Bill > SB658

This bill establishes new requirements for county sheriffs in Texas regarding federal immigration law enforcement agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). For counties with 250,000 or more residents, sheriffs are mandated to request and enter into a Section 287(g) agreement (a federal program that authorizes local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws) or a similar program, while sheriffs in smaller counties may voluntarily do so. The bill creates a competitive grant program administered by the attorney general to reimburse smaller county sheriffs for costs associated with these agreements, with grant money able to be used for employee stipends, reporting, jail equipment, and other related expenses. Sheriffs entering these agreements must allocate necessary resources and submit annual reports to the attorney general detailing their activities and expenditures. The attorney general is empowered to enforce compliance through legal action and can recover associated expenses. Larger counties must comply with the agreement requirement by December 1, 2026, and the bill takes effect on September 1, 2025. The overall aim appears to be increasing local law enforcement participation in federal immigration enforcement, particularly in more populous Texas counties.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB658