Houston Mayor Scales Back ICE Cooperation After Democrats’ Election Victories

After Democrats dominated on Election Day in Texas, Houston Mayor John Whitmire has directed the Houston Police Department to limit its cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Whitmire signed an executive order Friday, directing the Houston Police Department to contact ICE only when an individual in police custody is being booked into jail on new criminal charges or other outstanding warrants and has a positive hit in the National Crime Information Center database for an ICE administrative warrant.

“I do this to begin a healing process, reduce fear and anxiety across our community,” Whitmire said during a press conference on Friday, according to Houston Public Media. “I also do this knowing that elections matter.”

The order effectively prevents local law enforcement from detaining individuals or notifying ICE solely because they may be in the country illegally. Instead, the policy focuses on individuals who are in the country illegally and face criminal charges or have outstanding warrants.

Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz told reporters that officers would no longer contact ICE about individuals with administrative immigration warrants who receive minor traffic citations.

“For example, if our police officers pull over someone for a minor traffic infraction and they write a citation, that person receives a citation and goes about their day,” Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said. “HPD will no longer contact ICE if they have an administrative warrant and they are not arrested.” 

Earlier this year, Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to pull public safety grants from Austin, Dallas, and Houston after Houston city officials attempted to limit law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration agents.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE responded to the executive order, with a DHS spokesperson telling News Nation correspondent Ali Bradley that the department is disappointed with sanctuary politicians.

“We remain disappointed that sanctuary politicians seek to limit cooperation with ICE, as our law enforcement are simply fulfilling their sworn duties to serve and protect our communities,” a DHS spokesperson said. Every day, ICE officers are putting their lives on the line to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens in accordance with federal law. The Supremacy Clause makes it clear that sanctuary politicians do not control federal law enforcement.”

“Partnerships with law enforcement are critical to having the resources we need to arrest criminal illegal aliens across the country. Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE,” the spokesperson continued. “When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities.”

ICE also responded in a post to X, accusing Whitmire of protecting criminals.

“Watching child porn and selling heroin are classified as “nonviolent offenses” by the way,” the X post read. “This is the Mayor of Houston directly advocating for policies that protect some of the worst criminals in America.”

Meanwhile, Democrat state Rep. Christina Morales applauded Whitmire’s decision, calling the change “long overdue.”

“Mayor Whitmire’s decision to limit HPD’s cooperation with ICE is a long-overdue change for Houston,” Morales wrote.”For many immigrant families, something as simple as leaving home for work or groceries comes with the fear of being separated from their loved ones. No one should have to live with that uncertainty. In the East End and across Houston, we have seen firsthand how immigration enforcement has affected our communities.”

“What matters now is making sure HPD follows through on these changes and works to rebuild trust with the communities it serves,” she continued. “Houston’s strength has always come from neighbors looking out for one another. We cannot allow fear to divide us. Every family deserves to feel safe in the place they call home.”