When last we checked, Democrat-controlled Houston was ready to cave on their anti-ICE police guidelines under the pressure of having the state withhold $110 million for their scofflaw ways. Now we have the follow-up: Houston, Dallas and Austin all caved.
Texas’ two largest cities have revised their police department policies after Gov. Greg Abbott warned that limitations on law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would jeopardize millions in public safety grant funds, while Austin has been granted a deadline extension.
Earlier this week, Houston’s City Council voted 13 to 4 to amend an April 8 ordinance that kept police from waiting for federal agents to take custody of a suspect with an ICE administrative warrant. But Abbott warned that afternoon that restoration of $114 million in grant funding to the city would depend on how the Houston Police Department (HPD) implemented the changes.
On Thursday, HPD issued a new directive that requires a sergeant to come to the scene if a suspect has an ICE administrative warrant but no other criminal warrants. Sergeants then “should authorize the officer to wait a reasonable amount of time to enable the [ICE] agent to obtain custody of the individual,” but may not transport “any individual that solely has an administrative warrant from ICE.”
“The amended ordinance reaffirms the Fourth Amendment and allows us to recover $114 million in state public safety funding,” Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement Thursday. “I thank the 12 council members who supported this change and understood the consequences. These funds are critical in continuing to make public safety our highest priority, including preparation for the FIFA World Cup.”
I’m disappointed that Houston will is spending taxpayer money to enable the un-American evil that is soccer.
The Dallas Police Department also revised policies this week so that officers are not prohibited from inquiring about the immigration status of a detained or arrested person, cooperating with or assisting federal agencies “as reasonable or necessary,” or “sharing the person’s immigration status with federal authorities.”
Last week, Abbott’s office had warned Austin, Dallas, and Houston that their policies limiting police cooperation with ICE breached signed agreements to receive the grant funds. Austin stood to lose $2.5 million, while Dallas faced a loss of $32.5 million, plus another $55 million aimed at security enhancements for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Abbott’s press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, responded to Dallas’ revisions, “Governor Abbott has been clear: cities in Texas must fully comply with state law and cooperate with federal immigration authorities to keep dangerous criminals off our streets.”
“The City of Dallas recently submitted amendments to the Dallas Police Department’s General Orders, which the Governor’s Public Safety Office is currently reviewing,” Mahaleris said in a statement to The Texan. “As the City has begun making changes to meet the Governor’s expectations that its policies require full cooperation with DHS, the Public Safety Office has extended the deadline for complying with the certification and will continue to engage with the City. Governor Abbott will continue to use every necessary tool to protect Texans.”
While the governor’s office has affirmed that Houston’s revised policy follows the grant agreements, Mahaleris said Dallas’ revisions are under review. The city has until Monday to have its policy approved.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux released a statement Thursday noting that while his department is not responsible for immigration enforcement, “[W]e have the responsibility to operate fully within the law and ensure compliance with our legal requirements.”
Austin announced policy revisions on Friday afternoon, and Abbott’s office has approved the changes and will allow the city to keep public safety grants.
“The Austin Police Department has updated its policies to ensure its personnel will cooperate with DHS. The funding hold is now lifted, and the Governor expects full contract compliance moving forward. Governor Abbott will continue to use every necessary tool to protect Texans,” Mahaleris told The Texan.
(That bit of Austin news was an update to the story, which explains the discrepancy with the first paragraph.)
Given how fervently Democrats seem to love illegal alien felons imported during the Biden Administration, you would think blue cities would resist more when asked to cooperate with ICE to deport them. But given who quickly they bent the knee over Abbott’s funding threats, it seems the one thing they love more is money.
