Austin Wood
Audio By Carbonatix
Security preparations are progressing for the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, drawing a sizable effort from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, officials said Thursday. Homeland Security Investigations will also be present.
During a joint press conference at Dallas police headquarters, representatives from the city of Dallas, Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue, DART Police, HSI, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and the White House detailed planned security measures for the unprecedented midterm convention. The convention will take place at the American Airlines Center in Victory Park from Sept. 9 to Sept. 10.
President Donald Trump first announced the convention in late June as his approval numbers continued to plummet amid an unpopular war in the Middle East and ongoing economic strain. The Republican National Convention has announced that over 20,000 people are expected to attend, including U.S. House reps. who are reportedly expected to pay up to $25,000 for a pair of tickets. Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend to bolster support for Republicans nationwide and in Texas, which is in the midst of a contested Senate race.
“Our responsibility as a city is straightforward: protecting the safety of our residents, our visitors, attendees, demonstrators, our public safety partners and our employees,” City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said.
Officials highlighted the intensive, multi-agency effort required for an event drawing so many high-profile public officials. Motorcades, airspace restrictions and traffic disruptions are expected. Multiple city departments are involved, along with state partners, the Federal Aviation Administration and an undisclosed number of federal agencies.
A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed that HSI is actively involved in planning the event. Antwoine Jones, HSI Dallas deputy special agent in charge, attended the press conference but, unlike other officials, did not speak. HSI is the Department of Homeland Security’s main criminal investigation arm and operates under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It is not to be confused with Enforcement and Removal Operations, the main agency responsible for immigration enforcement in the U.S.
Protests and police presence
Courtesy of DPD.
Protests have already been planned for the event. While police representatives said they would protect activists’ safety and are in discussions with “several” groups planning to protest the convention, organizers recently told the Observer they feel progress has been “glacial.” No further information was offered on when the city will approve march routes or special event permits. Rick Majumdar, one of the main organizers of the Dallas Against Trump Agenda coalition, told the Observer earlier this week that a planned procession will take place “whether we receive a permit or not.”
“DPD respects the constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and express viewpoints. Our officers are here to protect people, facilitate lawful activity, and maintain public safety,” DPD Deputy Chief Devon Palk said. “We ask anyone participating in demonstrations to remain peaceful, follow lawful instructions, and respect established security areas.”
Palk asked demonstrators not to block roadways and added that he could not provide more information on tactical deployments or staffing due to security concerns. He also said that law enforcement will be more present around the convention and that there will be both visible and non-visible security measures. He called on the public to report any suspicious activity.
Officials also announced plans to close roads immediately surrounding the arena from Sept. 7 to Sept. 11 at midnight. Other streets throughout the area may be subject to closure with “little to no warning,” due to motorcades and other factors, Palk warned, adding that residents should plan ahead and allow for extra time while commuting.
“Whether you’re attending the convention, participating in the demonstration, working in the area, or simply traveling through Dallas, our goal is to keep you safe while minimizing disruptions to the city,” he said.
Victory Station will also close for three days due to security considerations during the convention, DART Police Chief Charles Cato said.
As the city faces significant budgetary constraints, Dallas police are expected to spend up to $1.8 million on security during the event. Tolbert said that figure is evolving and that the city would pursue reimbursements to defray costs, although no agreements have been finalized. Convention CEO and Trump aide John Hiller told the press that “we’re willing to hopefully mitigate those expenses.”
Dallas is also planning to activate the emergency operations center as a hub for inter-agency coordination, Kevin Oden, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response, said.
Federal security will be visible
A federal security presence will become visible beginning on Sept. 7, in the form of measures such as temporary fencing. Vehicle barriers, security checkpoints and federal law enforcement agents will also be seen, although Christina Foley, special agent in charge of the Dallas Secret Service Field Office, said residents won’t see everything.
“Those visible and non-visible layers work together to deter, detect, and respond to potential threats,” Foley said. “We also recognize that security operations for this event of this scale can create inconveniences for residences, businesses, commuters and visitors. We are intentional about developing a plan that minimizes these disruptions.”
Airspace restrictions will also take effect in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for portions of the event and will affect airplane, helicopter and unmanned traffic, including drones. Individuals operating drones in restricted airspace may face enforcement action. The specifics of the restrictions were unclear, although Foley said more security measures will come ahead of the convention.
A Secret Service spokesperson said HSI has been active in the preparations. Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas presence operates out of the local ICE field office, and multiple HSI officials from the office attended the briefing alongside the officer in charge. The Observer reached out to a spokesperson for the Dallas field office on the agency’s security plans, but did not hear back in time for publication and will update this article if a response is received.
As part of an ongoing case against protestors who organized to protest ICE in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in January, newly released court documents show that HSI personnel engaged in a sophisticated infiltration of advocacy groups in the first half of the year. HSI described groups as an organized network of conspirators providing “support to violent opportunists and agitators involved in impeding federal law enforcement, rioting, destruction of Federal property and assaults on Federal agents,” according to documents. As part of the investigation, federal officials obtained more than three years’ worth of records from an environmental advocacy group, Sunshine Action, and Communication Workers of America, a labor union. Other groups targeted included the Minneapolis Federation of Educators and the Minnesota Association of Public Employees.
Undercover agents infiltrated Signal chats and also attended a meeting of Direct Action Minnesota, a group whose members were charged in the case. Agents copied attendees’ license plate numbers and used them to amass files including information on their families and jobs, according to prior reporting by NPR.
Majumdar said they still have not pinned things down with the city, and are “aware” of HSI’s planned presence, but added that it won’t change anything from their end.
“We have seen HSI involved in various cities, including Minneapolis, and their collaboration with the local law enforcement, federal agencies, and ICE to remove people from their homes… We’re still going to go through with everything that we have planned,” he said.
