Houston Mayor Orders Police to Limit ICE Cooperation During Traffic Stops
Houston Mayor John Whitmire signs an order limiting police cooperation with ICE during traffic stops, marking a shift in Texas immigration policy.
POLICY WIRE — Houston, Texas — Houston Mayor John Whitmire has issued a formal directive instructing local police officers to reduce their level of engagement with federal immigration authorities.
The order, signed on Friday, marks a significant departure from the federal government’s previously aggressive approach to immigration enforcement within the state’s largest city.
Whmire credited this policy shift to the recent trend of Democrats reclaiming political power across Texas for the first time in several decades.
The new mandate specifically targets how law enforcement interacts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during routine traffic stops.
This move comes months after heightened tensions with state leadership. Governor Greg Abbott had previously threatened to withhold millions of dollars in state funding from Houston due to past restrictions placed on cooperating with federal agents.
While immigration advocates have welcomed the change, the Houston Police union has expressed opposition to the new enforcement policy guidelines.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
