Harris County DA warns ICE tactics are stalling prosecutions, announces next steps in ICE investigation

HOUSTON - While violent crime in Harris County has dropped significantly, District Attorney Sean Teare is warning that aggressive federal immigration enforcement is creating a dangerous paradox that keeps violent offenders on local streets.

Teare stated that local violent crime is tracking with the national model, showing a roughly 30% drop.

However, Teare warned that the numbers may not be as strong as they appear because violence continues, but people are too scared to call local law enforcement.

He pointed directly at the tactics and behavior of ICE for eroding community trust. As a result, Teare says it's now more difficult for the DA's office to hold violent criminals accountable for serious crimes because witnesses and victims are too scared to participate in prosecutions.

Next steps in Houston ICE shooting investigation

What's next:

Teare confirmed the independent investigation into the fatal ICE shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo is not falling to the back burner, noting his office is working diligently on it every day.

"I know how serious this case is to our community," says Teare. "Regardless of what the ultimate decision is, whether charges are filed or not, the community needs to know what happened."

The DA's office will be issuing grand jury subpoenas and calling people to testify to uncover what happened.

To prepare for the legal fight surrounding the Salgado case, the Commissioners Court approved $2.5 million over three years.

A large chunk of this funding is set aside for outside counsel, as state prosecutors do not have the experience to litigate these specific issues in federal court.

 Protective Order Extended Team

What you can do:

To help bypass the fear of traveling Downtown, the DA's office is rolling out a new program called POET, the Protective Order Extended Team.

This initiative will deploy into the community to meet survivors and victims where they are, recognizing that many survivors of intimate partner violence cannot get Downtown due to a lack of transportation, work constraints, or controlling abusers.

Teare also has a message for the public: the DA's office will never ask victims' or witnesses' about their immigration status or question anyone's reason for reaching out for help.