Dallas police will not provide routine reports to the city’s police oversight board on officers’ encounters with federal immigration authorities, Chief Daniel Comeaux said Tuesday, arguing such disclosures could put officers at risk.
In remarks that echoed prior public statements on the topic, Comeaux told the City Council-appointed board that the department is obligated to assist federal agencies when asked, but he reiterated that city officers do not enforce immigration law.
“We don’t want to disclose any information on any investigations that are ongoing … or how many times we might be at a location,” he told the board, “but I can assure you we’re not immigration officers, and we don’t do anything regarding immigration.”
The decision rebuffs a request from the board’s chairman, John Mark Davidson, who said videos circulating online that appeared to show city officers alongside immigration agents underscored the need for routine reporting for transparency and community trust.
Breaking News
The Tuesday evening exchange — coming after days of North Texas protests over the Trump administration’s deportation push — appeared to be the start of a longer debate. Some board members signaled they wanted to continue pressing for the department to disclose information about interactions with immigration authorities.
Dallas police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux is seen during a news conference regarding the Operation Holiday Heat, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Dallas.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
Board members who spoke after Comeaux’s remarks thanked the chief for coming to the meeting to speak but expressed disappointment with the outcome.
Brandon Friedman, the District 14 appointee, said some degree of disclosure was warranted because of the “extraordinary” circumstances resulting from the Trump administration’s push for deportations.
“This is not something that has ever happened before with these [federal] agencies,” Friedman said. “While I think Chief Comeaux’s remarks make sense under normal circumstances, I don’t feel safer based on the videos I’m seeing on TV and on the internet of the way the federal government is treating people.”
During the meeting, Comeaux explained that some human trafficking and prostitution cases handled with federal authorities can involve immigration issues, though he said those elements are not the department’s focus.
The chief has also described the department’s interactions with immigration officials as limited, saying officers called to immigration-related scenes are typically there to maintain safety or a perimeter.
Brian Bah, the District 5 appointee, suggested the board and police continue discussions on whether the information could be shared in a way that balances officer safety and transparency — for example, by redacting certain details or releasing only “high-level” summaries.
“We’re just asking for increased transparency to help the citizens trust DPD more,” Bah said,” so it’s something we should delve into in our response.”
The disclosure debate extends ongoing City Hall discussions over immigration enforcement. Last fall, the City Council considered whether the city should join the federal 287(g) program, which would allow local officers to carry out certain immigration-enforcement functions. Council members ultimately shelved the idea.