Bexar County has signed on to a limited 287(g) immigration partnership with ICE but, despite being eligible for state support, has not applied for the matching grant program, according to county and state officials. Sheriff Javier Salazar chose the narrower warrant-service model, and the sheriff’s office says a single deputy will handle warrant work inside the jail after completing ICE training. Meanwhile, other counties that inked similar agreements have already split nearly $4 million in state awards.
The Texas Comptroller’s Office told News 4 San Antonio that Bexar County has not submitted an application for the sheriff grant program created by Senate Bill 8. The agency noted that Bexar is eligible to apply, but that doing so is optional and must be initiated directly by a sheriff.
Comptroller materials outline funding tiers for participating counties and list dozens of awards already issued. As described by the Texas Comptroller's Office, grants range from $80,000 for the smallest counties up to $140,000 for the largest. The office’s public listings show roughly 47 grants so far, totaling about $3.9 million.
How Bexar chose the narrow model
Records show the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office entered its memorandum of agreement with ICE in October and deliberately selected the warrant-service officer model instead of a broader task-force approach. Sheriff Javier Salazar told the San Antonio Express-News that the arrangement keeps activity confined to the jail and is not meant to touch residents who never land in county custody: “If you don’t visit the Bexar County jail as an inmate, this is not going to affect you.”
Neighboring counties have already taken the state’s money. Atascosa and Wilson counties each received $80,000, while Comal County drew $100,000. A Comal County spokesperson told News 4 San Antonio the funds are earmarked for training, equipment and staffing, and would be returned if they are not used.
Advocates warn of hidden costs
Immigrant-rights advocates argue that the grant program can mask larger, unpredictable costs for local governments and damage trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities. In a statement reported by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, ACLU of Texas staff member Sarah Cruz said 287(g) agreements “have been historically costly for local communities” and warned that they can lead to broader public-safety tradeoffs.
What the law requires
Under Senate Bill 8, sheriffs who operate jails are required to request and enter into 287(g) or similar agreements, and the comptroller was directed to create a grant program to offset participation costs. The law gives the comptroller authority to set application deadlines and reporting requirements, and it authorizes the attorney general to seek court remedies if a sheriff has not complied by the statute’s December 1, 2026, deadline.
For now, Bexar County stands out for skipping the state funds even after finalizing a jail-limited deal with ICE. Community groups and legal advocates say they will be watching closely to see whether county leaders eventually seek the grants or widen the program’s scope as the compliance deadline approaches.
