Harris County, City of Houston delay ICE policy votes amid state funding woes
Mounting pressure over ICE ordinance in Houston, Harris County
With a state-level lawsuit to a financial threat from the governor, Houston and Harris County officials are delaying their talks regarding procedures between local authorities and ICE. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle shares what the Harris County judge had to say.
Harris County - Harris County and City of Houston leaders both hit the pause button Thursday on controversial efforts to reshape local immigration policy, following intense pressure from state officials and a sudden extension from the Governor’s office.
Harris County ICE votes delayed
Big picture view:
In an afternoon session of the Harris County Commissioners Court, Judge Lina Hidalgo announced that a vote on a measure exploring the county’s relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be delayed to a later date.
The move came after a morning of heated public testimony. Cesar Espinosa, co-founder of the civil rights group FIEL, urged officials to acknowledge the reality of the region’s population.
"Whatever affects an immigrant in our community affects everything," Espinosa said. "We have 1.5 million foreign-born people here in Harris County... We don’t shy away from it."
However, the proposal faced sharp push back from residents like Barbara Denson, who warned of state intervention. "We see what happened when the city tried that," Denson told the court. "Now the state stepped in, and the city has to obey the law. If Harris County tries to pull the same stunt, they’ll face the same consequences."
Harris County set to consider 'Sanctuary' anti-ICE policy
The battle over the degree of cooperation local law enforcement should share with ICE is poised to surface at Thursday's meeting of Harris County Commissioners Court.
Judge Hidalgo sought to clarify that the measure was not an attempt to unilaterally change law enforcement protocols.
"We cannot take action to change any of these policies because each of these agencies are led by independently elected officials," Hidalgo told FOX 26. "It's more of an opportunity to inform the public. There's no other impact that we can have, other than making sure the law is being followed."
The delay follows stiff internal opposition. Commissioner Tom Ramsey argued against the county's involvement entirely, stating, "We do not need to be telling law enforcement how to do their job. They perfectly understand what ICE's responsibilities are."
Houston ICE vote also delayed
Local perspective:
The county’s decision coincided with a similar retreat at Houston City Hall.
Mayor John Whitmire postponed a special council meeting originally scheduled for Friday, Apr. 17, until next Wednesday, Apr 22. The delay comes after Governor Greg Abbott’s office extended a deadline for the city to respond to a freeze on state public safety grants—a "crisis" Whitmire says threatens police and fire funding.
While the Mayor described ongoing "constructive conversations" with the state, Governor Abbott, during a visit to Houston on Thursday, maintained a firm line, insisting the city must follow state law immediately.
Gov. Abbott says Houston will have to pay back $110M if immigration ordinance isn’t repealed
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the City of Houston will have to pay back around $110 million in public safety funds and still find a way to fully fund the police if they do not repeal an ordinance dictating how police interact with immigration authorities.
The Source: FOX 26's Sherman Desselle was present during Harris County Commissioners Court on Thursday. This report also includes information from the Houston City Council and a press conference led by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.