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The mayor of Houston, Texas, has instructed the city’s police force to restrict collaboration with federal immigration authorities. Democratic Mayor John Whitmire announced the executive order following recent midterm elections in the state and months of public protests regarding immigration enforcement actions.
Policy Changes and Police Guidelines
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz stated that officers will now only contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if an individual arrested for a jailable offense also has an administrative ICE warrant issued internally by the Department of Homeland Security. Under previous guidelines, officers were obligated to notify ICE whenever a person’s name appeared with an administrative warrant during checks on the National Crime Information Center database.
Explaining the decision, Mayor Whitmire said, “I do this to begin a healing process,” and aimed to “reduce fear and anxiety across our community.” He added, “I also do this knowing that elections matter.” Providing an example of the new rules, Chief Diaz noted that individuals pulled over for minor traffic infractions who only receive a citation will simply go about their day.
Whitmire also urged federal lawmakers to reform immigration regulations. “ICE needs better training. They need body cameras. They need to be trained in de-escalation,” he said, adding that such changes must happen in Washington because he can only control what falls under his jurisdiction.
Political Context and Rebuttal
The policy shift diverges from the approach of outgoing Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who lost his re-election bid. Abbott previously threatened to withdraw millions in funding from Texas cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin if they failed to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
In response to the announcement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told local NBC affiliate KPRC 2 that the agency remains disappointed when sanctuary politicians limit cooperation, emphasizing that partnerships with local law enforcement are vital for arresting criminal non-citizens. Meanwhile, Austin has also begun enacting a similar policy shift.
The political landscape in Texas shifted during Tuesday’s midterms, where voters elected Gina Hinojosa as the state’s first Latina governor and the first Democrat in the role since 1995, alongside its first Democratic senator since 1988. Whitmire previously faced criticism for maintaining immigration enforcement policies under the Trump administration out of concern that the White House might deploy a surge of immigration agents in response.
Public Outcry and Recent Incidents
The policy change follows months of intense public demonstrations in Houston after an ICE officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican national living in the United States as an undocumented immigrant for decades, while he was driving to work. Officials subsequently stated that Araujo was not the intended target. Additionally, another Texas incident occurred a week prior when an ICE officer was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly striking a man with a vehicle.
