Houston Mayor Orders Police to Limit ICE Cooperation After Democratic Midterm Sweep in Texas

Houston Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order Friday limiting when city police may notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the order, officers will contact ICE only if a person who has an administrative immigration warrant is also being arrested for a new jailable offense. Routine traffic stops that result in a citation, or other non-arrest contacts, will no longer trigger notification.

Whitmire, a Democrat, stated that “elections matter” and that he acted after consulting with newly elected statewide Democratic leadership. He said the change is intended to reduce fear and anxiety across Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city. Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz confirmed that officers will no longer contact ICE solely on the basis of an administrative warrant when no criminal arrest is made.

The order marks a shift from prior practice in which officers were instructed to contact ICE upon encountering individuals with civil warrants. Whitmire had previously voted against Texas Senate Bill 4 as a state senator. The move follows Democrats’ gains in Texas statewide offices, including the governorship.

City officials noted the policy still permits notification when a person is taken into custody on criminal charges, after which the county decides how to handle any ICE request.