Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's crackdown on moves to decrease cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, which began with pulling state public safety grants from Houston, has spread to other cities.
Dallas and Austin were put on notice this week they could lose millions of dollars in grants due to their policies on interacting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Houston, which was under pressure by Abbott's office to rescind a recent ordinance that triggered
"Under my watch, no Texas city will be a safe harbor for illegals," Paxton said in a statement. "The Texas Legislature passed strong legislation that specifically stops the type of lawless ordinance that Houston adopted. Houston has no authority to ignore the constitution and the laws duly enacted by the legislature."
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Houston Mayor John Whitmire said "it's 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."
He postponed until Wednesday a special city council meeting scheduled for Friday to vote on repealing a recent ordinance that triggered the loss of $110 million in grants after Abbott's office extended its deadline.
"As I said earlier, this is a crisis," a Thursday statement from Whitmire said. "We have already lost state grant funding, which affects the Houston Police and Fire Departments, public safety services across our city, preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the Department of Homeland Security. Our public safety departments rely on a combination of local, state, and federal resources to operate effectively."
The nation's fourth-largest city is already
Dallas, which reportedly could lose $87.2 million in existing and future grants, said it will respond to the governor's office by April 23.
"We remain committed to complying with all applicable state and federal laws while continuing to prioritize public safety for the residents of Dallas, and ensuring our officers have the resources and support necessary to effectively serve the community," a statement from the city said.
In a post Thursday on the X platform, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said a revision earlier this year to police general orders that provided clarity to officers when encountering ICE administrative warrants is consistent with Texas law.
"There is great irony that the state would try to punish the city for providing services that keep Austinites safe by threatening grants that keep Austin safe," the post said.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced the
"For far too long, sanctuary cities across the nation have sidestepped federal immigration law and created safe havens for dangerous illegal aliens, putting the safety and security of Americans at risk and undermining the rule of law," Cornyn said in a statement.
