Houston Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order Friday directing the Houston Police Department to significantly limit its cooperation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reversing a policy that had drawn months of criticism from immigrant advocates, community members, and some city officials.
Under the new directive, HPD officers will contact ICE when an individual is arrested for a new offense punishable by jail time and also has an administrative immigration warrant. Officers will no longer contact federal immigration authorities solely because someone has an administrative ICE warrant during an encounter that does not result in an arrest.
The announcement, made Nov. 6 alongside Police Chief Noe Diaz, marks a shift in the city’s approach after months of public debate and calls for Whitmire to restrict HPD’s interactions with federal immigration authorities.
In April 2026, after the Houston City Council passed an ordinance to limit local police cooperation with ICE, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threatened to withhold roughly $110 million to $114 million in state public safety funding from the city, arguing the ordinance violated Texas Senate Bill 4.
Facing the loss of crucial funding for the Houston Police Department, Whitmire backed down from the restrictions and adopted a policy requiring officers to contact ICE when encountering civil administrative warrants. Whitmire noted at the time that the city depended on state funding for its resources.
The latest reversal follows the political developments that come in the aftermath of the sweeping Democratic midterm election victories.
Whitmire said the executive order aims to reduce fear among Houston residents while maintaining public safety. He emphasized HPD would continue contacting ICE when individuals are arrested for new jailable offenses, including violent crimes.
Following the order, Police Chief Diaz issued a department-wide memo clarifying that officers would no longer contact ICE over administrative warrants when someone receives a citation but is not arrested, such as during a minor traffic stop.
Whitmire acknowledged the timing of the decision, saying he had been in contact with incoming state leadership and lawmakers. “As I’ve said many times, elections matter,” he said.
The announcement drew a response from City Controller Chris Hollins, who has repeatedly called for an end to HPD’s cooperation with ICE. Hollins described the executive order as a promising first step but questioned whether the change reflected a genuine policy shift or political motivations tied to the election.
“Protecting Houstonians is every elected leader’s responsibility, before and after an election,” Hollins said, noting he had urged Whitmire for months to end the department’s partnership with ICE.
He added the mayor’s decision would ultimately be judged by whether it leads to lasting change, criticizing Whitmire for not acting sooner despite previous incidents involving ICE in Houston.
“Time will tell whether this pivot is simply another example of Mayor Whitmire playing politics or the beginning of real, tangible change,” Hollins said. “ICE killing a man in our city and running over another wasn’t enough to move the mayor. I’m glad an election was.”
City Council Member At-Large Position 4 Alejandra Salinas credited families, advocates, and residents who spent more than a year pushing for policy changes. In a statement on X, she welcomed the revised guidelines.
“This is a critical step toward protecting Houstonians’ constitutional rights and reducing the fear and anxiety too many families have carried that calling for help or being pulled over for a routine traffic stop could lead to them or a loved one being detained by ICE,” Salinas wrote.
Salinas said she would monitor the quarterly HPD-ICE reports required under the immigration ordinance to ensure the new policy is followed.
“I commend Mayor Whitmire and Chief Diaz for taking decisive action,” Salinas said. “We will closely monitor the quarterly HPD-ICE reports required under the immigration ordinance to ensure this policy is followed.”
