Council to take up police chief's request to join ICE's 287(g) task force program

Gunter's City Council will discuss next week whether the city should take part in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program, after the police chief told U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in writing that the department wants in.

The item is No. 13 on the agenda for the council's regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Gunter Public Safety Building, 105 N. Fourth St. It calls for discussion and possible action on the program, "including potential participation by the City." The agenda was posted Thursday.

What the packet shows

The backup material includes a Sept. 3 letter from Police Chief Danny R. Jones to the 287(g) program office at ICE headquarters in Washington. In it, Jones writes that the department is interested specifically in the program's task force model, and that ICE requires a signed letter of interest and memorandum of agreement to start the application.

Jones wrote that joining would strengthen the department's ability to "identify and address criminal activity involving individuals who may be subject to federal immigration enforcement" while keeping the community's trust, and that ICE supplies training and oversight for the officers involved.

A draft agreement filled in for the Gunter Police Department is attached. Under it, officers the department nominates would have to finish ICE training and pass exams before receiving authority, which ICE would grant in writing for an initial two years.

The listed powers include questioning people believed to be noncitizens about their right to be in the country, making warrantless arrests in certain immigration cases, serving immigration arrest warrants, and fingerprinting and processing. Officers would work under ICE direction for those duties, while the city would pay their salaries, benefits and other costs.

Either side could end the agreement; the city would do so in writing to the local ICE field office.

The broader debate

Howe's council approved an agreement between its police department and ICE on Aug. 18, according to that city's signed minutes.

When the Legislature passed a 2025 law requiring many Texas sheriffs to seek these agreements, Democratic lawmakers argued they could erode immigrant communities' trust in police, lead to racial profiling and add costs for local agencies, The Texas Tribune reported. The ACLU of Texas opposed that bill.

Supporters, including state Rep. David Spiller, the House sponsor, framed it as a public safety measure, and Sen. Charles Schwertner said training is available to address profiling concerns.

Also on Thursday's agenda

• County fire contract. An interlocal agreement under which Grayson County would pay Gunter $28,968 a year, in $2,414 monthly installments, for its fire department to answer calls in unincorporated parts of the county. The first payment would be due by Oct. 10, and either side could end the deal on 60 days' notice.
• Police oversight. An ordinance repealing a code section that lets or requires the mayor to put a council member in charge of the police department; any such appointments would be voided.
• Ambulances. Direction to the city manager on what to do with two ambulances the city still owns.
• Batch plant. A possible amendment to the Taylor Ranch development agreement concerning a temporary concrete batch plant.

The council will also consider appointments to the Municipal Development District and Parks and Recreation boards, a fee schedule update, amendments to the 2026-27 budget, and a closed-door discussion of incentives, including a public improvement district and a tax increment zone, sought by a residential developer.

Sources

guntertx.gov

guntertx.gov

The Texas Tribune

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