A big change is on the way for the Houston Police Department to cooperate with Immigration.
ICE agents will now have 30 minutes to respond to calls from Houston Police when they are dealing with people ICE wants to arrest.
Houston’s policies on administrative immigration warrants have been criticized by some immigration advocates.
Administrative immigration warrants are issued not by judges, but by ICE or the Department of Homeland Security, authorizing law enforcement to arrest the person on the warrant. These warrants are also civil and not criminal.
In the past, Houston officers were advised to contact federal immigration authorities and wait for an agent to respond.
But both national policing groups and city leaders say officers should not arrest someone based solely on an immigration violation.
“For over a year, I have consistently said that HPD officers are not immigration or ICE officers,” said Mayor Whitmire. “They are required to enforce local and state laws and comply with SB4.
Police Chief Noe Diaz says federal immigration officers will now have 30 minutes to respond when Houston police encounter someone with an administrative immigration warrant.
“The administrative warrant is something that is assigned to someone who comes into the country, usually in an undocumented capacity,” Chief Diaz said.
If ICE agents don’t make it in 30 minutes, the person will be released.
The chief also announced another change, which includes more oversight.
“Starting today, when an officer receives a hit for an administrative immigration warrant, a sergeant will be called to the scene to review the circumstances, confirm the facts, and verify the existence of the warrant,” said HPD Chief J. Noe Diaz. “This ensures that any decisions made in the field are carefully reviewed and supported by a supervisor.”
In a press release, city officials said the update clarifies the directions initially given to HPD officers regarding the approximately 700,000 administrative immigration warrants entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in 2025. As with all warrants issued by any agency, HPD officers are required to notify the issuing agency, which then provides guidance on how to proceed.
The new directive was sent to all HPD officers on Wednesday afternoon (March 11). It addresses recent inconsistencies in following the policy and will help ensure HPD officers remain focused on responding to the needs of Houstonians.
“Police officers are expected to do their jobs to make our city stronger and safer,” said Mayor Whitmire. “This directive will make the role of HPD clear and ensure compliance with the law.”
Several Houston City Council members have recently raised concerns about reports that Houston police officers have contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during routine traffic stops or encounters.
District J Council Member Edward Pollard posted on Instagram and said the reports raise concerns about public trust between residents and law enforcement.
“Recent reports that Houston Police officers have been contacting ICE during routine traffic stops where no criminal warrant exists should concern everyone who cares about trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” Pollard wrote in a public statement.
Pollard also called for more transparency from city leadership and asked that the Houston Police Chief address the issue publicly before the City Council.
“When policies may have been violated and people’s lives could be impacted, Houstonians deserve more than a statement of disappointment. They deserve clear answers, accountability, and leadership,” Pollard wrote.
He also warned that when local police interactions potentially lead to immigration enforcement, it can discourage people from reporting crimes or cooperating with investigations.
District I Council Member Joaquin Martinez also expressed concern about how immigration enforcement could affect relationships between police and immigrant communities.
“I’m disappointed by the recent findings regarding coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities,” Martinez said.
Martinez said increased ICE activity has already strained relationships between police and immigrant communities.
“Actions that blur the line between local policing and federal immigration enforcement only make that trust harder to restore. HPD must remain focused on local public safety.”
He also emphasized that residents should feel comfortable reporting crimes regardless of immigration status.
“Every Houstonian should feel safe reporting crime, seeking help, and engaging with local government — regardless of immigration status.”
At-Large Council Member Alejandra Salinas echoed similar concerns, saying families should not fear immigration consequences during routine interactions with police.
“These reports demand action to ensure Houston is not requiring cooperation with ICE beyond state law,” 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.”
Council Member Joaquin Martinez’s Statement on Houston Police Department’s Policy Update Regarding ICE
“Today marks a significant step forward for our city. The uncertainty facing many immigrant families due to nationwide ICE operations has underscored the need for clear policies that uphold the law while maintaining trust between our communities and local law enforcement.
Throughout this time, I’ve remained steadfast in working with Mayor Whitmire and his administration to strengthen HPD policy. To learn that our officers are operating outside of HPD policy and have transported individuals to hand over to ICE based on administrative warrants, is unacceptable.
Today’s update to the department’s policy provides officers with greater clarity when handling administrative warrants and reinforces compliance with state law. Clear guidance is essential to ensure our officers can carry out their duties effectively while respecting the legal limits of local law enforcement authority.
Ultimately, I hope this policy update fosters greater trust. It is vital that victims and witnesses of crimes feel safe contacting the police without the fear of being taken into custody or referred to ICE. This update will also allow our officers to focus on their primary mission to preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide for a safe environment.
While today’s action is a step in the right direction, I remain committed to continue to work on rebuilding trust between our communities and local law enforcement.”
Houstonians’ views on immigration are shifting
A recent study by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research shows 1 in 7 people in the Houston area know someone who was detained and possibly deported. In some local neighborhoods, the number is 1 in 4. That number also holds for Hispanics in Houston when you break out the data by race. The study was done last October and November, with responses from more than 9,000 residents.
Other key takeaways:
- More than 1 in 5 Houston residents born outside the U.S. knew someone detained and potentially deported in 2025, compared to 1 in 8 U.S.-born residents.
- About 1 in 4 Houstonians earning less than $35,000 per year know someone who was detained and potentially deported in 2025, compared to 1 in 10 residents earning $100,000 or more.
- In 10 of 53 neighborhood areas, more than 1in 5 residents know someone detained and potentially deported in the past 6 months.
Researchers also compared local attitudes in that survey to another early in the year -- January and February of 2025. In both surveys, 8 out of 10 Houstonians said the immigration system is not working.