Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the City of Dallas regarding its immigration policies. The investigation focuses on the Dallas Police Department's reported non-cooperation with federal immigration officials. Dallas Interim Police Chief Michael Igo stated, "[t]he Dallas Police Department is not assisting any federal agency on detaining people that are either documented or undocumented in the City of Dallas," according to the Attorney General of Texas.
Texas state law restricts local entities from enacting sanctuary city policies that limit immigration enforcement. The attorney general's office has asked Dallas to provide various documents, including policies, training materials, and communications related to how the city handles immigration laws. This request also includes any evidence of the city not cooperating with federal immigration agencies, as reported by the Attorney General of Texas.
Ken Paxton says local governments must follow state and federal immigration laws or face legal action. He said, "The law is not optional. Local governments do not have the authority to disregard state and federal immigration laws." This comes as Dallas and other cities face scrutiny for their policies regarding undocumented immigrants, as stated by the Attorney General of Texas.
