In Dallas, a heated debate has emerged among city leaders regarding collaboration with federal immigration authorities. The controversy centers on Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux’s decision to decline a $25 million proposal to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a move that drew sharp criticism from Mayor Eric Johnson.

Mayor Johnson, who had previously expressed his willingness to support President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants involved in violent crimes, criticized Comeaux’s decision in a letter addressed to city council committee chairs. According to a report by Fox 4 News, Johnson described the decision as “unilateral” and argued that such significant financial agreements should be subjected to public review for the sake of transparency and accountability.

Johnson further emphasized that the partnership with ICE could have been a vital source of revenue for both the city and its police department, a stance he shared with local media outlets.

Last Tuesday, Chief Comeaux announced his decision to turn down the $25 million ICE offer, a surprising shift from his earlier commitment to enhancing cooperation with federal agencies.

In a related event, Mayor Eric Johnson, Chief Daniel Comeaux, and Senator Ted Cruz were seen addressing the media during a press conference held on September 24, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. (Photo credit: Aric Becker/AFP via Getty Images)

Comeaux, who took over the Dallas Police Department (DPD) in April, had initially signaled a break from his predecessor by suggesting he would shift from the city’s sanctuary-style policies and align more closely with the state’s tougher stance on immigration.

However, during a meeting with the Community Police Oversight Board last week, Comeaux disclosed that he had rejected the multimillion-dollar offer, which would have enlisted the Dallas Police Department in an ICE program targeting undocumented immigrants. 

“We were contacted by the federal government, I think it was last week or within the last two weeks, and we were offered $25 million to be part of 287 G. And we said, absolutely no, not, no, that was me who said that. Turned it down,” Comeaux said.

“No one is going to be wearing a DPD uniform enforcing federal laws. It just won’t happen,” Comeaux said. 

“We as DPD are not doing any immigration enforcement. We don’t have the authority to do that, nor have we done that, nor will we do that,” he added.

Mayor Eric Johnson speaks during a press conference on Sept. 24, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. (Aric Becker/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite the reversal, Comeaux told Fox News Digital in a statement on Wednesday that the department is still committed to working “alongside federal authorities to go after violent fugitives, drug traffickers, and domestic violence offenders to keep our neighborhoods safe.”

“I want to be clear: we will not prevent any agency from conducting lawful activity in Dallas, but we will remain focused on our primary mission: responding to emergencies and continuing to fight violent crime in Dallas,” he said.

“Our Department is committed to serving Dallas by responding to 9-1-1 calls and proactively and aggressively targeting violent criminals. I have an open line of communication with our federal law enforcement partners, and our officers will continue to provide assistance when they are requested,” Comeaux added.

Law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel respond to a scene in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 24, 2025. (Jeffrey McWhorter/Reuters)

Over the weekend, four city council members, Chad West, Jaime Resendez, Adam Bazaldua and Paula Caldwell Blackmon, came out to publicly back the chief in a statement.

“While the Dallas Police Department’s role is to ensure the public safety of our community, immigration and related activities are a federal responsibility,” the letter read.

They added that joining ICE’s program would “turn local law enforcement into an arm of federal immigration enforcement and could result in betrayal of trust between the Dallas Police Department and the community they are sworn to protect.”