Houston Mayor Clarifies HPD's Stance on ICE Cooperation

HPD's Role in Immigration Enforcement

• 🎯 Mayor John Whitmire is clarifying Houston Police Department's (HPD) role in federal immigration enforcement, particularly its interaction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• ⚠️ The clarification comes after comments suggesting HPD does not cooperate with ICE, while also stating officers must follow the law.

City Council Discussions

• 🗣️ At a city council meeting, Mayor Whitmire defended HPD against criticism regarding its cooperation with ICE.
• ⚖️ He emphasized that HPD enforces state and city laws, not immigration laws or ICE directives.
• 🤝 Houston Police Union President Doug Griffith stated that HPD has not assisted with ICE operations and does not seek ICE detainers.

Warrant Checks and State Law

• 📜 State law requires HPD officers to check for outstanding warrants and, if found, to contact the issuing agency.
• 🔗 This process applies to ICE, the FBI, or any other agency.

Community Reassurance

• ✅ Council members Mario Castillo and Waqin Martinez expressed hope that the discussion provided reassurance to the community, especially the undocumented community.
• 🚫 They stressed that there are no joint operations between HPD and ICE.
• 📢 The mayor's statements were made in a public forum to ensure the public is reassured about HPD's policies.