Wegela: We Need Governor's Voice on ICE

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/20/2026) The outrage was not off the charts when the federal government sent ICE-arrested inmates to a former private prison in the north woods of Baldwin.

The same can not be said for the government's effort to create another facility in the heart of the highly populated downriver community of Romulus. The local voices of protest are in unison, loud and clear, and now one of the leaders seeking to block the project wants one more voice to be heard.

Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City) argues it is time for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to break her apparent self-imposed silence and join the conversation.

"I believe the Governor should be encouraging the people of this state to be publicly pushing back. To stay silent on that is something that is unacceptable," he told the Off the Record panel last week.

In addition to calling for this public outcry, Wegela reported the warehouse is “next to a thriving neighborhood. The area in the city is not zoned for this . . . Hopefully, we'll be able to block it, but it's going to be an uphill fight. Maybe we can get local zoning to prevail here.”

However, Wegela said he also fears the Trump administration could impose the federal supremacy clause to override local opposition.

In addition to urging the public to protest, he wants the Governor to express her own opposition, as well.

"I believe the Governor of this state should be pushing back against that and the Governor should be helping us with this public pressure that ICE does not open a center in my district or another one in the state," he argued.

MIRS reached out to the Governor's office for a response to the request for a public statement opposing the project, but the executive has declined to offer a comment one way or the other.

In other news, Wegela was asked about the public protesting that Minnesota Gov. Tim WALZ used against the Trump administration's ICE conduct in his state, which triggered President Donald Trump to respond with a strong National Guard pushback. If the Michigan governor engaged, could the same thing unfold here?

"Certainly this administration could retaliate for anything, but the choices we are facing, when the fascists are at the door, do we stand up to them or do we find ways to stay quiet to protect our own self interests? he asks.

On this topic, the House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) was asked by Bridge to comment on the Governor not highlighting this issue in her recent State of the State. He noted that just because she did not mention it, it doesn't necessarily mean it is not an issue. In fact, others might say it is possible that she may again be using her one-on-one access to the president to stop the center from coming to Romulus. If that's the case, she wouldn't admit out of fear of botching a possible get.

In the meantime, Wegela said, "There's a little hope with public push back that we can get the administration to change its mind."