The Houston-Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston) is calling on community members and allies to demand that the Houston City Council and Mayor John Whitmire and District Members immediately pass a critical ordinance that draws a clear line: local police must protect communities not carry out federal immigration enforcement.
Introduced by Council Members Alejandra Salinas, Abbie Kamin, and Edward Pollard, this ordinance delivers what Houston families are demanding: clarity, accountability, and protection from unlawful and unnecessary immigration enforcement.
“Houston families should never have to choose between calling the police and risking the separation of their loved ones,” said CAIR-Houston Executive Director Imran Ghandi. “Right now, fear is silencing victims, isolating communities, and making our city less safe. When trust in law enforcement breaks down, crimes go unreported, witnesses disappear, and justice is out of reach. This ordinance takes a necessary stand it restores trust, defends the Constitution, and makes clear that Houston police must focus on real threats to public safety, not civil immigration enforcement.
City leaders must act now. Pass this ordinance without delay. Choose safety over fear, trust over chaos, and justice over political pressure. ”
In Harris County, U.S. citizens are more than twice as likely to be charged with crimes as non-citizens, and research across Texas consistently shows immigrants have lower arrest and conviction rates, even for serious offenses like homicide. When policymakers ignore this reality and push local police into immigration enforcement, it fuels fear, spreads misinformation, and undermines public safety. Instead of strengthening communities, it creates chaos, mistrust, and silence conditions where crime thrives and justice suffers.