On Wednesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a stern warning to Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown, urging compliance with a newly enacted state law that mandates collaboration with federal immigration authorities. Paxton indicated potential legal action if Sheriff Brown fails to adhere to the requirements.
Paxton’s announcement came alongside an investigation into what he termed “sanctuary policies” in Dallas County. In a formal communication, he directed Sheriff Brown to establish a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which would authorize local deputies to perform certain federal immigration duties.
This directive is linked to Senate Bill 8, which came into effect on January 1, 2026. The bill mandates that sheriffs in counties with operational jails must seek agreements with ICE to enhance immigration enforcement cooperation. These 287(g) agreements empower local law enforcement officers to execute specific immigration enforcement tasks, such as questioning detainees about their immigration status and serving administrative warrants.
“The residents of Dallas County should not face the consequences of the Sheriff’s refusal to collaborate with ICE in removing violent illegal immigrants from our communities,” Paxton declared. He assured that his office would take necessary steps to enforce compliance with the state law.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was photographed speaking at a campaign event held at The Angry Elephant in Magnolia, Texas, on February 19, 2026. The event coincided with the start of early voting, amidst a closely contested race between Paxton and Senator John Cornyn. (Photo by Mark Felix/Bloomberg)
In the letter, Paxton accused Brown of publicly rejecting the requirement after the law passed, citing her October 2025 statement that “no additional efforts” would be made to secure such an agreement. He said her office has not reported any attempt to comply, despite a state requirement that sheriffs show proof they have tried to enter into an agreement.
Paxton warned that failure to act could expose Brown to legal consequences and said his office has authority to bring action against sheriffs who do not comply with the statute. He has demanded that Brown report efforts to secure an agreement before June 1.
He also pointed to other large Texas counties — including El Paso, Bexar, and Harris — that have either finalized agreements with ICE or are negotiating them.
Brown pushed back on Paxton’s claims, writing in a letter acquired by FOX 4 Dallas that his timeline is incorrect and that the Legislature set a compliance deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, not June 1.
ICE personnel escort a male detainee in hand restraints to board a charter flight to China during a large-scale removal operation organized by ICE ERO Dallas on June 3, 2025. (ERO Dallas)
She also defended her department’s current practices, saying Dallas County already works with federal immigration authorities.
“Dallas County currently maintains an active working relationship with ICE and participates in operational coordination substantially similar to the jail-enforcement model contemplated by Chapter 753,” Brown said in a statement. She added that her earlier remarks about making “no additional efforts” were taken out of context and reflected her view that existing cooperation already meets the law’s public safety goals.
The dispute sets up a potential legal clash between the state’s top law enforcement official and one of Texas’ largest county sheriff’s offices over how far local agencies must go in assisting federal immigration enforcement.