Not Surprisingly, HPD Cooperating With Ice More Than Disclosed-Will Anything Get Council To Act?

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The Houston Chronicle has reported cooperation between the Houston Police Department and ICE more extensive than previously detailed. 

​From the Chronicle on 3/5:

"Houston police officers in at least two instances have arrested drivers and personally transported them to immigration agents — a new level cooperation with federal officials that could risk violating the U.S. Constitution and internal policies, according to legal experts...The details, gleaned from police reports, come days after Houston-area religious leaders appeared before city council to denounce a general uptick in the Houston Police Department’s cooperation with ICE agents. Officers called federal authorities in more than 154 cases in 2025, an increase of more than 1,000% from prior years...the revelation that officers have directly arrested people on The U.S. Constitution designates immigration enforcement as a federal responsibility and, thus, local agencies aren't allowed to police immigration laws unless they've been deputized in what are known as 287(g) agreements,  inquiries could be considered a violation of the Fourth Amendment, some legal experts said...Houston participates in no such agreement...."These reports demand action to ensure Houston is not requiring cooperation with ICE beyond state law," Councilmember Alejandra Salinas said. "Families should not live in fear that a broken taillight or call for help could lead to a loved one being taken away by ICE. Our officers should be focused on serious crime - not serving as an accessory to federal immigration enforcement."

We've been at this for a while now--Mayor Whitmire won't come clean with HPD's cooperation with ICE & Houston City Council won't engage in meaningful oversight or take needed action. It was in November of last year Mayor Whitmire finally admitted, after months of denial, that HPD was in fact working with ICE. 

(Above--Mayor Whitmire & HPD Chief Noe Diaz) 

​In addition to the dishonesty, Mayor Whitmire has botched it over and over in how to respond to ICE terror on our streets. Mayor Whitmire has repeatedly blamed people bravely opposing ICE across the country for "turmoil" rather than holding ICE responsible and has brought far-right Houston Police Officer's Union head Doug Griffith to Council, to tell the public that use of the word "fight" in opposing ICE could be taken as suggesting violence against law enforcement. 

​In the Chronicle article excerpted above, you see where Democratic At-Large Councilmember Alejandra Salinas says ICE should not be called from an HPD interaction that begins with a "broken taillight." A topic of repeated discussion at Houston City Council in recent weeks has been a possible ordinance that would end or inhibit HPD pulling people over for non-safety traffic stops. 

​This is a matter we must pressure Houston City Council to adopt. 

The issue here is far beyond even the terrible impact of ICE on Houston communities and all our civil liberties. If Houston city government will look the other way at Houstonians being profiled for having brown skin and driving a work van/truck and bring sent to terrible detention/concentration camps, then we can also anticipate municipal leaders will sit on the sidelines when Governor Abbott messes with our Harris County elections as he has promised.

​It seems there is no threat, abuse or outrage from our authoritarian state or federal governments, that the City of Houston will respond to in any meaningful, principled or courageous way. 

​Houston City Council does not meet this week. The next public comment session is Tuesday, 3/17. Below is information on how to follow and interact with Council. 

We need to continue to press Council to address ICE in Houston. If an ordinance is proposed that has real impact on stopping non-safety traffic stops, we need to support it and push for it. Mayor Whitmire will pressure the city legal department to say it violates state or federal law. The bullies at the police "union" will pitch a fit. If somebody on Council really makes an effort to get this done, then we need to support them. 

Most of all we need to organize ourselves. The next action is when you organize it, the First Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. Voting is not going to be enough. What happens at Houston City Council has the potential to be important. In the end though, each of us are the main act. 

Public comment time at Houston City Council is each Tuesday at 2 PM with the exception once each month when it is at 5:00 PM. Here is how you can speak at Council and here is how to contact your councilmember.  The earlier before the session you sign up, the higher up on the speaker's list you'll be. You must register to speak by 3 PM the day before. 

The agenda session to conduct Council business is each Wednesday at 9 AM. The agenda is posted in advance. Council can be watched live on HTV Houston Television and past sessions are available at any time on the HTV feed on Facebook. Here is the link to past sessions of Council. Here are maps of Council districts so you can see who represents you. 

Here is contact information for Mayor Whitmire & Council--

Mayor Whitmire—832-393-1000 [email protected] 

Democrats: 
At-Large-Alejandra Salinas 832-393-3012  [email protected]
At-Large-Sallie Alcorn 832-393-3017  [email protected]
District B-Tarsha Jackson 832-393-3009  [email protected]
District C-Abbie Kamin 832-393-3004  [email protected]
District D-Carolyn Evans-Shabazz 832-393-3001 [email protected]
District F-Tiffany Thomas 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District H-Mario Castillo 832-393-3002  [email protected]
District I-Joaquin Martinez 832-393-3011 [email protected]
District J-Edward Pollard 832-393-3015  [email protected]
District K-Martha Castex-Tatum 832-393-3016  [email protected]

Republicans: 
At-Large-Julian Ramirez 832-393-3014 [email protected]
At-Large-Willie Davis 832-393-3013 [email protected] 
At-Large-Twila Carter 832-393-3005 [email protected]
District A-Amy Peck 832-393-3010 [email protected]
District E-Fred Flickinger 832-393-3008 [email protected] 
District G-Mary Nan Huffman 832-393-3007 [email protected] ​​

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