Just days after The Dallas Express exclusively revealed that the City of Dallas is under active investigation for potentially violating federal and state sanctuary city immigration laws, new documents suggest the city may be providing guidance to illegal immigrants on how to avoid deportation.
Records obtained by The Dallas Express show that the City of Dallas’ Office of Equity and Inclusion is promoting resources and workshops coaching immigrants on how to interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and local law enforcement.
These sessions include advice such as refusing to answer the door, remaining silent when questioned, and seeking legal counsel immediately if approached by an ICE officer.
The workshops also cover workplace rights and broader topics related to community integration.
While city officials claim the sessions are meant to educate all immigrants about their legal protections, in light of the ongoing AG investigation and recent comments by Dallas Police Chief Igo regarding not cooperating with ICE, some Dallas residents are concerned about city resources being used to help illegal immigrants evade deportation.
Amid expectations of stricter immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, some citizens are left baffled by this recent literature from the city of Dallas. Questions have emerged about whether city-backed efforts, such as workshops or documents, violate any laws.
Proposition S, passed this past November, allows Dallas residents to sue the city for not upholding the city’s charter. There is no monetary award for suing the city; it’s simply a measure to hold officials accountable and force local laws to be upheld
The scrutiny comes as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the City of Dallas over potential violations related to sanctuary city policies, a development first reported by The Dallas Express.
With growing pressure from both state officials and local advocacy groups, the question remains: Is Dallas providing essential legal education to all immigrants? And is the city facilitating efforts to circumvent immigration enforcement?