Texas’s new immigration‑enforcement law hit the state like a shockwave this morning, wiping out any remaining sanctuary‑style defiance by ordering every county sheriff to partner with ICE formally. The mandatory 287(g) crackdown is designed to hard‑wire deportation cooperation into every jail from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande.
In June, Breitbart Texas reported that the Texas Legislature passed SB8, a new law requiring all Texas sheriffs who operate jails to enter into cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The partnership, known as the 287(g) program, provides training and equipment to cooperating county jails to provide a safe and efficient turnover of criminal illegal aliens for deportation.
Texas State Representative David Spiller (R-Jacksboro) told Breitbart Texas, “This is about public safety.” He called the bill the “most aggressive” immigration enforcement measure to come out of the Texas Legislature this session.
Before the passage of this law, signed by Governor Greg Abbott, ICE reports indicate that only 85 of Texas’s 254 counties had cooperation agreements with ICE. The new law applies to 234 of the state’s counties.
Currently, reports indicate that approximately 100 law enforcement agencies have some type of 287(g) agreement in place. The remaining sheriffs now have until December 2026 to come into compliance.
State Senator Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) said the Texas Legislature “sent a powerful message: Our immigration laws will be enforced, and criminal illegal aliens causing great harm to our communities will be removed.”
Schwertner added that the bill gives sheriffs a choice among the three 287(g) models in which to participate. He said it provides funding to cover costs not paid for or reimbursed by the federal government.
Three of the state’s five largest county jails are not currently participating and have no pending applications for a 287(g) agreement. According to the latest ICE report, the counties are Harris (Houston), Dallas, and Travis (Austin). Bexar County (San Antonio) is participating in the Warrant Service Office model, and Tarrant County (Ft. Worth) is participating in the Jail Enforcement model.
In an exclusive interview, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons explained the importance of having a safe transfer of custody of dangerous criminal aliens while they are still in jail.
“Any ICE agent or officer will tell you they’d much rather have the cooperation of a state or local agency… not only is it safe for my officers and agents, it’s safe for the agency that’s turning them over, and it’s also safe for the criminal alien,” Lyons told Breitbart.
Without cooperation, ICE must deploy large teams into neighborhoods, increasing risk for agents and civilians alike. “You’re looking at five to six officers or agents being on that arrest team,” Lyons explained. “And now, with the uptick of violence against ICE special agents and deportation officers, we’re looking to take another five to six just to do security on the ones making that one arrest.”
Director Lyons praised Texas for outlawing sanctuary policies and mandating statewide 287(g) cooperation, calling it a model for the nation. “Luckily, we have such great partners in Texas… Harris County, Dallas County, who do turn these individuals over in a safe, humane way,” he said. “But all too often across the country, we have to go into these communities where it’s not safe for anyone.”
While Harris and Dallas Counties do not have 287(g) programs in place at this time, they still cooperate with ICE ERO officers by allowing them to work inside the jail under the older “secure communities program.” These counties will still have to comply with the new law by the end of 2026.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.