Houston mayor orders police to limit ICE contacts after midterm Democratic gains

Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced on Friday that the city police department will curb its cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The executive order limits officers to contacting ICE only when a person with a civil immigration warrant is charged with a jailable offense, ending the practice of detaining individuals solely on civil warrants.

"I do this to begin a healing process, reduce fear and anxiety across our community," Whitmire said at a press conference, adding that the decision was influenced by the recent midterm elections.

Police Chief Noe Diaz explained that under the new policy, officers will not contact ICE for minor infractions. "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," Diaz said. "HPD will no longer contact ICE if they have an administrative warrant and they are not arrested."

The move follows an April effort by Whitmire and several city council members to give officers discretion over ICE contacts, which was later reversed after Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to withhold more than $110 million in public-safety funding. Whitmire noted that a prolonged dispute with the state could jeopardize future funding, citing over $260 million in appropriations to Houston from the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature in 2025.

City council member Alejandra Salinas, who led the April ordinance, called the change “a great step forward,” saying the city had acknowledged the fear caused by previous practices.

Records obtained by Houston Public Media show that between April and September, HPD officers contacted ICE nearly 200 times, including 36 instances where individuals were handed directly to ICE, sometimes after calling emergency services for crises such as suicide attempts or domestic violence. Texas officials did not respond to requests for comment.