At a joint press conference with HPD Chief Noe Diaz, Mayor John Whitmire said that contrary to cries from the local left-wing media, there has not been an ICE surge in Houston, because "We obey the law."

Mayor Whitmire also debunked another fake news report that originated in the New York Times, that Houston had detained 5,200 illegals, which was number one in the nation. The story was completely bogus, although it was picked up and run with here in Harris County.

"It's my job to deal with facts and truth" Whitmire said, "I've had mayors of major cities call me and say how are y'all doing it? The 4th largest city in America, we haven't had an ICE surge, we follow the law."

HPD Chief Noe Diaz did announce a new directive, that HPD will now give ICE agents :30 minutes to respond to warrants.

"This provides the opportunity to act on the warrant, without pulling our officers out of the service for which they intended to work in that time period" Diaz told the media.

Mayor Whitmire also took the opportunity to defend HPD officers, who have received frequent criticism from some of the public, and even City Council.

"When they encounter someone while they're doing their job, the law required them to check the background" Whitmire said, "And if there's a warrant from any other jurisdiction they're required to contact them."

Despite the mayors efforts for truth and transparency, the left is already complaining about it. They don't care about the crimes the illegals commit, or about the people of Houston. They just love power and hate Trump.

"Let me just say, it's unfortunate some would politicize that process" noted Whitmire, "Shame on them. We should not have politics enter into something this sensitive."

But it does, and it will continue to do so. Even here in Houston.

A statement from the Mayor's Office read:

The announcement clarifies how police officers should respond when they encounter an individual with an administrative warrant issued by ICE.

“For over a year, I have consistently said that HPD officers are not immigration or ICE officers,” said Mayor Whitmire. “They are required to enforce local and state laws and comply with SB4. This new directive ensures that HPD officers will not transport individuals to ICE custody, and there will be increased supervision when an immigration issue arises.”

The directive announced by Chief Diaz streamlines how officers handle situations involving administrative immigration warrants.

“Starting today, when an officer receives a hit for an administrative immigration warrant, a sergeant will be called to the scene to review the circumstances, confirm the facts, and verify the existence of the warrant,” said HPD Chief J. Noe Diaz. “This ensures that any decisions made in the field are carefully reviewed and supported by a supervisor.”

The update clarifies the directions initially given to HPD officers regarding the approximately 700,000 administrative immigration warrants entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in 2025. As with all warrants issued by any agency, HPD officers are required to notify the issuing agency, which then provides guidance on how to proceed.

The new directive was sent to all HPD officers Wednesday afternoon (March 11). It addresses recent inconsistencies in following the policy and will help ensure HPD officers remain focused on responding to the needs of Houstonians.

“Police officers are expected to do their jobs to make our city stronger and safer,” said Mayor Whitmire. “This directive will make the role of HPD clear and ensure compliance with the law.”

KTRH Local Houston and Texas News