HOUSTON \u2013 Houston Mayor John Whitmire says he is considering all options after receiving a letter from the State of Texas threatening to pull $110 million in state public safety grants from the city over its recently passed ordinance limiting when the Houston Police Department can call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).<\/p>\n
In a letter from the Office of Governor Greg Abbott delivered Monday to Mayor Whitmire, the State says the new ordinance violates an April 15, 2025 certification between the City of Houston and the Public Safety Office of the Governor (PSO) which states the city would, \u201cparticipate fully\u2026 in all aspects of the programs and procedures utilized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security\u201a\u201d to notify DHS of all information requested by DHS regarding undocumented immigrants in HPD\u2019s custody and detains such undocumented immigrants in accordance with requests by DHS.<\/p>\n
The letter also says the certification also states the city and HPD \u201cdo not have, and will continue not to have any policy, procedure, or agreement that in any way limits or impedes\u201d HPD\u2019s receipt or DHS\u2019s issuance of detainer requests.<\/p>\n
The letter continues by saying it is a notification that the new ordinance is a breach of the certification and \u201cimperils all grant agreements between the City and PSO for Fiscal Year 2026.\u201d It asks the mayor to respond by April 20 to \u201cconfirm that the City will not enforce, and will act to repeal, the ordinance. Failure to do so may result in PSO exercising its sole discretion terminate all such grants.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is the ordinance?<\/p>\n
The revised immigration ordinance focused on drawing a clearer line between the responsibilities of the Houston Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, particularly during routine traffic stops and investigations.<\/p>\n
Under the new ordinance, officers would only be allowed to detain someone for as long as reasonably necessary to complete the original purpose of a stop or investigation.<\/p>\n
The ordinance makes clear that an ICE administrative warrant alone, a civil document that does not allege a criminal offense, would not justify a stop, arrest, or continued detention by HPD.<\/p>\n
If no crime is suspected, the individual must be released.<\/p>\n
Previously, when officers encountered an immigration warrant, they were required to call a supervisor to the scene.<\/p>\n
That supervisor then verified the warrant before contacting ICE, whose agents were then given a limited window to respond.<\/p>\n
The updated ordinance now requires HPD to provide quarterly reports to city council members detailing its interactions with ICE.<\/p>\n
Mayor Whitmire responds<\/p>\n