HOUSTON — One out of every seven Houston-area residents say they know someone who was detained or potentially deported by immigration authorities in 2025, according to a new survey released Monday by Rice University.
The survey by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research found that 25% of Hispanic residents reported knowing someone detained by federal authorities, compared with 9% of Black residents and 8% of white residents.
Certain neighborhoods showed even higher numbers, including Aldine at 31%, Alief/Sharpstown/Gulfton at 28%, and Greater Inwood/Acres Homes at 25%. Among residents earning less than $35,000 annually, nearly one in four said they knew someone detained, compared with 10% of households making six figures or more.
Rice University researchers said the findings highlight the personal impact of immigration enforcement in the Houston area. “Our research makes clear that residents want to see the issue of illegal immigration addressed by incorporating people, not kicking them out,” said Dan Potter, director of the Kinder Institute’s Houston Population Research Center.
The survey was conducted in October and November 2025 with more than 10,000 adults living in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties.
