HOUSTON, November 7, 2026 — Houston police will no longer contact federal immigration agents over civil warrants unless a person is charged with a jailable crime, under a new executive order from Mayor John Whitmire.
How the Policy Works
Officers are barred from detaining people solely due to civil immigration warrants. For nonviolent, non-jailable offenses like traffic infractions, they will cite and release, without contacting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The order aims to “begin a healing process, reduce fear and anxiety,” Whitmire said, adding, “elections matter.”
The Background
This shift follows Democratic midterm gains in Texas, including Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa’s victory. In July 2026, ICE agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a Houston traffic stop, rattling the Magnolia Park community. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare is investigating that shooting and has indicted ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against an undocumented man.
The Numbers
Houston police contacted ICE 107 times in the first eight months of 2025, up from nine in all of 2024, according to the Houston Chronicle. In one case, an officer called ICE on a woman reporting domestic violence due to her ICE warrant; no agents responded. The Trump administration added over 700,000 administrative immigration warrants to a national database used by police.
What It Means Now
The policy reverses a surge in ICE cooperation that began after Governor Greg Abbott threatened to withhold $110 million in state funding over Houston’s previous restrictions. Police Chief J. Noe Diaz supports the change, saying officers won’t contact ICE for administrative warrants during non-arrest encounters. The move reflects a new political landscape in Texas, where Democrats have gained power after years of Republican dominance.
Next scheduled event: Harris County DA Sean Teare’s ongoing investigation into the July shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.
Sources
- Houston to limit police cooperation with federal immigration authorities
- Houston
- Houston Mayor John Whitmire directs HPD to reduce cooperation with ICE after midterm results | Houston Public Media
- Homecoming Game Time, Network Announced – University of Houston Athletics
- Houston Texans Transactions (11-2-2026)
- Houston Mayor John Whitmire limits police cooperation with ICE
Photo: Ed Uthman (CC BY 2.0)
