Houston Mayor John Whitmire has directed police to limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during traffic stops. The move comes months after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to withhold millions of dollars in state funding over the city's past limits on cooperating with ICE.
Whitmire said his executive order tells officers to contact ICE only if a suspect has committed a jailable offense or has an ICE warrant. Houston police will cite and release people accused of nonviolent offenses. Whitmire said the order aims to reduce fear and anxiety across the city. He also said, "I also do this knowing that elections matter."
Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz said he agreed with the order. He said officers will not contact ICE over an administrative warrant if the person is not arrested. The announcement came days after Democrat Gina Hinojosa won the governor's race, defeating Abbott. Hinojosa has been critical of Abbott's immigration policies.