Timeline Of ICE/City Of Houston Ordinance-Contact Info For Council

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​Here is the process the ICE/City of Houston ordinance has taken at Houston City Hall & information on contacting council:

* On March 19, Councilmembers Salinas, Kamin and Pollard proposed the ordinance. This was at a press conference you see above.

* According to Councilmember Salinas, the ordinance as originally written accomplished the following:

1. HPD won't be required to contact ICE for civil administrative warrants
2. Traffic stops end when their lawful purpose ends — not when ICE arrives
3. Transparency reports on HPD's contact with ICE

* Unelected City Attorney Arturo Michel removed the first provision of the ordinance saying it was not legal. This despite the fact the three councilmembers who proposed the ordinance are attorneys & Ms. Kamin is the Democratic nominee for Harris County Attorney. Below you see Mr. Michel at the 3/19 press conference.

* On April 8, Houston City Council passed the ordinance by 12-5. Voting Yes: Whitmire, Ramirez, Salinas, Alcorn, Jackson, Kamin, Evans-Shabazz, Thomas, Castillo, Martinez, Pollard, Castex-Tatum. Voting No: Carter, Davis, Peck, Flickinger, Huffman.

* Soon after the vote, the Houston Police Officers’ Union threw a fit. The union made various contradictory and angry statements. They seem to have a problem with reliable decision making while under stress.

* Governor Abbott announced he would defund law enforcement grants for Houston unless the ordinance is repealed. Councilmember Salinas and her colleagues who proposed the ordinance said the city should fight the governor. Mayor Whitmire disagreed.

​* Mayor Whitmire scheduled and then canceled a special session of Houston City Council to repeal the ordinance for Friday, April 17. He didn’t have the votes.

* Mayor Whitmire now says he’ll seek to amend the ordinance rather than repeal it. Repealing the ordinance within 90 days of passage requires a 2/3’s majority of 12 votes. Amending it requires a simple majority of 9. They will gut the ordinance to satisfy Abbott and the police union.

* The ordinance will be discussed by Houstonians at the Public Comment session tomorrow, 4/21 & the Whitmire-amended ordinance which I imagine will be voted on at the Agenda Session on Wednesday, 4/22. There is a protest at City Hall tomorrow at 2.

* Each of us have the ability to contact Houston City Council and tell them that the City of Houston should not yield at every turn to our authoritarian, white supremacist state and federal governments. Contact information is below.

* The next action is when you organize it. The 1st Amendment is your permit. The only credential needed is your presence. The work ahead is ours.

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]

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