Overview
- Abbott’s office, which warned Houston on Monday and Austin and Dallas on Thursday, put roughly $200 million in city grants at risk and set responses due April 22–23.
- Paxton filed suit against Houston on Thursday under SB4, arguing the new ordinance unlawfully limits police by ending a 30-minute ICE wait and blocking prolonged detentions on administrative warrants.
- Houston’s stakes include about $114 million for police, fire and a $64.7 million FIFA World Cup security grant, in what Mayor John Whitmire called a crisis as he delayed a repeal vote to Wednesday after the state extended the deadline.
- Austin’s March guidance says ICE civil warrants alone do not justify an arrest or extended stop, drawing a threat to claw back about $2.5 million and a state investigation into whether the policy violates SB4.
- Dallas was told roughly $32.1 million and up to $55.1 million in World Cup security funds could be pulled if its directives stand, and Abbott warned the state comptroller could withhold city sales-tax payments to recover any repayment.