FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2026
Please see my statement below on today’s proposed sanctuary agenda item in Commissioners Court. We must choose protecting Harris County residents over national politics.
When politicians put their agendas ahead of public safety, innocent people pay the price. We have seen it here with the tragic death of Jocelyn Nungary and most recently in Virginia when Stephanie Minter was violently murdered at a bus stop by a repeat offender in our country illegally from Sierra Leone.
Harris County Commissioners Court should reject any effort to limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or any other federal or state law enforcement agency. Public safety must come first, not partisan politics or ideological agendas.
Shielding criminals from law enforcement action will not build trust in our communities, it will endanger those that can least protect themselves. This agenda item sends the wrong message to our communities and our law enforcement officers.
Harris County families are demanding safer streets and stronger enforcement against crime, not politically driven policies that ties the hands of our brave men and women who swore on oath to serve, protect and enforce the law. Criminals who are here illegally should not receive special protections that law-abiding citizens do not enjoy.
I strongly urge the Harris County Commissioners Court to prioritize public safety over partisan posturing.
As the next Harris County Judge, I will fight to keep our communities secure, hold criminals accountable regardless of immigration status, and ensure that partisan politics never compromise the safety of the people we serve. Public safety is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental responsibility
