Schulenburg Council Votes to Partner With ICE

The Schulenburg City Council voted 3-2 Monday night to approve a 287(g) agreement between Schulenburg Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The 287(g) program provides grant funding to local law enforcement agencies who assist ICE agents with immigration enforcement. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the La Grange Police Department have previously joined the 287(g) program.

Schulenburg council members Frank Wick III and Randy Mican voted against the measure.

Police Chief Troy Brenek said the agreement will allow officers to participate in ICE operations outside of the CIty. Brenek said he intends to use the grant funding to purchase patrol vehicles and equipment.

Brenek issued the following statement on Tuesday concerning the agreement with ICE, which is a branch of the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“The Schulenburg Police Department is committed to working with DHS and the 287(g) program in a manner that promotes public safety, follows the law, and respects the dignity of every person in our community,” Brenek said.

“Our first priority is, and will always be, the safety and ‘Our officers need to be taking care of the problems we have in our own community’

well-being of our residents, families, businesses, and neighborhoods,” the statement went on to say. “Any partnership or information-sharing effort will be guided by that responsibility, with a focus on addressing serious publicsafety concerns while maintaining the trust essential to effective policing.”

“We recognize that a safe community depends on people feeling able to report crimes, seek help, and cooperate with law enforcement without unnecessary fear,” the statement said. “We will continue to serve all members of our community fairly, professionally, and with respect.”

Wick said he doesn’t believe the Schulenburg Police Department has enough resources to assist ICE.

“I don’t think we have the resources to go out and be doing this,” Wick said. “We have issues in our town. Our officers need to be taking care of the problems we have in our own community.”

Mican, who works as an investigator for the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office, offered similar thoughts.

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 41 years,” Mican said. “I think for city officers, we need to be focused on addressing local crime and ensuring our community is safe instead of carrying out federal law enforcement activities.”

Mican said Brenek recently informed the Council that the Schulenburg Police Department is currently down two officers.

“We’re short staffed,” Mican said. “Sending our officers outside the city limits is going to put a strain on us. Sometimes the money is not worth the problems we’re going to have. I know we need to help the county and other agencies around. But going for federal laws, I don’t think we should be dabbling in that.”