Houston mayor says 'elections matter', won't help ICE as Democrats sweep Texas: 'I do this to begin a healing process'

Houston Mayor John Whitmire took a significant step and did not try to distance it from the midterm election result. He ordered the city's police department to limit cooperation with ICE, saying the move would reduce fear among immigrant communities following the Democrats' victory in Texas elections.

"I do this to begin a healing process," he said.Whitmire announced the change on Friday, November 6, days after Democrats secured major victories in the November 3 midterm elections, including Gina Hinojosa's defeat of Republican Governor Greg Abbott and James Talarico defeating Republican Ken Paxton in the US Senate race. The victories ended Republicans' decades-long dominance of statewide offices and changed the political equation for Democratic leaders in the state."I've said many times, elections matter," Whitmire said while announcing the new policy.