Governor Greg Abbott has given Houston, Dallas, and Austin a Wednesday deadline to amend their local policies on cooperation with ICE, warning that noncompliance could cost more than $150 million in public safety funding.

Houston City Council amended an ordinance limiting police cooperation with ICE after Abbott threatened to pull state funding tied to police and security grants ahead of the World Cup.

The funding at stake covers essential policing and security dollars for events like the World Cup.

The amendment passed 13-4, with officials saying the changes were needed to avoid losing about $114 million in funding and to ensure public safety during upcoming events.

Dallas and Austin face potential funding losses as well, and Austin has signaled possible negotiations with the governor; together the three cities could lose around $200 million in public safety funding.

Abbott argues the cities’ policies allegedly violate a state contract requiring police cooperation with federal immigration agents.

The core question centers on whether local officers may detain individuals longer to accommodate ICE warrants, and whether Abbott is testing the limits of police cooperation with federal authorities.

The article notes ongoing legal and policy questions about local police authority in ICE detentions and how funding conditions intersect with those powers.

Houston officials publicly criticized the approach, citing concerns about policy clarifications and implications for local policing.

Council member Abbie Kamin opposed the amendment, saying it capitulates to political pressure and sets a troubling precedent about yielding to state leaders.

The situation is part of a broader dynamic where Texas cities with immigrant-friendly policing policies face pushback from a Republican-led state government emphasizing immigration enforcement.

The episode reflects tensions between state leadership and progressive urban policies in Texas, with Dallas and Austin weighing similar responses as the dispute unfolds.