Texas police limit operation with ICE to jail-time arrests with warrants, Houston mayor John Whitmire instructs
Houston changes its contact rules
Whitmire issued the change through an executive order. Police Chief Noe Diaz said officers will contact ICE when a person is arrested for an offence punishable by jail and has an administrative immigration warrant.
Those warrants are issued within the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that includes ICE. Diaz said a person stopped for a minor traffic violation and given a citation would be allowed to continue on their way.
A shift from prior policy
Previously, Houston officers had to notify ICE when a database search showed an administrative warrant linked to someone they were dealing with. The National Crime Information Center contains records including wanted-person information and certain arrest and fingerprint records.
Whitmire said the change was meant to start what he called a “healing process” and lower fear and anxiety. He also said elections matter, following Democratic gains in Texas during the midterm vote.
Calls for federal action
Whitmire asked Congress to revise federal immigration rules. He said ICE needs improved training and body cameras, as well as instruction in de-escalation, adding that such changes must be made in Washington.
The Department of Homeland Security said it was disappointed by efforts to restrict cooperation with ICE. Its spokesperson argued that partnerships with local law enforcement help the agency arrest people it described as criminal illegal aliens.
Local debate and wider context
Houston has seen public protests after an ICE officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who had lived in the United States without legal status for decades. Officials said he was not the intended target.
Austin has started a similar policy change. Abbott has threatened to withdraw millions in funding from Houston, Dallas and Austin unless their police cooperate fully with federal immigration officials; Whitmire had earlier resisted a comparable change over concern that the White House might send more immigration officers.
Key points
- Houston officers will contact ICE only when an arrested person also has an administrative warrant and faces a jailable offence.
- Whitmire says the policy aims to reduce community fear and called on Congress to change federal immigration rules.
- The Department of Homeland Security criticized limits on cooperation, while Austin has begun a similar change.
- Abbott has threatened funding cuts for cities that do not cooperate fully with federal immigration officials.