ICE Activity in Houston / Harris County

Enforcement by the Numbers

The Houston ICE field office covers a massive region stretching from southeast Texas to Waco. Under the current administration, it has become one of the highest-volume enforcement zones in the nation.^[1]^[2]

Metric	Number	Context
Houston field office arrests (Jan–Oct 2025)	17,500+	Southeast TX to Waco region
Week-long operation (Feb 23–Mar 2, 2026)	646 arrested	543 criminal, 7 gang members
Criminal warrants (same operation)	71	Including federal and state
Aggravated felony / violent offenders	140	During Feb 23–Mar 2 operation
Sex offense charges	34	During Feb 23–Mar 2 operation
HPD calls to ICE (2025)	154	1,000% increase over prior year
East End raids (Jan 2026)	~50 detained	Early morning residential sweeps

Houston Police & ICE: Policy vs. Practice

Houston has never formally adopted a “sanctuary city” policy, but under previous administrations HPD maintained informal limits on cooperation with ICE. That line has blurred dramatically in 2025–2026.^[3]^[4]

HPD Calls Surge 1,000%

A Houston Chronicle investigation revealed that HPD officers made at least 154 calls to ICE in 2025, a staggering increase from the prior year. The investigation found that just 12 officers were responsible for roughly one-third of all calls. In multiple cases, officers were physically driving detainees to ICE facilities rather than following department protocols for handling immigration-related encounters.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire acknowledged the practice was a “violation of policy” and said it “will be corrected.” But the gap between policy and enforcement on the ground has left immigrant communities deeply skeptical of police interactions, with advocates reporting a significant chilling effect on crime reporting.^[3]

SB 8 and Harris County 287(g)

Harris County previously operated a 287(g) agreement with ICE but ended it in 2017. Under Texas Senate Bill 8, which took effect January 1, 2026, Harris County is now required to reapply for a 287(g) agreement by December 2026. Failure to comply could result in lawsuits from the Texas Attorney General. The law effectively strips the county of its ability to set its own immigration enforcement posture.

February 23–March 2 Operation: 646 Arrests

ICE’s largest single operation in the Houston area during this period resulted in 646 arrests across the greater Houston metro. According to ICE’s own press release, the breakdown included:^[1]^[2]

543 individuals described by ICE as “criminal aliens”
7 identified gang members
71 with outstanding criminal warrants
140 with aggravated felony or violent offense histories
34 with sex offense charges or convictions

The operation was part of a broader national enforcement surge. ICE framed it as a public safety measure, but community advocates noted that the broad sweep inevitably caught people with minor or no criminal histories alongside those with serious records.

Raids, Courthouse Arrests & Targeted Operations

East End Residential Raids — January 2026

In early January 2026, ICE agents conducted early-morning residential sweeps in Houston’s East End, a historically Latino neighborhood. Several men were detained from homes and apartment complexes. Over the course of the week, approximately 50 people were detained across the Houston area in similar operations, according to local reports.^[5]

The raids generated significant fear in surrounding neighborhoods, with reports of families keeping children home from school and residents avoiding routine errands. Local organizations scrambled to staff know-your-rights hotlines and dispatch rapid-response observers.

Greenspoint Park Immigration Court — June 2025

For three consecutive days in June 2025, ICE agents stationed themselves at the Greenspoint Park immigration court in north Houston, detaining multiple individuals who had arrived for scheduled court appearances. The people arrested were reportedly individuals whose immigration cases had been administratively closed — a designation that typically signals low enforcement priority.^[6]

The courthouse arrests sent shockwaves through the legal community. Immigration attorneys reported clients canceling future court dates out of fear, effectively turning compliance into a trap. The practice directly undermined the court system’s ability to function.

Courthouse arrests create a perverse incentive: people stop showing up for court, which then becomes grounds for an order of removal in absentia. The system punishes compliance.

Curtis Wright: Legal Permanent Resident Detained at IAH — November 2025

Curtis Wright, a legal permanent resident originally from Canada, was detained on November 6 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) while traveling. The trigger for his detention was a single misdemeanor Xanax possession charge from 2003 — over two decades old. Despite his lawful status and deep roots in Houston, Wright remained in ICE custody for months while his family fought for his release.^[10]

Wright’s case illustrates how the expanded enforcement posture reaches beyond undocumented immigrants to ensnare legal permanent residents over minor, decades-old offenses.

Project Homecoming: Self-Deportation Flights

In May 2025, the first “Project Homecoming” self-deportation flight departed from Houston, carrying 64 people who accepted a government offer to leave the country voluntarily. Participants received a $1,000 stipend and were flown to their countries of origin.^[7]

Critics described the program as coercive, noting that many participants made their decision under the threat of detention or forced removal. Advocates pointed out that $1,000 is insufficient to restart a life abroad, particularly for individuals who have lived in the U.S. for years or decades. The program also raised questions about whether participants received adequate legal counsel before waiving their right to further proceedings.

Avelo Airlines: ICE Contract Controversy

Avelo Airlines, a low-cost carrier operating out of Houston, signed a contract with ICE to operate deportation flights. Following significant public backlash, boycott campaigns, and pressure from advocacy organizations, the airline stopped participating in the program. The episode highlighted the role of private companies in immigration enforcement infrastructure and the potential for consumer pressure to disrupt those arrangements.

Community Resistance

Student Walkouts — January 30, 2026

Houston-area students joined a statewide wave of walkouts protesting ICE operations. Walkouts occurred at 14 campuses across the region, including Cy Falls High School, Houston Academy for International Studies (HAIS), Conroe ISD schools, and Elkins High School. Students marched, chanted, and held signs demanding an end to campus-adjacent enforcement and calling for protections for immigrant families.^[9]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded by saying it was “about time students like this were arrested,” a statement that drew condemnation from civil liberties organizations and educators. The Texas Education Agency threatened penalties for participating schools, and AG Paxton launched investigations into multiple school districts statewide.

Protests After Minneapolis ICE Shooting

Following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, hundreds of Houston residents gathered to protest. The demonstrations took place at multiple locations and connected local concerns about ICE enforcement to national patterns of violence during immigration operations.^[8]

Economic Impact

Houston’s economy — particularly its construction sector — is heavily dependent on immigrant labor. The enforcement surge is producing measurable economic consequences:^[11]^[12]^[13]

38.6% of Houston-area construction workers are foreign-born noncitizens (U.S. Census Bureau)
Construction loans in affected regions have dropped approximately 30% year-over-year
Supply chain companies are reporting sharp revenue declines; some are filing for bankruptcy
Arbor Realty Trust has directly cited ICE activity as a factor impacting apartment occupancy rates in Houston
1 in 7 Houston-area residents personally know someone who has been detained or deported (Rice University / Kinder Institute survey)
Among Hispanic Houstonians, that number rises to 1 in 4

“There has to be some sort of warrant that needs to be presented when these federal agents show up to construction sites. And there’s no warrants being presented.” — Mario Guerrero, South Texas Builders Association

The Kinder Institute survey underscores how deeply enforcement has penetrated everyday life in Houston. When a quarter of Hispanic residents personally know someone caught up in the system, the effects extend far beyond the individuals directly targeted — into schools, workplaces, churches, and the broader civic fabric.

Key Incidents Timeline

Date	Event	Details
May 2025	First Project Homecoming flight departs Houston	64 people, $1,000 stipend each
Jun 2025	ICE arrests at Greenspoint immigration court	3 consecutive days, admin-closed cases targeted
Nov 6, 2025	Curtis Wright detained at Bush IAH	Legal permanent resident, 2003 Xanax misdemeanor
Jan 2026	East End residential raids	~50 detained across Houston area in one week
Jan 9, 2026	Houston protests after ICE shooting in Minneapolis	Hundreds rally at multiple locations
Jan 30, 2026	Student walkouts at 14 Houston-area campuses	Cy Falls, HAIS, Conroe, Elkins and more
2025 (full year)	HPD makes 154 calls to ICE	1,000% increase; 12 officers made 1/3 of calls
Feb 23–Mar 2	Week-long ICE operation: 646 arrested	543 criminal, 7 gang, 140 violent/agg. felony