Democrats Fear ICE Expansion In Michigan

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/19/2026) Democrats from several factions banded together to call for the stoppage of a Romulus warehouse being converted into an immigrant detention center. They also expressed fear that Michigan could be the next target of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), and state Reps. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) and Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) joined Rev. Paul Perez, Rabbi Asher Lopatin, and nine activists in asking to take part in a rally before the Romulus City Council meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 23. The Romulus City Council meeting was scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“We intend to pack that room with Romulus residents front and center, because those who call Romulus home should have the loudest voice in what happens here. This is about community voice,” said Indivisible Downriver United 734 Co-Founder Ashley Perry.

Perry said the groups were committed to non-violent peaceful protest.

“I think a lot of the time on the side of the people that are opposed to something, they just want their voices to be heard. That’s really what they’re craving and what they want, and they want to be a part of the process,” she said.

Voters Not Politicians Executive Director Christy McGillivray said the growing opposition to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security stems from the violence they fear the federal agencies will bring to communities.

“We will continue to lead de-escalation trainings. We will continue working with people around the clock to make sure everyone understands how nonviolent civil disobedience can be an effective tool,” McGillivray said.

She said the violence brought by ICE would spread to communities and said ICE was being funded like an “occupying army.”

Arab Americans for Progress representative Abbas Alawieh said ICE was expanding their presence across the state with administrative space in buildings and detention camps, and that was the indication that more ICE agents would be in the area ramping up operations.

“That’s why, as organizations, the elected leaders on this call, communities here, are ramping up our resistance to what’s to come. We want to be clear that ICE is not welcome in our communities. ICE needs to be defunded immediately, and we will not stand for the increased targeting of our communities,” Alawieh said.