Houston Implements 30-Minute Rule for ICE Agents After Illegal Alien Stops

New policy aims to limit cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:50am

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The Houston Police Department has announced a new policy that gives U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents only 30 minutes to respond to calls from city police about encounters with individuals subject to administrative immigration warrants. The move comes after complaints from city council members about officers arresting and transporting illegal immigrants to ICE.

Why it matters

The policy reflects a shift in how the Houston Police Department interacts with federal immigration agents, as the city aims to limit cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE. This highlights the ongoing tensions between sanctuary cities and the federal government over immigration enforcement.

The details

Under the new policy, officers will be required to notify a sergeant when they encounter people with administrative immigration warrants, and the sergeant must respond to the scene. This is in addition to the 30-minute window given to ICE to respond. The policy change was announced by Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and Mayor John Whitmire, who said the previous actions by two 'young' officers in arresting and transporting illegal immigrants to ICE were 'mistakes' that violated department policy.

  • The new policy was announced on March 16, 2026.

The players

Noe Diaz

The Houston Police Chief who announced the new policy.

John Whitmire

The Houston Mayor who joined the police chief in announcing the policy change.

Jose 'Chito' Vela

The Austin Mayor Pro Tem who recently changed how the Austin Police Department responds to administrative immigration warrants.

Jose Velasquez

The Austin City Council Member who was involved in changing the city's policies regarding administrative immigration warrants.

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What they’re saying

“It was a violation of Houston Police Department policy, and it will be corrected.”

— John Whitmire, Houston Mayor (Houston Chronicle)

“Now, officers are required to get permission from supervisors before detaining illegal aliens on ICE administrative warrants.”

— Jose 'Chito' Vela, Austin Mayor Pro Tem (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The Houston Police Chief has been requested to appear before the city council at an upcoming meeting to answer questions about the department's policies.

The takeaway

This policy change in Houston highlights the ongoing tensions between sanctuary cities and the federal government over immigration enforcement, as local authorities aim to limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. The move reflects a broader shift in how some cities are handling encounters with individuals subject to administrative immigration warrants.