Dallas police chief rejects $25 million ICE offer
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As Dallas leaders clash over whether to assist federal immigration officials, Mayor Eric Johnson harshly criticized Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux’s decision to reject a $25 million offer to partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Johnson, who previously told Fox News he would support President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes, sent a letter to city council committee chairmen condemning Comeaux’s move as “unilateral” and saying the decision should be made public. Fox 4 News reported. He reportedly argued that any deal involving $25 million in federal funding should be presented to the City Council for accountability and transparency.
The mayor also suggested that such a partnership could provide much-needed revenue for both the city and the police department, according to the local police station.
Comeaux announced last Tuesday that he had rejected a $25 million offer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in a surprising reversal of his previous promise to strengthen cooperation with federal agencies.
MAJOR CITY IN THE USA RUN BY A GOP MAYOR, NEW TOP POLICE TO ‘DO THE RIGHT THING’, Boosting Defection Trend
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux speak at a press conference on September 24, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Aric Becker / AFP)
Comeaux, who took over the Dallas Police Department (DPD) in April, initially signaled a break from his predecessor by suggesting he would move away from the city’s sanctuary-style policies and move closer to the state’s tougher stance on immigration.
But in a meeting with the Community Police Oversight Board last week, Comeaux announced that he had rejected a multimillion-dollar proposal that would have involved the Dallas Police Department in an ICE program targeting undocumented immigrants.
“The federal government contacted us, I think it was in the last week or the last two weeks, and we were offered $25 million to be part of 287 G. And we said absolutely no, no, no, I was the one who said that. We turned down the offer,” Comeaux said.
“No one is going to wear a DPD uniform enforcing federal law. That’s not going to happen,” Comeaux said.
“We as DPD do not do any immigration enforcement. We do not have the authority to do that, we have not done that and we will not do that,” he added.
DALLAS MAYOR WARNED INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE COULD MEAN ICE FACILITY ATTACK ‘NOT THE END’
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson speaks at a press conference on September 24, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (ARIÇ BECKER/AFP)
Despite the withdrawal, Comeaux told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the department was still committed to “working with 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 engaging in lawful activity in Dallas, but we will continue to focus on our primary mission: responding to emergencies and continuing to combat 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 requested,” Comeaux said. he added.
FORMER POLICE CHIEF SAYS CHICAGO COPS WILL BE HARM BECAUSE MAYOR JOHNSON DID NOT HELP ICE
Law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel respond to a crime scene on September 24, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Jeffrey McWhorter/Reuters)
Over the weekend, four city council members, Chad West, Jaime Resendez, Adam Bazaldua and Paula Caldwell Blackmon, came out in public support of the chief in a statement.
“While the Dallas Police Department’s mission is to ensure the public safety of our community, immigration and related activities are a federal responsibility,” the letter said. it said.
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
They added that participating in the ICE program would “turn local law enforcement into an arm of federal immigration enforcement and could result in a betrayal of trust between the Dallas Police Department and the community they are sworn to protect.”
Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report:
