Houston Amends Ordinance on ICE Cooperation Following Governor's Funding Threat
The Houston City Council has amended a recently passed ordinance that limited police cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to withdraw millions in public safety grants. The original ordinance, passed two weeks prior, removed the requirement for Houston police to wait 30 minutes for ICE agents to pick up individuals with nonjudicial administrative warrants. Governor Abbott warned that this ordinance violated the terms of $110 million in state grants allocated for police and security during the upcoming World Cup games in Houston. In response, the City Council voted 13 to 4 to amend the ordinance, ensuring compliance with state law and maintaining the funding. The amendment deletes language that previously highlighted the insufficiency of administrative warrants for arrest or detention by police officers. 
