In Houston, an 8-year-old boy, barely tall enough to reach the podium, recently stood before city council and said that he was afraid to leave his home — fearful that he might be captured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and separated from his family. Across this nation, people have become increasingly distrustful of law enforcement because of their entanglements with ICE. Some avoid reporting crimes as victims and witnesses, fearing their rights might be violated or they might be detained and face deportation.
Yet officials in Texas, like Governor Greg Abbott, are championing Trump’s immigration policies through anti-immigrant laws and have even threatened to withhold public safety grants from communities that refuse to fall in line with their unpopular demands.
Instead of our tax dollars going toward real emergencies, the state is doubling down on immigration enforcement, aiming to transform state and local police into immigration agents while threatening neighbors who have families here, who have lived here for years, even those who have legal status.
Texas’ ongoing collaboration with ICE has led to devastating impacts. Just last week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a hardworking husband and father of three, was killed by ICE agents operating in unmarked vehicles in Houston’s East End. According to his family, he had been in the country for 35 years. His killing has sparked national outrage, leading to protests around the country.
Houstonians do not want ICE flooding our streets and engaging in fatal and lawless operations. A recent study released by University of Houston found that 70% of residents in the Greater Houston area disapprove of the way ICE is handling its job and nearly 60% oppose cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. In at least two reported cases, Houston Police Department, or HPD, officers have gone beyond their scope of duty to personally drive people to ICE agents. ICE is creating a public safety crisis in Texas. Our city and our country need leaders to implement guardrails that limit federal and local police collaboration.
Given Texas’ history of abuse and racial bias in policing, it is no wonder why people have become increasingly distrustful of law enforcement.
As a Black woman and Houston resident, allowing police the discretion to stop and detain those they suspect of being undocumented raises concern about who will be victimized under the false guise of public safety.
It has become harder for prosecutors to resolve cases, including ones involving domestic violence. Last year, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office revealed that ICE activity had undermined nearly a dozen criminal cases under investigation, including sexual assault on children, because witnesses and victims are refusing to come forward, out of fear of being deported.
Advocacy organizations and community members in Houston have asked city council to implement policies that improve the way police operate with federal authorities.
Some of those concerns were addressed in April when Houston City Council passed an ordinance that removed the requirement for police officers to detain someone pursuant to an ICE administrative warrant — a document created by immigration officials without review by an independent judge — for 30 minutes until ICE agents arrive.
Not even a week passed before the ordinance was attacked by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Abbott, even though detaining a person pursuant to an administrative warrant violates the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Despite resistance from some city council members and community advocates, the city repealed the ordinance after the governor threatened millions of dollars in public safety funding.
As Houston residents watched one of the few protections of their Fourth Amendment rights being stripped away, other major cities, including Austin and Dallas, were attacked by the governor and forced to revise their policies to allow for more cooperation between local police and ICE.
At the federal level, we need laws like the Bivens Act and the Constitutional Accountability Act, which make it clear that no one is above the law, including federal agents. These bills would help restore accountability when an ICE agent or any federal law enforcement member violates our rights. When ICE or Border Patrol racially profile, harm, or kill someone, there must be accountability.
Local leaders must protect our communities. They should monitor Houston police practices to ensure officers are not transformed into immigration agents, use the citation to court option, so people are not booked into jail over minor offenses and focus public safety resources on what actually keeps people safe.
Call your congressional representatives. Call your council members. Tell them you are looking for them to lead on law enforcement accountability.
