Houston mayor orders police to limit ICE notifications after Democratic victories

Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat, announced an executive order that will require Houston police to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) only when an arrestee faces a jailable offense and has an administrative ICE warrant, according to Police Chief Noe Diaz. The change reverses a prior policy that mandated notification whenever a name matched a warrant in the National Crime Information Center database.

Whitmore said the measure is intended to start a "healing process" and reduce fear in the community, adding that it reflects the importance of recent elections. He also urged Congress to improve ICE training, body-camera use and de-escalation tactics, noting that such reforms must be addressed at the federal level.

The Department of Homeland Security responded that it is disappointed by the move, stating that partnerships with local law enforcement are essential for arresting criminal illegal aliens. The policy shift follows a series of Democratic wins in Texas, including the election of the state's first Latina governor and its first Democratic senator in decades.