Immigration Ordinance

He urged the council to vote no on the ordinance, arguing it lacks key provisions found in Dallas and Austin's policies and that the city should reconsider its approach.

He advocated for an ordinance that would limit police involvement in federal immigration enforcement, arguing it would build trust and encourage reporting within immigrant communities who fear calling 911.

Jackie Anderson, President of the Houston Federation of Teachers, spoke in support, noting that fear is impacting students' attendance and ability to learn. She stated that parents are afraid to drive children to school or call for help, affecting the entire community. She urged the mayor and city council to support the ordinance to restore trust and protect classrooms.

Susana Luran, Houston Organizing Manager at Workers' Defense Action Fund, shared the story of a mother afraid to go grocery shopping or to work due to potential police stops that could separate her from her children. She noted that Houston leads the country in immigration arrests and detentions, causing families to withdraw from communities and resources. She thanked the council members for taking this step to protect families and urged them to champion immigrant rights.

Robert Rivera from Texas Impact, representing faith leaders and congregations, shared that his congregation, St. James Lutheran Church, hears constant stories of fear and anxiety from immigrant families. He stated the ordinance makes common sense by removing the fear of deportation for minor traffic violations and administrative warrants used for deportation. He hopes the ordinance will help rebuild trust so families feel safe moving around and calling the police when needed.

David Donati, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of Texas, stated that Texas law requires local police to honor ICE detainers but does not require them to contact ICE for civil administrative warrants, calling it an HPD policy choice. He explained that civil administrative warrants are not reviewed by a judge and do not authorize detention, and detaining someone based solely on one likely violates the Fourth Amendment. He affirmed the ordinance complies with state law and protects constitutional rights.

Councilmember Salinas introduced the proposed ordinance, stating it aims to empower HPD to focus on safety and rebuild trust by clarifying that officers aren't required to call ICE for civil warrants, ending traffic stops when the lawful reason ends, and increasing transparency through public reporting. She emphasized it aligns Houston with other Texas cities and doesn't prevent cooperation with federal enforcement.

Councilmember Kamen recognized community advocates and emphasized that the city should not be doing 'Trump's dirty work.' She explained that administrative warrants are not judicial warrants and do not require probable cause, unlike criminal warrants. She argued that detaining individuals for 30 minutes after a legal stop for ICE to arrive raises constitutional questions and that the ordinance gives HPD flexibility.

Pastor Carlos Rebollar of Ecclesia Lindale spoke on behalf of the faith community, stating that pastors are seeing community members withdraw from essential resources like food pantries and medical services due to fear. He cited Leviticus 19, urging love for the foreigner, and thanked the council members for their work on the ordinance, asking for justice for immigrant communities.