AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department released new orders for how officers handle administrative warrants and detainer requests issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a Wednesday memo from APD Chief Lisa Davis to the Austin City Council.
Along with the new policies, Davis said the department will release new “Know your Rights” resources for the community. She also said in the memo that she will release a video message and make other media appearances to increase public awareness of the changes.
“Austin Police and City of Austin leadership share a paramount goal for Austin to be a safe city for everyone who lives, works, or visits here. We particularly want to ensure that anyone who witnesses or is the victim of a crime feels secure in contacting the police for help,” Davis wrote.
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What prompted the changes
These changes came after ICE deported a mom and her five-year-old, a U.S. citizen, to Honduras less than a week after Austin police handed them over to ICE agents on Jan. 5…