Share and Follow
AUSTIN (KXAN) In a significant policy update, the Austin Police Department has introduced revised procedures regarding how officers deal with administrative warrants and detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This information was shared in a memo from Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis to the City Council on Wednesday.
To complement these updated protocols, Chief Davis announced plans to distribute new “Know Your Rights” resources to the local community. Additionally, she intends to release a video message and participate in various media engagements to ensure the public is well-informed about the new policies.
“The leadership of Austin Police and the City of Austin is united in the mission to make Austin a bastion of safety for all residents, workers, and visitors,” Davis emphasized. “We are particularly focused on fostering an environment where individuals feel comfortable reaching out to the police when witnessing or falling victim to a crime.”
These policy changes follow a recent incident that drew considerable attention: the deportation of a mother and her five-year-old child, a U.S. citizen, to Honduras. This event occurred shortly after Austin police transferred them to ICE custody on January 5.
“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.
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.
The officers had detained the mom on an ICE administrative warrant after they responded to an early morning disturbance call at her residence. They didn’t find any signs of a disturbance nor anyone with injuries, according to APD. No criminal charges related to the call were made.
The officers learned that ICE had issued an administrative warrant for the mom. They detained the mom and contacted local ICE agents, who took her and her child from the family’s residence.
Advocacy groups, APD leadership and Austin City Council raised concerns about officers holding someone who hadn’t been accused of a crime under the warrant. Most of the council members said they were worried it would lead to city residents not calling 911 during an emergency.
What changed
The department’s General Orders now have updated polices about warrant hits and detainer requests. One of the main changes is that the policy now differentiates between federal criminal warrants, administrative warrants and detainer requests.
More critically, the process for how officers handle administrative warrants has changed.
Previously, officers were only required to comply with detainer requests, which ICE issues after an immigrant is convicted of a crime. The old orders did not instruct officers on handling administrative warrants.
The video attached to this story aired Feb 2, 2026.
“To ensure compliance with [state law] and to give direction to officers on how to handle ICE administrative warrants, the new general order provides that the officer or the supervisor may, but is not required to, contact [ICE] to validate the warrant,” the memo says. “Officers cannot unreasonably prolong a detention to contact ICE.”
That evaluation weighs several factors, including whether those officers are needed for an emergency, if the delay would incur “unreasonable overtime costs,” and if it would impede an investigation or a criminal prosecution. That last point also requires supervisors to consider if the person wanted by ICE is “a victim or witness of a crime.”
Now, officers will notify their supervisor if there “is no other arrestable criminal charge.” The supervisor will evaluate APD resources and brief the duty commander, who will ultimately decide if officers stay at the scene until ICE arrives.
“APD recognizes the sensitivity of this issue, not only within our city but across the nation. These policies were updated to provide clarity to our officers, ensure compliance with state law, and maintain officer discretion guided by supervisory oversight and operational consideration,” the memo says.