US midterms: After Texas governor Abbott’s defeat, Houston’s mayor changes course on ICE

Houston Mayor John Whitmire ordered the police to limit ICE contact during traffic stops. Officers will only alert ICE after arrests and jail bookings.He said the change followed the midterm defeats of Governor Greg Abbott and other Republicans. Whitmire called the old policy “a lot of anxiety” for residents and said it was less effective.The move reverses Abbott-backed pressure that threatened US$110 million in public safety funding. City leaders say the new rule protects trust, dignity and focus on violent crime.HOUSTON – The stunning wave of Republican defeats is already having an effect in Texas.Mayor John Whitmire of Houston said he was directing city police officers on Nov 6 to limit their cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during traffic stops, bucking a policy imposed on Texas’ largest city by Governor Greg Abbott.Get unlimited access to exclusive stories and incisive insights from the ST newsroom