HOUSTON, United States — Rodney Ellis on Thursday called for the development of county guidelines on how local law enforcement agencies interact with federal immigration officers, directing the county attorney’s office to study the issue following a closed-door discussion by the Harris County Commissioners Court.
Ellis placed the item on the court’s agenda to review existing policies of county law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s office and eight constable offices, but commissioners took no formal action after moving the discussion to executive session due to legal concerns.
Ellis said the move was prompted by a recent ordinance passed by the Houston City Council that limits coordination between the Houston Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ordinance faces a lawsuit from Ken Paxton and opposition from Greg Abbott, who has threatened to withdraw more than $110 million in public safety funding.
County law enforcement agencies operate independently under elected officials, limiting the commissioners court’s authority to mandate policies. Ellis said the proposed guidelines would aim to ensure compliance with federal and state law while protecting constitutional rights.
Ellis did not provide a timeline for the county attorney’s office to complete the review. The effort may fall to Abbie Kamin, who was appointed interim county attorney effective June 15 following the resignation of Jonathan Fombonne.
Kamin previously supported the city ordinance that restricts police from detaining individuals based solely on civil immigration warrants. She said she would not comment on how she plans to approach Ellis’ directive once she assumes the new role.
Lina Hidalgo said clearer policies could provide consistency and transparency for residents regarding how county law enforcement agencies handle immigration-related matters.
