Convenience Big Store: Houston’s warrant mess shows why cops shouldn’t be ICE agents

May 12, 2026

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☀️ Temperature check: High of 83; low of 69. Forecast: With the sunny and warm weather comes this danger for some residents.

Good morning, Houston.

Here's what you should know to start your day:

Need to know: From salmonella risks and an E. coli outbreak to mislabeled packaging, here’s a roundup of April’s food recalls affecting Texas consumers.
Top of the chart: The most-read story on our site yesterday was about the stabbing of a Houston Methodist hospital employee inside a Texas Medical Center garage.

Here's the rest of the news.

1

Houston Police Officers demonstrate a traffic stop as they test the StarChase System, a vehicle pursuit technology, at the driving track of the Houston Police Academy L. D. Morrison Sr. Memorial Center, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Houston. The StarChase System device is launched at a fleeing vehicle from the front of a police unit and contains a GPS transmitter. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )

Murderers or grandpas? In Trump’s ICE warrant mess, confusion might be the point.

To call the situation over how Houston police should handle immigration warrants "tricky" is probably an understatement.

The debate set off weeks of drama that roped in the governor and his threats to revoke millions in public safety funds and other Texas cities over similar policies on civil ICE warrants.

But here's the thing, many officers have "no clue" as to what they mean.

Here's how columnist Lisa Falkenberg describes it:

"They pull someone over for speeding, a civil ICE warrant pops up, and seemingly they have no idea whether it’s for a kindly grandpa who merely overstayed his visa – or a convicted murderer."

How can that be?

Falkenberg dives into the confusion officers face and explores how politics is clouding the issue even further.

2

Texas AG Ken Paxton ignored donor complaints about a GOP platform he uses to fundraise.

Dozens of Texas political donors begged his office for recourse against WinRed and ActBlue, complaining of unauthorized charges and nonstop text messages.

3

Spring Branch ISD votes to close Northbrook Middle after community pushback.

Community members said the closure is part of a trend of unequal treatment for the district's north-side schools.

4

Houston surgeon says he altered records to help transplant patients.

The surgeon accused of improperly preventing his patients from receiving organ transplants claims he was trying to help them and that his actions were consistent with COVID-era transplant guidelines, according to court documents.

5

Galveston investigators link dead Texas City man to 1981 killing of a woman in her home.

A Texas City man who died in April may have been tied to the 1981 killing of Lois Marshall, a cold case that has remained unsolved for nearly 45 years.

Also: Accused killer Lee Gilley professed his innocence to a judge Monday as he appeared in an Italian court to plead for asylum, according to news reports.

6

UH student group wants more clarity on university's ICE compliance policy.

Some student advocates worry that a lack of guidance might make UH more accessible to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. About 10% of the school's population are international students.

7

The Top 5 races to watch on the May 26 runoff ballot.

Some of the most important and intriguing races in Texas politics are set for an election that is almost guaranteed to have tragically low turnout.

Also, early voting begins next week and several high-profile races, like the red-hot Republican primary runoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, are on the ballot.

🗳️ Prepare with our Voter Guide

☑️ Read the Editorial Board's endorsements

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📸 Photo of the Week

Employees at Traveler’s Cart take a moment during a vigil for owner Thy Mitchell and her children in Houston on Monday, May 11, 2026.

In this Elizabeth Conley photo, employees at Traveler’s Cart attend a vigil Monday for owner Thy Mitchell and her children.

Mitchell, her husband, Matthew, and their two children were found dead in their home one week earlier in a suspected triple murder-suicide.

⚾ Sports

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) walks back to the dugout after striking out as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh throws the baseball back to the pitcher during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Photo by: David J. Phillip, Associated Press

Astros: After their eighth straight loss to the Seattle Mariners, dating back to last season, the Astros now are tied for the worst record in the American League. Also, we're looking back on the life of broadcaster René Cárdenas.
World Cup: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement won't be present at 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Houston, according to Houston's World Cup host committee.

🗣️ Opinion

Craig Hlavaty writes: With each visit to Soundwaves, I’d level up, like passing a course. Oh, you liked Discharge? Well, have you heard Motorhead?

🍴 Restaurant Roundup

Got a hankering for crawfish? Here are the best restaurants and bars to order crawfish.
The two Spaghetti Western restaurants in Houston have split into independent businesses after 14 years of joint operations, though the move won’t change the customer experience much, the restaurants said.
From local institution Kim Son to new restaurants like Di An Pho in Asiatown, here's where to find the best Vietnamese food in the Houston area.
Layne's Chicken Fingers will open its next Houston location in the heart of downtown, with a grand opening set for this week.

The Commemorative Air Force's Conroe-based Gulf Coast Wing will add another vintage plane to its fleet this weekend.

The Douglas AC-47 Spooky, a Vietnam-era gunship, will go on display Saturday when the organization hosts a Warbird Expo at North Houston Regional Airport in Conroe.