The U.S. Department of Homeland Security criticized Houston Mayor John Whitmire's decision to limit when Houston police contact federal immigration authorities. A DHS spokesperson gave KPRC 2 a statement on Friday afternoon, hours after Whitmire announced the changes.
Under the new policy, Houston police officers will no longer contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement solely because someone has an administrative immigration warrant during an encounter that does not result in an arrest. Officers will still contact ICE when someone is arrested for a jailable offense and also has an administrative ICE warrant.
The DHS spokesperson said the department is disappointed that local officials are seeking to limit cooperation with ICE. The spokesperson said partnerships with local police are critical to federal immigration enforcement. The department also warned that restrictions could lead to a more visible federal enforcement presence in the city.