Houston orders limits on police cooperation with ICE

Houston Mayor John Whitmire has directed city police to limit when they contact federal immigration authorities. The coverage links the order to the Texas election results, while some reports give more detail about the rules and their context than others.

• Whitmire’s order directs Houston police to contact ICE only in specified circumstances, including when a person is arrested on a charge subject to jailing or ICE issues an administrative warrant.· 1 source
• The reports connect the decision to Democrats’ gains in Texas in the midterm elections.· 3 sources
• The order says suspected immigration status alone should not justify contacting ICE, extending detention, or holding someone in custody.· 1 source
• Houston’s mayor said the policy is intended to focus enforcement on people who pose a danger, rather than people going about family, work, or education.· 1 source
• The reports describe potential tension between Democratic-led cities and Republican state leadership over immigration enforcement.· 1 source