Houston mayor curbs cooperation of US city’s police with ICE
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has issued an executive order limiting police cooperation with ICE, specifically exempting minor traffic violations from immigration enforcement referrals. This policy shift aims to reduce community anxiety and reverses a previous mandate implemented under pressure from the state government.
Why it matters
The move highlights the ongoing tension between local municipal autonomy and state-level immigration enforcement policies in Texas.
People stopped for minor traffic violations will no longer be referred to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Houston Mayor John Whitmire [File: Kirby Lee/US Today Sports] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 7 Nov 2026 7 Nov 2026 The mayor of Houston, the most populous city in the US state of Texas, has ordered the city’s police force to sharply limit its cooperation with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
John Whitmire’s executive order came on Friday, days after Democrats swept statewide offices in the traditionally Republican state.
According to the order, Houston police will contact ICE only when a person is being arrested for a jailable offence, according to the Reuters news agency.
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Houston Mayor Orders Police to Limit Cooperation With Federal Immigration Agents
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