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.

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

Houstonians received 6.6 million DoorDash orders via bicycle and other two-wheeled vehicles in 2025, the company says in its Two-Wheeled Progress Report.

Why it matters: Bikes, scooters and such are typically cleaner and quieter than cars — plus they don't contribute as much to road congestion.

Zoom out: The number of DoorDash deliveries using two-wheeled vehicles (bikes, e-bikes, scooters, etc.) in the U.S. and Canada grew nearly four times faster than those using cars between 2024 and 2025, per the company's new report shared first with Axios.

• They also offer a lower cost of entry for people trying to earn a living or side-cash through gig work.

Driving the news: The report identifies Houston as one of the top cities nationwide for two-wheeled deliveries.

Yes, but: Those 6.6 million two-wheeled deliveries were just 8% of all DoorDash deliveries in Houston, paling in comparison to cities like San Francisco (72% two-wheeled deliveries), Seattle (66%) and San Jose (64%).

• New York City (55%), Los Angeles (49%) and Chicago (34%) also saw higher rates.

Between the lines: Two-wheeled "Dashers" can travel more efficiently and make more money than those using cars, DoorDash says.

• They spend around 15% less time traveling from offer acceptance to pickup, and earn over 10% more money per hour on average.

What they're saying: "The pattern is clear: in cities that have safer, more connected bike networks, two-wheeled delivery tends to flourish," reads DoorDash's report.

The bottom line: Your burrito's next private taxi might be a bicycle.

⚖️ Fort Bend County Judge KP George was found guilty of felony money laundering after he used campaign funds for a home downpayment and other personal expenses. (Houston Chronicle)

🚙 Houston Children's Charity made $5.3 million donation of nearly 100 wheelchair-accessible vans to families in need. (Houston Business Journal)

🍺 True Anomaly Brewing, the brewery launched by former NASA scientists and developers, is closing its East End taproom, saying construction on the Interstate 45 expansion hampered business. (Chron)

😂 Laugh it up at Punchline Mondays comedy open mic at Axelrad.

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