April 22, 2026

Houston amends ICE cooperation ordinance after governor's threat

Houston City Council voted 13-4 to amend its immigration policy, removing the requirement for police to wait 30 minutes for ICE, following threats from Governor Greg Abbott.
Abbott's ultimatum included a Wednesday deadline to repeal the policy or risk losing over $110 million in state funding.
Council member Abbie Kamin opposed the amendments, arguing they set a dangerous precedent of yielding to state pressure amid ongoing tensions between state leaders and local officials.