SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio-area lawmakers on Wednesday urged six Bexar County municipalities to end their partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying the agreements could affect local police duties and public trust.
The agreements, known as 287(g) partnerships, allow ICE to delegate certain immigration-enforcement authority to trained state and local law enforcement officers.
Balcones Heights, China Grove, Hollywood Park, St. Hedwig, Sandy Oaks and Von Ormy participate in the program under the Task Force Model. The model allows ICE-trained local officers to perform certain immigration-enforcement functions during routine police work.
China Grove, St. Hedwig and Hollywood Park joined the program this spring, following Balcones Heights. Sandy Oaks and Von Ormy also participate in the program.
U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar, along with state Reps. Trey Martinez Fischer and Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, called on the municipalities to reconsider the agreements during a news conference Wednesday.
Casar said the partnerships could divert local officers from responding to calls for service.
“What’s happening here with these 287(g) agreements is cities giving up their police officers from their police duties and giving them over for ICE,” Casar said.
Under the Task Force Model, participating officers can question people about their immigration status and, within the authority delegated through federal law and their agreements with ICE, make certain immigration-related arrests and serve immigration warrants. Officers must complete ICE training and receive authorization before exercising those powers.
Officers without 287(g) agreements do not have that delegated federal authority. They continue enforcing state and local laws and can contact federal immigration authorities when appropriate.
Supporters of the agreements have said the partnerships formalize cooperation with federal agencies and provide local departments with additional training and resources.
Hollywood Park Police Chief Shad Prichard previously said his department did not plan to conduct immigration raids or business checks and would address immigration-related matters during routine police interactions.
China Grove Police Chief Ralph Sramek said the agreement would give officers additional training in immigration enforcement areas covered under Texas law.
The lawmakers also questioned the financial arrangements connected to the partnerships.
China Grove Mayor David Johnson said the city receives $185,000, plus $24,000 in reimbursements, for participating in the program. Balcones Heights community relations manager Roy Campbell said the city has received $250,000 in related funding since implementing its agreement.
The total federal funding expected by all six municipalities has not been publicly disclosed.
Martinez Fischer called for greater public participation in decisions to enter the agreements and asked the cities to disclose the number of participating officers, training and enforcement costs, and expected federal reimbursements.
Gervin-Hawkins said the partnerships could affect residents’ willingness to contact local police.
The six agreements do not include the city of San Antonio. San Antonio Police Department officers do not participate in the 287(g) program, although state law requires local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in certain circumstances.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office also has a 287(g) agreement under the Warrant Service Officer Model, which applies to people already in county custody.
The lawmakers are asking the six municipalities to reconsider their agreements and provide information about their effects on police staffing, city budgets and residents.
