Houston Mayor John Whitmire has ordered city police to scale back communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement as Democrat Gina Hinojosa prepares to take office as Texas governor, according to a report on the blog Fat Elephant.
Citing the New York Times, the blog reports that Whitmire told Houston police to “stop notifying immigration agents when they encounter someone without legal status during routine street stops.”
Whitmire said the change is meant to “begin a healing process” and would reduce fear and anxiety in the community, according to the report. Police will instead focus on people who commit “serious crimes,” the blog says.
The blog contends the policy amounts to ignoring SB4, the Texas law that includes state penalties for illegal border crossing, and that it leaves most immigrants accused of crimes alone unless their offenses are the most serious. The blog also reports that President Donald Trump said he is preparing to reinforce the southern border if Hinojosa pulls state resources away from it.
