The Texas attorney general has sued Houston over a new city ordinance that cuts cooperation with federal immigration authorities, arguing the measure breaks state law and threatens public safety. The suit targets the mayor, the city council and the police chief, and comes with strong warnings from the governor about freezing state funding if the ordinance stands. City leaders are defending their vote and preparing a legal fight, saying the move protects residents and respects local judgment. The clash highlights a broader tension between state enforcement priorities and local policing choices.
Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit after Houston’s City Council approved a so-called sanctuary ordinance that changes how local officers handle immigration detainers. The ordinance ended a long-standing Houston police practice that required officers to wait at least 30 minutes for ICE to arrive if a suspect had an immigration warrant. Paxton argues that the ordinance directly violates Senate Bill 4, the 2017 state law that forbids local policies that obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit names Mayor John Whitmire, all 16 council members and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz as defendants.
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Paxton made his position plain in a public statement and framed the ordinance as a public safety failure. “I will not allow any local official to push sanctuary policies that make our communities less safe,” Paxton said in a statement. “Under my watch, no Texas city will be a safe harbor for illegals.” He underscored that the Texas Legislature enacted laws to prevent cities from adopting measures that would nullify federal enforcement efforts.
“The Texas Legislature passed strong legislation that specifically stops the type of lawless ordinance that Houston adopted,” he added. “Houston has no authority to ignore the Constitution and the laws duly enacted by the Legislature. I’m calling on Houston to immediately repeal this ordinance.” That language frames the legal battle not as a policy debate but as an assertion of state authority over local actions that, in Paxton’s view, undermine statewide law and order.
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Mayor John Whitmire pushed back with his own statement, calling the lawsuit an unfortunate distraction from core city responsibilities. In a statement, Whitmire said it was “unfortunate that so much time and resources are being spent on an issue that should not be partisan. It interferes with our responsibility to keep Houston safe and protect all residents.” The mayor framed the council’s vote as a legitimate local policy decision focused on community trust and policing priorities.
Council member Alejandra Salinas signaled the council plans an immediate legal defense and vowed to stand by the ordinance. “It’s no longer a question about whether the City should go to court,” she wrote on X. “We’re already there. The Mayor and City Council must vigorously defend the law we voted for and that the City Attorney deemed legal. I stand ready to work with my colleagues to defend our laws and protect Houstonians’ constitutional rights.”
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Gov. Greg Abbott has upped the stakes by threatening to cut public safety funding tied to prior state agreements with Houston. “Houston received more than $100 million from the state based on a written agreement that they will comply with immigration enforcement,” Abbott wrote on X in a post Tuesday. “If they refuse to comply, they better get out their checkbook. It will be costly if they refuse to keep their streets safe.”
The timing pushed the city to delay a special council meeting after Abbott extended a deadline tied to the funding threat, giving both sides a short window to negotiate or prepare for court. The dispute will likely center on whether the ordinance is a legitimate exercise of local control or an illegal attempt to nullify state and federal law. Expect both legal filings and political pressure as the fight moves from council chambers to the courthouse.
