Making us all less safe, every damn day.
A man called Houston police to report someone firing a gun outside a Home Depot on Sunday but was arrested by federal immigration agents before officers could complete their investigation, according to a police report.
The incident comes as the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have spurred weeks of protests across Houston following the fatal ICE shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Magnolia Park last month and amid ongoing debate over how the Houston Police Department should interact with the federal agency.
It was unclear what led to the caller’s arrest, but the police report states: “HPD did not assist ICE.”
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said the case is an example of what he’s been warning about for months – ICE tactics are damaging public safety.
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[Arrestee David Elias] Mendez was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, court records show. He has a lengthy criminal history in Harris County, including one charge filed just two days prior to Sunday’s incident, for terroristic threat with fear of significant bodily injury. As of Tuesday, he did not have a listed defense attorney.
Council Member Tiffany Thomas, whose District F includes the area where Sunday’s incident happened, said ICE’s actions are undercutting local law enforcement’s relationship with the community.
“We did a good job of getting immigrants to call law enforcement when they saw something,” she said. “But now, when you’re calling, they’re rounding you up.”
I don’t know what there is to say. Maybe they’ll release him. Maybe Mayor Whitmire will condemn this action and force their hand. Maybe they’ll just keep doing what they’re doing because they don’t care about anything else. But this is what’s happening now.