Harris County Judge candidates debate ICE, Flock cameras before Nov. 3, 2026 election

Who's involved

• Orlando Sanchez · Republican candidate for Harris County Judge^[1]
• Letitia Plummer · Democrat candidate for Harris County Judge^[1]
• Lina Hidalgo · Incumbent Harris County Judge^[1]
• Lesley Briones · Harris County Commissioner^[1]

The facts

1. The debate was presented by Houston Public Media in partnership with the Houston Chronicle, N+ Univision 45, and the University of Houston's Hobby School for Public Affairs on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.^[1]
2. Sanchez stated that Harris County property tax rates rose 60 percent over the past eight years and 41 percent in the preceding 36 months.^[1]
3. The Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 8, which was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, requiring every county sheriff in the state to enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE.^[1]
4. Harris County currently holds a contract with Flock, a surveillance company that uses automated license plate readers, and has paid the company $1.3 million for its license plate reader system since 2023.^[1,2]
5. Incumbent Judge Lina Hidalgo has called for the county to reassess its contract with Flock, and Commissioner Lesley Briones decommissioned the Flock cameras in her precinct.^[1]
6. Both Sanchez and Plummer are former Houston City Council members running to succeed Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who is not running for reelection.^[2]
7. The election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.^[1]

Who said what

• Plummer As a dentist and single mother, she knows the challenges families face and what is needed to make Harris County move in a direction where every person has the opportunity to thrive.^[1]
• Sanchez When the county had money in the Rainy Day Fund and had not raised property tax rates in 25 years, but over the last eight years tax rates have risen 60 percent, and in the last 36 months by 41 percent, which is intellectual dishonesty when discussing affordability.^[1]
• Sanchez Local law enforcement should not be used as ICE agents in Harris County; their first duty is public safety, and the ICE issue needs to be resolved by the federal government through legislation in Congress.^[1]
• Plummer The 287(g) agreement is an unfunded mandate and when she is county judge, she will ensure that line item is not there and will take bold action to protect immigrant communities.^[1]
• Plummer She will rescind the Flock contract immediately as county judge and ensure that when AI technology is brought in, it cannot be done against the privacy of residents.^[1]
• Sanchez He will not have a knee-jerk reaction to Flock cameras and will analyze both benefits and privacy concerns before making a decision.^[1]
• Plummer There needs to be a public use policy for Flock cameras, and people need to know who has access to the information and how long it is held in the database, particularly because black and brown communities face privacy challenges.^[2]
• Sanchez While privacy is a concern, there is tremendous concern about how data is used, and in the modern age privacy has been lost through toll roads and app downloads.^[2]
• Sanchez Harris County needs to work collaboratively with the state and other local government bodies to ensure the county receives the state funding it deserves.^[2]
• Plummer She is looking forward to working with everyone on the commissioner's court, and believes the county's lack of engagement with the city is a misstep, as they need to engage and collaborate.^[2]