Lubbock constable details ICE funding, commissioner questions potential taxpayer costs
Jameson Ortega, a Lubbock native, has spent over 15 years in journalism, previously serving as the News Editor at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Texas Tech University, where he discovered his passion for local storytelling and community engagement.
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Federal funding could help equip Lubbock County constables under newly approved ICE agreements, Precinct 2 Constable Jody Barnes says. Commissioner Mike Dalby, who voted against them, questions whether taxpayers could be left covering the costs. Barnes told Lubbock Lights the program could provide $100,000 for a vehicle after an office’s first immigration arrest, followed by quarterly technology and equipment funding. Dalby said he lacks sufficient assurance that the county will receive the money or avoid additional expenses. “I am not willing to gamble the taxpayer dollars on empty promises and no verification that the funds will be available and this won t cost the county,” Dalby told Lubbock Lights. Read Dalby’s full statement below. Commissioners approved separate agreements for Constable Precincts 1, 2 and 4 on Nov. 9. Commissioners Jason Corley, Jordan Rackler and Cary Shaw voted yes; County Judge Curtis Parrish and Dalby voted no on each agreement. The agreemen