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Houston Mayor Limits Cooperation With ICE: ‘Elections Matter’
Rolling Stone • • nation
Key Points:
- Following the 2026 midterm elections, Houston Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order directing the Houston Police Department to end cooperation with ICE, reversing previous policies enforced under Texas law SB 4.
- SB 4, passed by Texas Republicans, had allowed state law enforcement to engage in immigration enforcement and banned sanctuary policies; with Democrats now controlling statewide offices and the legislature, local retaliation fears have diminished.
- Whitmire emphasized that ICE will only be contacted for jailable offenses, aiming to rebuild trust and reduce fear among Houston's communities.
- Recent violent incidents involving ICE agents, including a charged aggravated assault in Houston and a shooting in Austin, have heightened tensions around immigration enforcement in Texas.
