Overview
- Chief J. Noe Diaz ordered officers to call a sergeant to verify any administrative immigration-warrant hit, give ICE 30 minutes to respond, and release the person if agents do not arrive.
- The directive bars HPD officers from transporting people solely for an administrative immigration warrant after reports showed at least two drivers were taken directly to ICE.
- Mayor John Whitmire called those transports policy violations and said the officers were mistaken, as the department implements supervisory review to keep field decisions within policy.
- HPD reported roughly 220 ICE-related reports out of about 350,000 in 2025, with around half released at the scene and 17 people moved to meet an ICE agent; the police union says only eight people have been taken into ICE custody this year after HPD notifications.
- Advocates and legal experts argue the 30-minute window could prolong detentions and chill community trust, while some council members seek to change 'shall contact ICE' to 'may contact ICE' and the city attorney warns SB4 exposure limits how much Houston can restrict cooperation.