Austin Leaders and Community Confront Police Chief on ICE Policy

Heated community meeting addresses fears and distrust following deportation of Honduran mother and daughter

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Amid growing concerns over increased ICE enforcement, Austin community members and city leaders gathered to challenge Police Chief Lisa Davis on the department's policy regarding immigrants. The heated meeting came after the recent detention and deportation of a Honduran mother and her 5-year-old daughter, sparking outrage and demands for answers. Officials discussed the impact of a state law that prevents the city from blocking officers from contacting ICE, as well as ways to rebuild trust, such as involving victim services in emergency calls to act as an intermediary.

Why it matters

This community meeting reflects the growing tensions between immigrant communities, local government, and law enforcement over ICE enforcement in Austin. The incident with the Honduran mother and daughter has eroded trust, and the meeting highlights the challenges cities face in balancing public safety, immigration enforcement, and maintaining the community's confidence in local authorities.

The details

The community meeting was hosted by three Latino Austin City Council members - José 'Chito' Vela, Vanessa Fuentes, and José Velásquez - and attended by Police Chief Lisa Davis. Attendees, including an Austin city inspector, expressed frustration and demanded answers about the recent deportation of a Honduran mother and her 5-year-old daughter. The incident began with the mother calling 911 to report a disturbance, but ended with Austin police notifying ICE about an administrative warrant, leading to their deportation. Davis acknowledged the tragedy of the incident but explained that a 2025 change by ICE to add over 700,000 administrative warrants to a national database has caused confusion for local police. Under current state law, the City of Austin cannot legally block officers from contacting ICE about these administrative warrants. Davis said the department is working on updated policies to provide clearer guidance to officers, and is also exploring involving the Victim Services Division as an intermediary for emergency calls to help build trust.

  • In January 2026, Honduran mother Karen Gutiérrez-Castellanos and her 5-year-old daughter were detained and deported after she called 911 to report a disturbance.
  • In February 2025, ICE added over 700,000 administrative warrants to the National Crime Information Center database used by local police.

The players

Lisa Davis

The Austin Police Chief who attended the community meeting to address concerns about the department's policy regarding immigrants.

José 'Chito' Vela

An Austin City Council member who hosted the community meeting alongside other Latino council members.

Vanessa Fuentes

An Austin City Council member who hosted the community meeting alongside other Latino council members.

José Velásquez

An Austin City Council member who hosted the community meeting alongside other Latino council members.

Jesse Herrera

An inspector with the City of Austin who attended the meeting and expressed concerns about ICE harassment of people at work.

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What they’re saying

“We've got to change the way things are going. A lot of people are standing up for what's right, even people who are not of color, and that's what gives me hope.”

— Jesse Herrera, City of Austin Inspector (austinvida.com)

“To our immigrant community, I want you to know that you are valued, you belong, and our job as elected officials is to serve you and to make sure that we are keeping you safe. Transparency within our government is absolutely vital.”

— José Velásquez, Austin City Council Member (austinvida.com)

“As a police chief, I understand the irony of all this when I'm here trying to ask everyone to trust us and to report crimes to us. Believe me, I have my own personal feelings. It's challenging.”

— Lisa Davis, Austin Police Chief (austinvida.com)

What’s next

APD is finalizing an updated policy that would give clearer instruction to officers on how to handle situations involving administrative warrants from ICE. The department is also exploring involving the Victim Services Division as an intermediary for emergency calls to help build trust with the immigrant community.

The takeaway

This community meeting highlights the deep mistrust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement in Austin, driven by concerns over increased ICE enforcement and the deportation of a Honduran mother and daughter. While officials are working to update policies and build bridges, restoring confidence will require sustained effort and transparency to ensure all residents feel safe calling the police without fear of immigration consequences.