Houston mayor bolts from ICE cooperation after Texas blue wave

Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced Friday that city police will no longer notify ICE during "nonviolent contacts" such as traffic stops or minor offenses, Fox News reports, citing Whitmire's remarks to The New York Times and an afternoon executive-order statement.

"If they're charged with a new crime, we'll let ICE know as we get them to the jailhouse," Whitmire told the Times. In a Friday statement he said he signed an order "directing HPD to no longer contact ICE for nonviolent offenses, helping reduce fear in our communities," thanking Chief Noe Diaz and local leaders.

The move comes days after Democrat James Talarico flipped a Texas U.S. Senate seat and after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott lost his bid for a fourth term. Abbott had previously threatened more than $100 million in state funding over Houston's ICE posture; a March Whitmire/Diaz policy and April council ordinance had already fought over how long officers could wait for ICE on civil immigration warrants.

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the department is "disappointed that sanctuary politicians seek to limit cooperation with ICE," arguing partnerships are "critical" to arresting criminal illegal aliens and citing recent Houston ICE captures including homicide and child-sex offenders. Whitmire told the AP that for nonviolent, non-jailable offenses officers write a citation or warn and make "No contact with [ICE]."