Houston Mayor Orders Limit on ICE Cooperation After Democratic Wins
New executive order restricts notifying federal agents for nonviolent arrests, following a shift in state power that weakens legal barriers to local immigration policies.
By Martin Reynolds ·
Houston Mayor John Whitmire issued an executive order on Friday to limit the city's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The directive applies specifically to individuals charged with nonviolent crimes who are released with a citation. Under the new rule, ICE will not be notified of these individuals' presence even if they hold an outstanding immigration warrant.
Whitmire stated at a news conference that the move aims to start a healing process and lower anxiety within the community. He acknowledged that recent election results influenced the decision. The mayor said he has spoken with the new statewide elected officials and noted that Senate Bill 4 is no longer a priority for the incoming administration.
The policy shift follows a complete Democratic takeover of Texas state leadership in the midterms held Tuesday. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott in the governor's race. In the attorney general's race, state Rep. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton by 12 points. Paxton had planned to run for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking re-election, but the loss removed a key legal opponent to the city's previous efforts.
Houston has faced tension with federal immigration agents throughout the year. In July, ICE officers fatally shot a Mexican man who had lived in the United States for 35 years. More recently, prosecutors indicted an ICE officer for striking a Mexican immigrant without permanent legal status with his vehicle. Residents placed I Voted stickers on the memorial for the man shot in July ahead of the election.
The city previously passed a similar ordinance to restrict police cooperation with federal immigration officers. Paxton opened an investigation into that move, claiming it violated Senate Bill 4. That state law prevents cities from enacting policies that limit immigration enforcement. Abbott threatened to withhold $110 million in public safety funding unless the ordinance was repealed, and the city eventually complied.
With the change in state power, the legal pressure on Houston has eased. Democrats now control the Texas state House, although they remain in the minority in the state Senate. This split control prevents the new leadership from fully undoing all previous Republican policies, but it changes the dynamic for local enforcement measures. Hinojosa has called Abbott's border security operations political theatre and said she would review the program.
Whitmire's order takes effect immediately. It changes how the Houston Police Department interacts with federal agents during routine arrests. The mayor's office has not yet detailed how the city will track compliance with the new citation requirements.
