The McLennan County Commissioners Court chamber was packed Tuesday morning as county officials formally recognized a partnership between the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the federal 287(g) program.
A new state law requires Texas counties with populations over 100,000 to enter at least one cooperation agreement with ICE. In December, the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office signed a memorandum of agreement selecting the program’s Task Force Model, which allows designated deputies to carry out limited immigration enforcement during routine law enforcement activities.
Under Senate Bill 8, which took effect January 1, 2026, sheriffs — not county commissioners — are responsible for choosing which 287(g) model to adopt.
McLennan County Chief Deputy Cody Blossman told commissioners the task force model was chosen after reviewing all three options offered by ICE.
“This option is the only option that would not require us to create a new position to uphold the duties of the 287(g) agreement,” Blossman said.
While commissioners had no authority to change the sheriff’s decision, the issue drew extensive public comment, with residents and advocacy groups raising concerns about public safety, civil rights and community trust.
Blake Burleson, co-founder of the Heart of Texas Network for Immigrant Rights, warned that immigration enforcement duties could divert deputies from other law enforcement priorities.
“Every hour that a deputy spends transporting or detaining residents for ICE is an hour not spent stopping violent crime, drugs and property crime,” Burleson said.
Burleson also pointed to recent high-profile ICE arrests in the Waco area — including the arrest of longtime Waco chef Sergio Garcia — as contributing to fear among immigrant families.
“Right now, at this moment on our streets, many families are afraid,” Burleson said. “Some hesitate to take their children to school or to the doctor.”
Advocates at the meeting described the task force model as the most expansive of the three 287(g) options, arguing it could further erode trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities by allowing immigration enforcement during routine interactions.
“If the sheriff’s office, an office that many have come to trust, begins arresting and detaining residents, will families still report crimes?” Burleson asked.
Mito Diaz-Espinoza, president of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, told commissioners he has been asked for his Social Security number during traffic stops after presenting valid identification.
“I believe that happens to me because of my name and the way I look,” Diaz-Espinoza said, adding that he fears the partnership could increase racial profiling.
Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Barnum said participation in the task force would be limited, with only one deputy assigned to the jail and one supervisor completing the required 40-hour ICE training. Barnum said deputies would not conduct immigration enforcement independently or target individuals based on appearance.
“They’re not just going out rounding up people or questioning people,” Barnum said. “It’s during their normal course of business, whether it’s a traffic stop or a call for service.”
Commissioners ultimately voted unanimously to ratify the agreement, a largely symbolic step to formally record the sheriff’s decision. Before the vote, Commissioner Jim Smith emphasized that the court had no authority over the choice of model.
“Senate Bill 8 excluded county government,” Smith said. “It excluded commissioners from making this decision. We don’t have any say.”
The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office signed the memorandum of agreement opting into the task force model on Dec. 12, 2025. Sheriff’s Office representatives told commissioners the county could switch to a different 287(g) model in the future if needed.
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