The recent surge in immigration enforcement has left many communities in Metro Detroit feeling anxious and uncertain.
The sentiment was echoed during a press conference held by the Arab American Civil Rights League in Dearborn on Monday (Jan. 27).
Concerns are mounting as President Donald Trump’s executive orders on deportation have put many on edge.
“We’ve been getting a lot of calls as individuals are starting to be picked up,” said Nabih Ayad, Founder of the American Civil Rights League. “We know this is going to be ramped up in the coming weeks.”
Adding to the tension, Detroit’s District Six Councilmember, Gabriela Santiago-Romero, shared a video message on Facebook last week, reporting sightings of ICE agents in local neighborhoods.
“I’ve been getting reports that there is ICE, right now, going through our neighborhoods,” Santiago-Romero said in her video.
When asked about these reports, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan acknowledged the growing concerns but noted that no significant increase in deportation efforts had been reported, yet, in the city of Detroit.
“We haven’t seen it, yet. Although it may be picking up in frequency,” Duggan said.
The mayor believes that while concerns about ICE are not new, the anxiety is heightened due to recent national rhetoric.
“I do expect it’s going to pick up under Donald Trump,” Duggan said. “I don’t know that we’ve seen it yet. But I fully expect it. And I’m hearing from mayors in other parts of the country that they have been dedicating more ICE officers to detention. I suspect it’s just a matter of time until we see increased activity here.”
The fear of increased detention activity is palpable among Metro Detroiters.
Community organizers in Southwest Detroit have been actively engaging with residents to address their fears and concerns, though they prefer to remain off-camera. Their focus remains on facts and actions to support their community.
U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin also addressed the immigration issue during Monday’s opening of her Detroit office.
“We need immigrants, and we want to be a welcoming place,” Slotkin said. “Now, if you’re not here legally, or you’re causing problems, crime, committing crime. Yeah, you don’t get to be here with a free pass. But I do not subscribe to this idea of demonizing immigrants for the sake of immigrants because I’m the grandchild of immigrants.”
As the situation unfolds, community leaders and officials continue to navigate the complexities of immigration enforcement, striving to balance security with compassion and understanding.
