HPD to comply with amended immigration ordinance passed by Houston councilmembers, department says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Police Department issued a new directive to comply with the city's amended immigration ordinance, a day after the Houston City Council passed it, the department said.

After Governor Greg Abbott froze over $100 million in public safety funding in response to Houston's ordinance that limited, but did not fully restrict, cooperation between HPD and federal immigration enforcement, Mayor John Whitmire introduced an amended policy intended to help the city get the funds back.

The amendment, approved by the Governor's Office, passed on Wednesday by a 13-4 vote.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Houston City Council passes amended ICE ordinance 13-4, city attorney said not much changed

In an interview on Fox's "Will Cain Show," Abbott said that while he approved of the amended ordinance that was passed, the funding would not be unfrozen until the HPD fully complied because they were "one of the signers" of the amended rule.

On Thursday afternoon, over 24 hours after the ordinance was passed, HPD released the new directive, officially stating that the department will follow the new rule.

Eyewitness News reached out to the Governor's Office to ask whether the funds will be unfrozen and is awaiting a response.