Houston might consider curbing ICE cooperation
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Houston police officers monitor an anti-ICE protest outside City Hall in January. Photo: Reginald Mathalone/NurPhoto via Getty Images
A proposal from three Houston City Council members could curtail police cooperation with ICE.
Why it matters: The move could set up a showdown between progressive council members and Mayor John Whitmire, who has been reluctant to change how the Houston Police Department interacts with immigration officials for fear of angering the Trump administration.
State of play: An HPD policy enacted in March 2020 mandates police officers contact ICE agents when they encounter someone with an administrative warrant for removal from the U.S.
- Police Chief J. Noe Diaz this month announced ICE agents have a 30-minute window to respond after a Houston Chronicle investigation found two officers potentially violated the policy by personally transporting detainees to ICE agents.
By the numbers: Officers referred people to ICE agents 186 times under the policy, from March 2020 through December, per HPD data obtained by Axios.
- Nearly 150 of those referrals happened in 2025 after the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement.
Driving the news: Council Members Alejandra Salinas, Abbie Kamin and Edward Pollard are offering new rules that say officers have the discretion whether to call ICE agents if they encounter someone with an administrative warrant.
- It also states officers can detain someone only for as long as necessary, as long as it relates to the initial reason for the encounter, like a traffic stop. Officers would no longer be able to wait for ICE agents if there's no other reason to hold the individual.
- The policy would not apply to those with criminal warrants and requires additional transparency from HPD on how often it contacts ICE.
What they're saying: "This ordinance helps ensure our police are focused on what they do best — preventing crime and protecting neighborhoods," Salinas said in a statement.
- "We are not safer when officers are taken off the streets to wait on the side of the road for ICE, when families are afraid to report crimes, or when trust between the community and law enforcement breaks down."
- She pointed to similar policies in Bexar County, Austin and Dallas that say officers can but are not required to contact ICE.
Friction point: The proposal first must undergo a legal review through the city attorney, who works under Whitmire.
- Whitmire previously stated the city's hands were tied by state law and has said he wants to keep a massive ICE presence out of Houston by maintaining current policies.
The other side: Salinas' chief of staff, Chris Chu de León, tells Axios that Salinas' office believes the proposal is "airtight."
- "We think this will pass muster," he said.
Whitmire's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
What's next: The city attorney's office is reviewing the proposal.
- If approved, it could go before council members as soon as April.