Houston limits police cooperation with ICE, mayor says focus on those who 'pose a danger'

Mayor John Whitmire signed an order limiting the city's cooperation with federal immigration authorities, saying referrals to ICE will be reserved for people who 'pose a danger'. The move follows Democratic victories in Texas.

Houston's mayor, John Whitmire, signed an order on Friday to curb the city's cooperation with federal immigration authorities, directing police to refer to ICE only people who "pose a danger, not those that are going about their family business, work and education."

The order narrows the circumstances under which local police will contact ICE, limiting referrals to cases tied to arrests for serious crimes rather than minor infractions. The announcement came in the wake of Democratic victories in Texas state elections.

City officials framed the change as a shift in enforcement priorities, focusing on individuals deemed dangerous rather than routine immigration enforcement tied to everyday activities. The order aims to change how local policing and federal immigration authorities interact.

It was not immediately clear how the new limits will be implemented in practice or how they will affect coordination with federal agencies in individual cases.