Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer on Tuesday proposed a change to Houston Police Department policy on immigration-related warrants, seeking to give officers discretion while the police union called the plan unlawful.
Plummer said her proposal would revise HPD’s general order that directs officers to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if a background check shows a possible hit from ICE in the National Crime Information Center or Texas Crime Information Center.
The current policy states officers shall contact ICE for any active warrant, whether administrative or criminal. Plummer’s revision would change “shall contact ICE” to “may contact ICE,” allowing officers to decide whether a specific warrant requires ICE involvement.
Plummer said the change would let an officer determine that a low-level violation does not require reporting to federal authorities. She began reviewing the policy after a June domestic violence case involving a reported victim with an ICE warrant.
The proposal comes as Texas Senate Bill 4 continues to draw scrutiny over its impact on local policing. Plummer said the wording complies with SB 4 and protects officers from legal conflicts.
The Houston Police Officers’ Union opposed the plan, saying officers must notify the agency that issued any open warrant, including ICE. Union President Doug Griffith said failing to notify the issuing agency would violate legal procedures and could affect federal and state funding.
Griffith said ICE took custody of eight people this year after HPD notified the agency. Other cases were documented, and Plummer is proposing a change to Houston Police Department policy on when officers contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over ICE warrants, shifting “shall contact” to “may contact” to allow officer discretion.
The Houston Police Officers’ Union opposes the move, calling it illegal and unnecessary and warning of possible funding risks. The debate centers on compliance with Texas Senate Bill 4, the handling of low-level violatiod individuals were released when ICE declined custody.
