federal law enforcement, and it has been done effectively for decades. But this administration\u2019s failure to uphold basic standards deserves attention.<\/p>\n In this situation, we\u2019re putting our trust in Chief Daniel Comeaux. He has said DPD\u2019s focus is on local safety, not immigration, and he told council members in the clearest terms that this program wouldn\u2019t change that.<\/p>\n Given how badly Dallas needs funding for public safety in the current budget climate, exploring this program was the right move. But blind trust is not. We urge the City Council to be careful in how it proceeds.<\/p>\n