Houston mayor limits police cooperation with ICE after Democratic wins

Houston's mayor has directed the city's police to limit cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, according to PBS NewsHour Politics. The directive came shortly after Democrats won key state-level offices in Texas for the first time in decades, including the governorship.

The mayor's executive order applies to nonviolent offenders, who will be released with a citation or warning instead of being detained for immigration enforcement, reported The Hill. Police are instructed to contact ICE only if a person is arrested on a charge that carries jail time or if ICE has issued an administrative warrant.

The order states that suspicion or status of being subject to immigration enforcement alone will not justify contacting ICE, prolonging detention, or holding someone in custody, according to PBS NewsHour Politics. The mayor emphasized focusing on immigrants who pose a danger, not those engaged in daily life activities such as work or education.

This move marks one of the first actions to restrict ICE operations in a major U.S. city following the Democrats' midterm election successes in Texas, which included a historic gubernatorial win, as noted by PBS NewsHour Politics. The mayor highlighted that the election results are already influencing policy changes in the state.