Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is facing accusations that he is using tactics similar to those employed by President Donald Trump, as he gave the leaders of Houston, Dallas, and Austin until Wednesday to revise local policies on cooperation with federal immigration agents or risk losing more than $150 million in public safety funding.
The dispute centers on how local police handle individuals wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Abbott warning that failure to comply could result in cuts that include funding tied to security for World Cup matches scheduled this summer, reports The New York Times on Wednesday.
"It's a play out of President Trump's playbook," said Alejandra Salinas, a Houston councilwoman. "He thinks he can bully the city of Houston in the same way."
If the cities do not comply, the state could withdraw about $110 million from Houston, $32 million from Dallas, and more than $2 million from Austin, along with additional regional security funds tied to the World Cup.
The standoff began in Houston, where the City Council recently passed an ordinance clarifying when officers can detain individuals sought by immigration authorities.
Abbott later expanded his criticism to Dallas and Austin, saying their policies also violate agreements requiring cooperation with ICE in exchange for state funding.
Legal experts said the issue remains unsettled, particularly whether officers can hold individuals beyond the normal scope of a stop based solely on immigration requests.
"If we roll over — if we continue to allow attacks on local control to go unchecked — it won't stop here," said Houston Councilwoman Abbie Kamin.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has urged a more pragmatic approach, suggesting revisions to the ordinance rather than direct confrontation with the state.
"The person that controls the purse strings can kind of set the rules," Whitmire said. "What good would it be for me to be annoyed with the governor and strike back at the governor? I'm trying to get the damn money."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Houston over the ordinance, while Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has proposed federal legislation that would cut funding to cities that do not cooperate with ICE.
Abbott intensified his rhetoric on social media, saying Houston's City Council "must choose" between voting for its citizens or for "the criminals who kill them."
City leaders have responded differently.
"We don't have the time and will not play into this political theater," Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has not publicly commented.
The conflict stems from a relatively small number of encounters involving individuals flagged by ICE. Houston police recorded about 300 such cases — just over half of those individuals were released, and 104 were turned over to federal agents.
The ordinance directs officers to release individuals once the original purpose of a stop has ended, even if they are sought by immigration authorities. Supporters said the policy aligns with constitutional protections against unlawful detention.
"I'm not aware of any other state or municipality attempting to mandate arrests solely on the basis of these administrative warrants," said Lindsay Nash, a law professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
She added that holding someone beyond a lawful stop based only on such warrants "violates the Fourth Amendment."
Whitmire has proposed revisions allowing officers to extend detentions for "legitimate purposes discovered during the detention," citing constitutional guidelines.
Abbott has maintained that the issue is contractual, not constitutional, saying cities agreed to cooperate with ICE in exchange for funding.
"Enforcement of the contract doesn't defund police," Abbott said. "I signed a law preventing defunding the police."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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