四虎影院

NPR for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Dallas County commissioner raises alarm over ICE arrests in probation offices

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md.
Alex Brandon
/
AP
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, in Silver Spring, Md., earlier this year. ICE agents are now making arrests in Dallas County probation offices. County Commissioner Elba Garcia says she concerned about that development.

Federal immigration agents are arresting people when they show up for probation appointments in Dallas County.

Community Supervision and Corrections Director Patrick Arnold he is cooperating with state and federal agencies.

Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia says allowing arrests in county probation offices is concerning.

鈥淚 am deeply concerned by reports involving adult probation services handled by the Dallas County Community Supervision and Corrections Department and share the public鈥檚 questions and frustration,鈥 she said.

The Dallas County Commissioners Court does not hold hiring or administrative authority over the probation department.

鈥淚n my opinion, CSCD has failed to follow due process by not requiring judicial warrants for ICE arrests," Garcia said. "I am working closely with my Commissioners Court colleagues to ensure due process is fully upheld and that county facilities are not used to compromise our residents鈥 constitutional rights.鈥

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice oversees probation services.

Christina O鈥橬eil, Dallas County's Chief Judicial Staff Counsel, explained that local judges鈥 authority is limited to probation services budget review and appointing a local director and fiscal officer.

The judges do not have administrative authority over the community supervision and corrections department.

Got a tip? Email Marina Trahan Martinez at mmartinez@kera.org. You can follow Marina at .

四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider . Thank you.

Marina Trahan Martinez is 四虎影院's Dallas County government accountability reporter. She's a veteran journalist who has worked in the Dallas area for many years. Prior to coming to 四虎影院, she was on The Dallas Morning News Watchdog investigative and accountability team with Dave Lieber. She has written for The New York Times since 2001, following the 9/11 attacks. Many of her stories for The Times focused on social justice and law enforcement, including Botham Jean's murder by a Dallas police officer and her subsequent trial, Atatiana Jefferson's shooting death by a Fort Worth police officer, and protests following George Floyd's murder. Marina was part of The News team that a Pulitzer finalist for coverage of the deadly ambush of Dallas police officers in 2016.