HOUSTON — Mayor John Whitmire announced on Friday that Houston will limit its cooperation with federal immigration authorities for nonviolent offenses. The mayor stated the city will focus enforcement efforts on individuals who pose a danger rather than those engaged in work, education, or family activities.
The shift follows the Tuesday election in which Democrats won power in Texas. The change comes amid local protests following recent incidents involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, including the fatal shooting of a Mexican homebuilder during the summer and a separate vehicular incident involving a pedestrian.
Under the new directive, Houston police will not contact ICE regarding individuals involved in nonviolent, non-jailable offenses, such as traffic incidents. Mayor Whitmire said that for such offenses, officers will issue citations or warnings and allow individuals to proceed without federal notification. An executive order is expected to detail the specific mechanics of this change.
In a related legal matter, a grand jury recently indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The charge stems from an incident in which prosecutors allege Morales intentionally struck Miguel Parra Hernandez with his car, resulting in a broken leg. While ICE stated Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle, prosecutors said video evidence contradicts that account.
ICE remains dependent on local police to find people subject to deportation. Nationally, the agency maintains approximately 2,600 agreements to deputize local and state agencies to assist in federal immigration enforcement, many of which are in Texas. Texas has been a primary target for ICE arrests. The new policy represents a shift in how the Houston Police Department will interact with federal agents for low-level offenses.
For a resident of Houston, the change will be most visible during routine police encounters such as traffic stops. If an individual is stopped for a non-jailable offense, they will receive a citation or warning and be released, rather than having their information shared with ICE.
This shift marks a change in the relationship between Texas local governments and federal enforcement. Previously, Governor Greg Abbott had aligned state operations with federal immigration enforcement. The move in Houston follows the election of Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who defeated Abbott in his bid for a fourth term. Next steps include the release of the formal executive order detailing the new protocols and the ongoing legal proceedings for Officer Morales.