Texas Governor Threatens Funding Cuts as Houston Police Limit ICE Cooperation

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has threatened to withdraw $110 million in public safety grants from the city of Houston after the city council passed an ordinance limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents.

The conflict centers on a new policy adopted by the Houston Police Department (HPD) that restricts how officers engage with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Governor Abbott’s office has issued a deadline of April 20, 2026, for the city to confirm that it will not enforce the ordinance and will act to repeal it.

The HPD-ICE Policy Change

The dispute follows a vote on April 8, 2026, in which the Houston City Council approved an ordinance intended to curtail coordination between local law enforcement and ICE. The measure was spearheaded by council members Abbie Kamin, Edward Pollard and Alejandra Salinas, passing with a 12-5 vote.

Under the new policy, HPD officers are prohibited from detaining individuals or extending the duration of traffic stops specifically because of civil immigration warrants issued by ICE. This action effectively rolled back a previous rule established in March 2026 by Mayor John Whitmire and Police Chief Noe Diaz, which had required officers to wait 30 minutes for ICE agents to arrive at a scene when encountering individuals with administrative immigration warrants.

the new ordinance requires the Houston Police Department to provide quarterly reports detailing its level of coordination with federal immigration authorities.

State Legal and Financial Response

The state’s response was immediate. On April 10, 2026, the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the city’s actions. Paxton’s office alleges that the ordinance violates Senate Bill 4, a state law that prohibits cities from adopting policies that materially limit immigration enforcement.

The Attorney General’s office claims the new requirements would create a chilling effect on the cooperation between the Houston Police Department and federal agents. Conversely, supporters of the ordinance argue that the measure simply removes a previous city policy that exceeded state mandates regarding ICE engagement.

Following the legal investigation, Governor Abbott escalated the pressure on April 13, 2026, by threatening to terminate $110 million in public safety grants and block the city from receiving future funding if the ordinance is not repealed.

Impact on City Operations

Mayor John Whitmire has described the situation as a crisis situation. In a statement, the mayor noted that the potential loss of state funding would create significant challenges for the Houston Fire Department and the Houston Police Department.

Whitmire indicated that the funding loss would impact public safety services across the city, the Homeland Security Department, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The mayor previously warned the council members who sponsored the ordinance about the financial and legal risks associated with the policy.

It does not matter what a council member’s legal opinion is. There’s only one opinion that matters, and that’s the governor’s.

Mayor John Whitmire

Current Status

In response to the threat of funding cuts and the ongoing state investigation, the Houston City Council is expected to hold a special meeting on Friday, April 17, 2026, to consider whether to repeal the ordinance.

The city must resolve the matter by the April 20 deadline set by the Governor’s office to avoid the loss of the $110 million in grants.