Outgoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Houston Mayor John Whitmire are clashing over the city’s approach to immigration enforcement, with Patrick accusing the mayor of turning Houston into a “sanctuary city” and Whitmire pushing back against what he called a misunderstanding of the city’s policy.
The exchange came as Patrick, who is leaving office after Democrats’ historic midterm victories in Texas, used his podcast to criticize Whitmire’s executive order limiting when Houston police cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Patrick also warned that Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa could take the state in a similar direction.
“I’m surprised he’s always been a law and order guy; he automatically says Houston police aren’t going to cooperate with ICE, turning Houston into a sanctuary city,” Patrick said. “And I believe that the new governor will turn our state into a sanctuary state, meaning it’s more dangerous.”…