The debate in Houston over the immigration ordinance that had been approved a couple of weeks earlier continued into Wednesday morning, April 22, when in a special meeting the City Council approved a revised version.
This decision will determine the fate of more than $110 million in public safety funds.
With 13 votes in favor and 4 against, the updated ordinance was approved by Mayor John Whitmire. It was long hours of debate and public participation; the revised text focuses on how the Houston police cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
The updated ordinance sharpens the language regarding encounters in public, the ICE administrative orders, and the reporting requirements for police actions related to immigration.
It establishes that the Houston Police Department will comply with all local, state, and federal laws, and that it may detain a person temporarily for as long as reasonably necessary. It also clarifies that nothing in that policy prohibits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
