Texas Gov. Abbott Threatens Houston's $110M Grants Over ICE Policy

Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened on April 13, 2026, to revoke $110 million in state public safety grants from Houston unless the city repeals a new ordinance limiting local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The dispute centers on a measure passed by the Houston City Council on April 8 that ends a requirement for officers to detain individuals for up to 30 minutes during routine stops, such as traffic encounters, when an administrative warrant from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is identified.

The ordinance, approved in a 12-5 vote and sponsored by council members Abbie Kamin, Alejandra Salinas, and Edward Pollard, directs Houston Police Department officers to notify ICE of such encounters but release individuals once the original stop concludes, pending supervisory review. Proponents argued the change aligns with constitutional protections against unreasonable seizures. "When a lawful traffic stop ends, that individual is free to go. The Fourth Amendment says so," Kamin said.

Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat who initially opposed the measure but voted in favor, described it as affirming the city's longstanding policy of enforcing state and...