Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces a new public safety initiative to combat violent crime in Greater Houston during a press conference in Houston, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.
Jason Fochtman
Mayor John Whitmire speaks to the media about the city’s immigration policies, after reports that at least two officers violated policies by transporting people to ICE, during a news conference at HPD headquarters in Houston, Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle
Gov. Greg Abbott this week said he would withhold $114 million in grant funds from Houston if the city does not vote to reverse its new policy that limits police cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
A large portion of the funds is a federal grant intended to cover security costs for the city’s 2026 FIFA World Cup events happening this summer. A significant amount of funds for the Houston Police Department and public safety efforts is at risk as well.
The city’s FIFA host committee said in a statement to the Chronicle that it “is aware of the letter Governor Abbott sent to the City of Houston. The committee is gathering information and monitoring developments to understand any potential implications.”
Article continues below this ad
The threat from Abbott comes after the Houston City Council last week voted to pass a proposal that eliminates an HPD police requirement that officers must wait 30 minutes for federal agents to pick people up on non-criminal ICE administrative warrants and requires police leaders to provide reports on the department’s cooperation with ICE.
Abbott’s office had initially given the city a deadline of April 20 to reverse its policy. On Thursday, Abbott extended the deadline to Wednesday, April 22, when the council is scheduled to discuss the issue during its regular weekly meeting.
The cash at risk includes almost $65 million to protect World Cup events, $21 million in federal funds for “high-threat, high-density areas,” $16 million to counter the unlawful use of drones and $10 million for police equipment, according to a city document.
Here’s a breakdown of what funding could be withheld:
Article continues below this ad
World Cup security
A $64.7 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s FIFA World Cup Grant Program is included in a list of funds Abbott has threatened to revoke.
Tommy Calabro, chief safety and security officer for the city’s host committee, previously said about 90% of the funding from the grant would go toward operational costs, including overtime for Houston police and other officers. The remaining funds would go toward covering the cost of technology and equipment, such as equipment for emergency medical personnel from the Houston Fire Department and other agencies.
The extra funding was awarded as the police and fire departments struggle with high overtime costs. City finance officials told city council members this month that HFD is over budget by $51 million and HPD by $16 million, mostly due to spending on overtime.
Houston Police Department grants
A total of roughly $11 million in grants for the police department is at risk, according to a city document. The grants include cash for a family violence initiative, law enforcement equipment and rifle-resistant body armor.
Article continues below this ad
After the City Council’s vote last week, the Houston Police Officers’ Union issued a statement condemning the proposal, adding they would not support any council member who voted for it. Union president Doug Griffith, who declined to comment to the Chronicle, told Houston Public Media that stance also will apply to Whitmire, who has been a close ally of the union for decades.
The HPD funds at risk are:
$150,000 family violence initiative grant
$216,884.33 general victims grant
$10 million local law enforcement equipment grant
$150,000 Northeast & Westside Houston Violent Gang Crime Suppression grant
$379,744 Internet crimes grant
$440,000 rifle-resistant body armor grant
Homeland security and counterterrorism
$16 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security to fight the unlawful use of drones
$21 million in total DHS grants for preventing, protecting against and responding to acts of terrorism or threats
$363,000 DHS grant for State Homeland Security Strategies
Article continues below this ad
City outreach programs
$465,000 grant for truancy prevention
$143,000 for juvenile justice truancy
Further details were not immediately available on a $157,000 “direct services” grant.
Abbott’s decision came as Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he was suing the City of Houston over its new ICE policy. “I will not allow any local official to push sanctuary policies that make our communities less safe,” Paxton said in a statement.
Following Abbott’s threats to withhold millions in funding, Mayor John Whitmire told the media that the city needed to reverse the policy.
Article continues below this ad
“We’ve got to correct that policy,” he said after a Tuesday news conference. “And it does not matter what a council member’s legal opinion is. There’s only one opinion that matters, and that’s the governor’s.”
Reporters Abby Church, Matt deGrood and Peter Warren contributed to this article.