League City police could see new federal dollars for officers, body cameras and drones after Galveston County moved to pursue a share of a $3 billion immigration-enforcement grant.

County commissioners approved a task order worth nearly $9,000 with consulting firm GrantWorks Inc. to prepare applications for the grant, The Galveston County Daily News first reported. The item passed on a consent agenda with no discussion.

The grant is called the Bridging Immigration-Related Deficits Experienced Nationwide (BIRD) program. The U.S. Department of Justice administers it under authority from the 2025 Big Beautiful Bill Act. It can pay for law enforcement personnel, equipment, training and software. It can also fund temporary detention facilities for people accused of crimes while in the country illegally.

Why League City qualifies

Applicants must hold an existing agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the federal 287(g) program or seek to obtain one. League City Police Department already holds a 287(g) agreement, as do the Santa Fe and Bayou Vista police departments and Galveston County constables in Precincts 1, 2 and 4, according to agency records cited by the Daily News. The Sheriff's Office holds three separate 287(g) agreements.

The county has not stated how much it plans to seek. County staff recommended GrantWorks because of the firm's experience with complex applications and the program's late-September deadline.

Local budget context

League City's police department accounts for about $30 million of the city's general fund expenses in its proposed $333 million budget, according to Community Impact. City Council is scheduled to vote on the second and final reading of the FY2027 budget and tax rate Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Any BIRD grant funding would add to a growing stream of federal and state money flowing to Galveston County agencies for immigration enforcement. The Daily News reported that commissioners approved three other immigration-related grants earlier this year, totaling roughly $300,000 across the Precinct 2 Constable's Office, the Texas Comptroller's office and the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance.

The BIRD grant application deadline falls in late September.