A major shift in law enforcement is coming to every corner of the Lone Star State, and the impact will reach far beyond the jailhouse walls. Governor Greg Abbott recently signed Senate Bill 8 into law. This mandate requires large Texas counties to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. For years, local sheriffs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chose their own level of collaboration. This created a patchwork of different policies across the state. Now, as of 2026, every county with over 100,000 residents that operates a jail must enter a 287(g) agreement. This fundamental realignment changes how local departments use their resources to enforce federal law.
