Houston Mayor Limits ICE Cooperation Amid Policy Change

The Democratic mayor of Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, is changing the city’s approach to cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This decision comes despite an executive order from outgoing Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott, which threatened to cut state funding for noncompliance.

After a notable shift in Texas politics, where the state saw a blue swing with the election of Senator-elect James Talarico, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced restrictions on cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Whitmire informed The New York Times that city police would no longer notify ICE when encountering illegal immigrants in nonviolent situations, such as traffic stops or minor offenses.

“If they’re charged with a new crime, we’ll let ICE know as we get them to the jailhouse,” Whitmire stated. Abbott, having lost his bid for a fourth term, saw one of the state’s Senate seats turn Democrat with Senator-elect Talarico’s victory—marking a significant political change since 1988.

Though Whitmire did not provide comments to all inquiries, he noted that Abbott’s demand for Department of Homeland Security contact had caused “anxiety” among Houston residents. In a statement, Whitmire affirmed his signing of an executive order directing local law enforcement to cease contacting ICE for nonviolent offenses. Mayor Whitmire expressed gratitude towards Chief Diaz and local leaders for their support, emphasizing this as a step towards strengthening the community.

Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, set to take office in January, received Whitmire’s decision as “responsible” and “more effective policy.”

A DHS spokesperson, speaking to Fox News Digital, expressed disappointment over policies limiting cooperation with ICE. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of partnerships with law enforcement in arresting criminal illegal aliens across the country. They pointed out examples of criminals apprehended in Houston, highlighting cases such as Cuban national Alexander Montano and Vietnamese national Ding Nguyen, both convicted of serious crimes.

The previous Houston policy, enacted in March, allowed ICE involvement if a suspect’s background check revealed immigration-related warrants. The policy stated that if ICE didn’t arrive within thirty minutes, the suspect would be released. This policy was revised after Abbott’s threat to withhold $100 million in funding.

Whitmire’s new announcement marks a shift back to limiting ICE notifications, focusing only on encounters involving jailable offenses. This represents a return to the restrictions that city lawmakers initially wanted.