Dallas residents are looking for answers on whether the city plans to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as state and local agencies in Texas opt into the agency's 287(g) Program.
The program allows ICE to collaborate with state and local law enforcement in the arrest and deportation of immigrants.
Veronica Alvarez was among the 10 Dallas residents who signed up to speak during Dallas City Council's briefing on Wednesday about immigration. She, along with the other residents, asked for Dallas Chief of Police Daniel Comeaux to publicly respond to the community's questions and concerns about how the department works with ICE.
"Dallas residents, regardless of legal status, deserve the right to move with a sense of peace and safety as they go about their everyday lives," Alvarez said.
Dallas resident Ted Ellis called ICE agents wearing face coverings and their lack of formal identification "ridiculous," and said the city should pass a resolution that would ensure DPD does not collaborate with ICE unless legally necessary.
Ellis said the police department's role was to protect all Dallas residents, not carry out the work of a federal agency.
"I'm a native Dallasite, I expect better from our city," Ellis said. "And when people are being grabbed off the street because of the color of their skin, it's just appalling."
City council members did not comment on their stance on ICE or immigration policy because the discussion was not an official agenda item.
The calls for answers come months after the city's Community Police Oversight Board expected to hear Comeaux's stance on immigration after sending him a letter requesting a detailed explanation of his position. Board members expected to follow up on the letter with questions about ICE during its June meeting.
However, the board was prevented from asking any policy related questions — including the topic of immigration — due to an agenda technicality raised by the city attorney.
The city's new police chief came under scrutiny after he assured the public his department would fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities in a Fox News interview.
"If there's a federal agency that's doing an operation and they need our assistance, we'll be there to help them," he said, "as long as they're doing it by the law and doing it with respect."
He later walked back those comments and clarified the department's policy, saying his comments were specifically about those with felony warrants, but reiterated the department would continue to assist "federal partners."
A spokesperson with the DPD told KERA in an email that nothing has changed as far as the department's approach to immigration as of Wednesday.
Dallas is not the only North Texas city faced with the question of working with ICE.
In Tarrant County, the City of Keller unanimously approved a partnership with ICE on Tuesday despite resident disapproval. The Keller Police Department said in a statement that opting into ICE’s 287(g) program will result in “minor adjustments” to detention officers’ responsibilities.
But Keller resident Zane Kupper questioned the reasoning for this decision by the city council during public comment.
“If this doesn't really change the status quo of what we're already doing, why even engage in it?" Kupper asked. "Does it have anything to do with certain individuals' political aspirations and making sure that they kiss the right rings to jump to higher office?”
During Dallas' city council briefing, Dallas resident Anthony Bridges spoke against ICE's detention of immigrants with no criminal record as well as the treatment of those detained.
Bridges said the city needed officials who could take a stance against those actions.
"And if you aren't willing to set the tone and say Dallas is against ICE, then the community will find new counselors who will," Bridges said.
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