Overview

• SB8 obligates sheriffs in about 234 of Texas’s 254 counties to seek and enter any of three federal 287(g) ICE partnerships, extending local authority to field immigration status checks.
• The final bill broadens enforcement beyond jail-based administrative warrants and establishes a state grant program to reimburse counties for costs not covered by federal funding.
• Supporters, led by Rep. David Spiller, argue the measure closes enforcement gaps and bolsters public safety by integrating local law enforcement into federal immigration actions.
• Opponents, including the ACLU of Texas, warn the mandate will undermine trust in law enforcement and increase racial profiling of immigrant communities.
• President Donald Trump endorsed the legislation, framing it as a boost to federal deportation efforts and statewide cooperation.