A Big Sandy Police Department officer pulled over a man driving past one of the town’s only restaurants this spring, then detained him to investigate his immigration status, according to the man’s lawyer. The lawyer’s account is the only version of events available to the public, despite longstanding Texas law that says basic information about an offense report or arrest must be provided to anyone who asks.

ICE Directives and Local Records

Big Sandy police, among the 301 law enforcement agencies in Texas that work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, refused to provide any records about the stop and subsequent detainment by one of its officers. Chief David Easterling said he consulted with ICE about the request and decided the local records belong to the federal government. Easterling’s response reflects two ICE directives sent in April informing state and local law enforcement that local officials must consult with the federal agency before releasing records to the public — even if the documents were created by a Texas law enforcement agency.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.