Houston restricts police ties to federal immigration agents
Mayor John Whitmire issued a new order limiting ICE cooperation after local police actions drew national attention and a shift in state government occurred.
By Abigail Brooks ·
Houston residents facing routine police interactions will face less risk of federal immigration involvement under a directive issued by Mayor John Whitmire on Friday. The city, the fourth-largest in the United States, is altering its protocols to reduce contact between local officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. This policy shift follows a period of high tension between federal agents and local communities.
Whitmire stated that the new model targets individuals who pose a danger rather than those engaged in family life, work, or education. He noted that a simple traffic incident will no longer trigger immigration enforcement. Officers will issue citations or warnings for nonviolent, non-jailable offenses without contacting ICE. The mayor said this approach aims to reduce fear and anxiety among residents.
The directive specifies that Houston police should contact ICE only under two conditions. First, the person stopped must be arrested on a charge subject to jailing. Second, ICE must issue an administrative warrant, which is an order signed by a senior official indicating the individual is wanted. The two-page order explicitly states that a person being subject to immigration enforcement shall not, by itself, be a basis to contact ICE, prolong detention, or hold a person in custody.
Recent incidents in Houston have intensified scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics. In July, ICE agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a traffic stop in the Magnolia Park neighborhood. Agents were reportedly looking for other individuals at the time. The shooting affected the Magnolia Park community and impacted the local housing construction industry, which has been losing skilled workers at high rates. A neighbor who declined to identify himself said the community feels the impact on a level they cannot describe.
In October, an ICE agent struck Miguel Parra Hernandez with a vehicle during a pursuit of a different suspect. Parra Hernandez suffered a broken leg. A grand jury indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors claim Morales intentionally rammed the car into Hernandez. ICE has asserted that Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle, an account prosecutors say video contradicts. Parra Hernandez's family noted he died years ago during the pursuit.
ICE has relied on local police to identify and turn over individuals subject to deportation, despite receiving a one-time $75 billion infusion from Congress. The agency has signed approximately 2,600 agreements to deputize local police and state agencies to enforce immigration laws. Texas has been a primary target for these arrests. Governor Greg Abbott, who closely aligned the state with the Trump administration for immigration collaboration, lost his bid for a fourth term to Democrat Gina Hinojosa in Tuesday's midterm elections.
Fiel, an immigrant-rights group in Houston working with the Parra Hernandez family, planned a press conference for Friday afternoon. Cesar Espinosa, executive director of Fiel Houston, said the city council had decided on this direction months ago. He stated that today Houston won and it was time to follow through. Spokespersons for ICE did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the announcement.
The new policy represents one of the first steps to curb ICE powers since the midterm elections. The city's decision reflects a local response to federal enforcement methods that have drawn criticism from residents and advocacy groups. The order takes effect immediately, changing how Houston police handle stops for minor offenses.
