The Houston city council voted 13-4 on Wednesday to amend an ordinance that had restricted local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The move came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to withhold $114 million in public safety funding ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada starting June 11.
Background of the Ordinance
The original ordinance, passed earlier this month, limited Houston police from detaining individuals subject to federal deportation warrants. It also required a 48-hour notice before releasing certain inmates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The amendment removed an explicit bar on giving ICE agents 30 minutes to pick up individuals named in administrative warrants.
Political Reactions
Democratic Mayor John Whitmire's office stated that the amendment protects $114 million in state funding and reinforces constitutional rights against unreasonable detention. A spokesperson for Governor Abbott called the approval "a step in the right direction." However, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had filed a lawsuit against the mayor and council members over the original ordinance.
Civil rights groups condemned the amendment. Caro Rivera Nelson, an attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said, "Houston city council caved to the governor's threats and intimidation. The effective repeal of Proposition A is a stain on our state."
Broader Context
ICE has been central to the Trump administration's hardline immigration enforcement, which rights groups argue has led to violations of free speech and due process, creating an unsafe environment for minorities. President Trump defends the crackdown as necessary for domestic security and curbing illegal immigration.
