ICE Requests Houston Driver Data: What It Means for Texas Immigrants

In a recent move that has raised concerns among immigration advocates, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) submitted a public records request to the City of Houston for data on every individual cited for driving without a license from January 1, 2023, to February 28, 2025.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the request was filed with the municipal courts department and has since been fulfilled by the city. The requested data included full names, dates of birth, home addresses, vehicle details, and license plate numbers—information that could be used by ICE to identify individuals potentially subject to deportation.

A Controversial Request

This request comes after Houston Mayor John Whitmire publicly stated that the city would not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. In January, he told reporters, “We do not deal with immigration… We run the City of Houston, we deal with city issues.”

Yet, despite this stance, the city complied with ICE’s request under the Texas Public Information Act, which requires agencies to respond to all valid open records requests—regardless of who files them.

The Risk for Immigrant Communities

Immigration advocates say this could have a chilling effect. Zenobia Lai, executive director of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, noted that this is the first time she’s seen ICE make a request of this kind. She fears that it may target undocumented immigrants, particularly since those without lawful status are ineligible for driver’s licenses in Texas.

But Lai also emphasized that such a broad request could sweep up individuals who are legally in the U.S. or even U.S. citizens. “There’s a lot of mistakes that can happen that could be really harmful to people, separating families unnecessarily and subjecting people to suffering,” she said.

The Legal Landscape

Under Texas law, certain personal information—like birthdates and vehicle data—is generally considered confidential. Prior rulings from the Texas Attorney General’s Office have blocked public disclosure of such details. However, law enforcement agencies typically face fewer restrictions in accessing this type of data.

Former law enforcement official Jay Coons, now an assistant professor at Sam Houston State University, suggested the request may have been ICE’s way of avoiding direct political confrontation with Houston officials. “They might’ve asked for this information and HPD told them ‘You’ll have to go through open records,’” Coons said.

While ICE has historically worked with local law enforcement on various task forces, this more formal method of data collection could indicate a new strategy for the agency—one with potentially far-reaching implications under the current federal administration.

A Growing Fear of Targeted Enforcement

Houston immigration attorney Rosemary Vega expressed deep concern over the implications of the data release. “It scares me to think that they’re going to go after people and say, ‘OK, we’re going to place you in court proceedings because you have a conviction on this,’” she said.

While ICE has not commented publicly on the request, the action raises urgent questions about data privacy, due process, and the extent to which local governments must—or should—comply with federal immigration efforts.

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At Zendeh Del & Associates, PLLC, we understand how overwhelming immigration enforcement actions can be—especially when they stem from something as simple as a traffic violation. If you or someone you love is concerned about how data like this could affect your immigration status, contact our experienced legal team in Galveston today. We’re here to protect your rights and provide the strong defense you deserve.

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