Since Donald Trump launched his offensive against the migrant community and his plan for mass deportations that has been carried out in several cities, including Houston and surrounding areas, the mayor of our city, John Whitmire, has not shown a clear position. Sometimes he says yes and sometimes no.
First he said that the Houston Police Department (HPD) did not cooperate with ICE and then that it did, while the community demanded a clear stance. It was learned that on occasion local police stopped people during regular traffic stops, until federal agents arrived to take them away; there were even reports that some Houston officers escorted people to the detention center to hand them over to ICE.
While the HPD defended itself and the mayor backed them, nothing was ever made clear. Then came a proposal by Councilwoman Alejandra Salinas that limited HPD’s collaboration with ICE and passed by the council; the scandal ensued that led Whitmire to oppose it and even modify it, making things worse.
From then on we have been in a yes-and-no stance, but the real impact is felt in the community that now fears the police that, supposedly, is there to protect them. Domestic violence and other incidents have increased; these, according to community leaders, are due to victims’ fear of calling the police for fear of being reported to immigration authorities and deported.
To make matters worse, a few days ago it came to light that the city of Houston had requested 150 million dollars from the United States Department of Justice through its Model City Initiative (MCI), presented by President Donald Trump in June under the slogan “Make America Safe Again.” This information surfaced after the Houston Chronicle reported on this request that was sent, but without the city council’s consent.
Administration officials included the request on the council agenda on two occasions during September, but they withdrew the item before a vote could take place on both occasions.
Both community members and some city council members expressed concern over the grant guidelines, which required cities to ensure that their initiatives aligned with various priorities, including immigration enforcement operations.
When this information came to light, there were many questions from the community and, of course, from the city councilors who questioned this action taken by Whitmire’s administration.
District H Councilor Mario Castillo, via a statement posted on his social networks, said he feels “disappointed that the application for this $150 million grant was sent before council approval. My constituents deserve transparency.”
For his part, Joaquín Martínez, councilor for District I, stated that “Houston should never sacrifice local control in exchange for any amount of funding.”
For now, the Whitmire administration has reported that it has withdrawn its request after having submitted it without the city council’s approval.
What do you think?
