Houston Mayor Restricts Police Cooperation With Federal Immigration Enforcement

Houston Mayor John Whitmire has signed an executive order directing the city’s police department to sharply restrict its cooperation with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the new directive, officers will no longer contact federal immigration authorities regarding individuals stopped for minor traffic violations or non-violent offenses simply because they have administrative immigration warrants.

The policy change reverses a prior arrangement implemented by Whitmire in April under pressure from outgoing Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Previously, Governor Abbott had threatened to withhold approximately $110 million in state public safety grants, arguing that municipal limitations on police contact with ICE violated state law. Former Attorney General Ken Paxton also initiated legal action against city leaders over the issue. Following Tuesday's state elections, in which Democrats secured several statewide offices, Whitmire announced the new policy during a Friday news conference.

Whitmire stated that he consulted with newly elected state leaders before issuing the order, intending to reduce fear and anxiety across the community. "We don’t want people to worry about their workers, their family members, their students," Whitmire told reporters. Houston Police Chief J Noe Diaz joined the mayor at the announcement, expressing support for the change and confirming that the department had already begun implementation. Under the updated rules, police will only notify ICE when an individual is being booked into jail for a jailable offense.

The directive drew criticism from federal authorities. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson expressed disappointment over the policy, stating that sanctuary policies limit cooperation and deprive law enforcement of necessary resources to apprehend criminal offenders. The spokesperson highlighted several past cases involving individuals convicted of serious crimes whom ICE had targeted in the area.

The issue of local police involvement with federal immigration enforcement has faced heightened scrutiny in Houston. Data from the Houston Chronicle indicated that city police contacted ICE at least 107 times during the first eight months of 2025, compared to nine times throughout the entirety of 2024. Additionally, an ICE agent shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a longtime Houston resident, in July.