Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on April 22, 2026

Agenda

1. Mayor’s Report*
2. Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc.)
3. Council Member Pop-Off**

*Mayor Whitmire used the mayor’s report to lead into discussion on Item 11, so I folded it into that section.
**I do not have space to include pop-off in my notes this week.

Item 11: Amending the HPD/ICE Ordinance

On April 8, council passed an ordinance updating the policies that dictate how HPD interacts with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CM Salinas used Proposition A, with support from CMs Kamin and Pollard, to put this item on the agenda. The city’s legal department affirmed on April 8 that the ordinance is legal under federal and state law.

The HPD/ICE ordinance updated two policies:

• Ended HPD’s 30-minute hold policy for people with administrative warrants. The Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures, says that traffic stops may last only as long as reasonably necessary to complete the legitimate purpose of the stop. Anyone who has committed a Class B misdemeanor or above, or who has an outstanding criminal law warrant, will still be taken into custody.
• HPD must provide council with quarterly ICE-related updates.

After the passage of the HPD/ICE ordinance, Governor Abbott threatened to pull $114M of grant money from the city if they did not repeal it, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the city.

Today, Mayor Whitmire introduced a Governor Abbott-approved amendment (Item 11) to the HPD/ICE ordinance, which he said follows the law and protects city funding. He said collaborations with other levels of government keep the city strong but always come with stipulations. He shared examples, such as home repair, generators, parks, public safety, infrastructure projects, and more.

Whitmire said immigration is a federal issue that cities shouldn’t have to deal with. He criticized CM Salinas for refusing to consider the possibility of this “worst case scenario.” He told council they played right into Abbott’s hands. He praised his own ability to “pick up the phone and talk to the governor’s office.” He said that some of the $114M has already been spent and the city would lose if they went to court.

Whitmire stressed the importance of not politicizing the issue and staying off the administration’s radar. He complained about people talking poorly of him at public comment. He touted the personal relationships he has with undocumented people. He said he is qualified to defend undocumented people because of his experience in the Texas legislature starting in 1974, including work on bilingual access, protections for farm workers, prison reform, and the Dream Act.

Whitmire admitted there were violations by HPD officers and said, “We’re not perfect,” but said HPD had taken steps to address that. He emphasized the importance of working together to restore the threatened $114M, and then getting ready for the next legislative session. “Austin is listening. Austin is watching.”

CM Kamin criticized Whitmire’s administration for publishing this amendment less than a day before the vote, not giving council or the public adequate time to review. She called out the state for not being good collaborators, citing Hurricane Harvey funding and last year’s crosswalk debate as examples. “If we roll over now to a bully, what will he come for next?”

Kamin defended the legality of the HPD/ICE ordinance and accused the state of sharing misleading information. She questioned the state’s legal ability to withhold all of the $114M. Kamin complained that they have not been provided with a full list of grants to be withheld. She said they have been threatened with scare tactics but not presented with actual facts. She said that the council has a fiduciary duty to defend the city in court.

Kamin attempted to tag the item, which was unsuccessful.

CM Salinas criticized Mayor Whitmire for making statements about her and the situation that are incorrect. She said it’s unfortunate he is unwilling to take this fight to court. She queried the mayor about the ordinance and his amendment, but he told her they aren’t in court and she isn’t allowed to depose him, so she directed her questions to Attorney Michel.

• Under courtroom-style questioning, Attorney Michel agreed that the Whitmire/Abbott amendment does not alter the ICE/HPD ordinance and that HPD cannot reinstate the 30-minute wait policy.
• As the discussion continued, Mayor Whitmire made confusing, contradictory statements and told Salinas, “I’m not going to debate you. I’m not your client. You’re not my opposing counsel.” He said the amendment is self-explanatory.

Salinas submitted an amendment to the Whitmire/Abbott amendment, adding five words that she said clarified the intention of the ordinance: namely that administrative warrants are civil (not criminal) and that officers must release individuals once the reason for the traffic stop has been addressed.

CM Pollard said the governor’s language doesn’t materially change the ordinance and only allows him to have the last word and control over council, which he called petty and a slap in the face. He criticized the mayor for voting for the original ordinance, then flip-flopping on the issue. Pollard called the whole ordeal a circus and apologized to the public for the “rollercoaster ride of emotion.”

Debate on Salinas’s amendment:

• CM Huffman supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment, which will guarantee the return of funding. She lamented the HPD/ICE ordinance never went to a committee, where these problems could have been worked out. She rejected urgency to amend, which can be done at a later date.
• CMs Flickinger, Ramirez, and Davis did not support Salinas’s amendment.
• Mayor Whitmire cautioned that Salinas’s amendment would not appease state leadership and could jeopardize future funding.
• CM Martinez implied Salinas just wanted to have the last word. He criticized Prop A and called this whole ordeal a circus. He said the city needs partnerships and encouraged his colleagues to move forward with the Whitmire/Abbott amendment.
• CM Carter made supportive remarks of HPD and the Whitmire/Abbott amendment. She suggested CM Salinas do a ride-along with HPD to educate herself about their operations.
• CM Jackson criticized the governor for strong-arming the city, but ultimately supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment. She advocated for a clear, federal, pathway to citizenship.

CM Salinas withdrew her amendment due to obvious lack of support.

Council then discussed the Whitmire/Abbott amendment. Many CMs read prepared statements.

CM Alcorn condemned the federal government’s treatment of immigrants and advocated for immigration reform. She said, “The loss of these funds is untenable,” and would affect the general fund. She explained why HOPE (the city’s municipal workers union) was at public comment yesterday, because when the city makes cuts, they don’t cut public safety, so municipal workers know that their jobs will be on the line. She supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment.

CM Martinez rehashed earlier remarks, adding commentary on federal immigration policy and what he called “real moments of tension in this country.” He supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment and advocated for building community trust with local law enforcement.

CM Castillo called current ICE activity “disgusting.” He said he was proud to support the original HPD/ICE ordinance, but also supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment.

CM Peck acknowledged public speakers and the complexity of the issue. She supported the Whitmire/Abbott amendment. She advocated for returning to city business.

CM Castex-Tatum said that it is possible to have constitutional concerns and be unwilling to risk losing funding at the same time, a legal fight she said the city is not positioned to win. “As a city, we cannot dig our heels in. Our problems are too big, our expenses are too large … This may feel like surrender, but it’s not. This is real stewardship.”

CM Pollard said they were elected to have these discussions and it is right that they should take time. He called Abbott and Paxton’s actions “political theater.” He planned to vote no on principle to protest state overreach.

CM Ramirez said the city would not win a lawsuit against the state. “It isn’t about whether the red team wins or the blue team wins. It’s about making sure Houston doesn’t lose. ”

CM Kamin cited harm caused by current federal immigration policy, such as children in detention centers, kids afraid to go to school, victims and witnesses afraid to come forward. She defended city councils’ right to determine laws and ordinances. She criticized unclear language in the Whitmire/Abbott amendment and the lack of time to review. She invoked the names of Hitler and Mussolini, who “rose through legal means and then dismantled the systems that empowered them.” She condemned social media posts attacking her colleagues with racial slurs. She said the state is attempting to hold the city hostage and would be voting no.

CM Davis criticized CMs who take the role of “cheerleader” without the lived experience to be able to speak to the issues.

The Whitmire/Abbott amendment passed 13-4.

• People who voted against the amendment: CMs Kamin, Thomas, Pollard, and Salinas.
• People who voted for the amendment: Mayor Whitmire, CMs Peck, Jackson, Evans-Shabazz, Flickinger, Huffman, Castex-Tatum, Martinez, Castillo, Ramirez, Davis, Carter, Alcorn.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 6 approved $400K for safety nets at Gus Wortham Golf Course. CM Martinez said this will protect the city from lawsuits when drivers get hit by golf balls.
• Item 10 updated the city’s financial policy. CM Kamin noted this update includes one of her budget amendments from last year, increasing the city’s rainy day fund from $20M → $25M.
• Items 15 and 16 both deal with the forthcoming homeless navigation center at 419 Emancipation Ave. Item 15 approved the lease agreement with The Harris Center, which will operate the facility. Item 16 approved a $39M grant to The Harris Center for operation of 419 Emancipation Ave through April 2029. Mayor Whitmire said other people call him to praise this project. He said there will be more projects like this, with the goal to get homeless people out of neighborhoods and off the streets. 
• Item 23 approved $1.9M for building upgrades at Mason Park.
• Item 24 approved $2.7M for pavilion upgrades at Agnes Moffet Park and Finnegan Park.
• Item 25 approved upcoming budgets for the Sunnyside TIRZ.

Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?

My name is Emily Hynds. I am a writer, small business owner, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and lifelong Houstonian. I am not a journalist or government official. I am a local government enthusiast who believes meaningful change starts at home. These notes are presented from my point of view and with my framing and are not comprehensive. Your notes will certainly be different and I would love to read them if you attend.

I watched this City Council meeting via HTV: https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic
https://houwatch.com
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/whitmire-ice-proposal-amendments-abbott-22219628.php

You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: https://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html

Thank you to the volunteers who proofread these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.