Houston limits ICE cooperation under new mayor

Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order on Friday that restricts cooperation between Houston police and federal immigration agents. The directive marks the first major policy shift by the nation's fourth-largest city since Democrats won control of Texas state government on Tuesday.

Whitmire stated the city will focus enforcement on immigrants who pose a danger to public safety. He specified that authorities should not detain individuals who are working or attending school. The new model aims to reduce fear and anxiety within immigrant communities by limiting contact over nonviolent offenses.

The mayor noted that minor traffic violations will no longer trigger immigration referrals. Officers will issue citations or verbal warnings instead of involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This change applies specifically to non-jailable offenses.

The policy shift follows a summer of protests in Houston regarding federal immigration tactics. An ICE officer fatally shot a Mexican homebuilder earlier this year. In a separate incident, an agent struck a man with a vehicle. A grand jury indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales last week for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors allege Morales intentionally rammed his car into Miguel Parra Hernandez, breaking the victim's leg. ICE maintains the victim ran into the path of the vehicle, a claim prosecutors say video footage contradicts.

Federal agencies remain heavily dependent on local partners to identify deportation targets. The Trump administration has signed approximately 2,600 agreements to deputize state and local police for immigration enforcement. Texas serves as a primary location for these arrests.

Governor Greg Abbott previously aligned the state closely with federal immigration goals. He lost his bid for a fourth term to Democrat Gina Hinojosa in Tuesday's election.