Texas AG announces probe into Dallas over its sanctuary polices: ‘The law is not optional’

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is launching a probe into the city of Dallas over the region’s sanctuary city policies that protect illegal immigrants. 

On Thursday, Paxton announced the investigation, as well as a formal request for city and Dallas Police Department records concerning the police department’s refusal to comply with state and federal immigration laws. 

“The law is not optional. Local governments do not have the authority to disregard state and federal immigration laws,” Paxton said in a statement. “The people of Texas expect law enforcement agencies to uphold public safety, not to implement sanctuary policies that put our communities at risk.”

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“My office will take all necessary legal actions to ensure compliance with state law and hold accountable any local entity that defies its legal obligations,” he added.

Paxton’s office has requested all policies, training materials and communications related to Dallas’ enforcement or non-enforcement of immigration laws, including any records reflecting decisions to decline cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

He cited Dallas Interim Police Chief Michael Igo, who said that his agency “is not assisting any federal agency on detaining people that are either documented or undocumented in the City of Dallas.” 

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Paxton said the chief’s remarks “raise serious concerns” that the city and police department are possibly violating Texas law, which prohibits local entities from adopting sanctuary city policies that limit immigration enforcement.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the city of Dallas said: “We are reviewing the letter received from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and will respond at the appropriate time.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dallas Police Department. 

Texas has taken a hard stance against illegal immigration, particularly during the Biden administration. The state deployed authorities to its border with Mexico and took on a campaign of bussing migrants to Democratic-run cities to bring attention to the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.