DETROIT—Demonstrating through the bitter cold, Detroiters rallied at the Spirit of Detroit statue on Tuesday before a City Council meeting to demand an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in their communities. The action centered on a resolution submitted by Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero that would prohibit ICE from schools, religious institutions, clinics, and all city property.
The rally, organized by the People’s Assembly of Detroit (Asamblea Popular) and allied organizations such as Detroit Will Breathe, 482Forward, and MI Students Dream, also denounced the nationwide wave of ICE attacks on immigrants and specifically condemned the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis.
“If our neighbors are not safe and free, then we are not safe and free,” said Board of Police Commissioner Victoria Camille of District 7, who joined the action. “Immigration status matters should not be handled with masks, guns, chemical spray, battering rams, and handcuffs. Renee Good could’ve been any one of us standing here.”
State Senator Stephanie Chang, fighting back tears, linked the rally to conditions at Michigan’s own Baldwin Northlake ICE Processing Center. “We see numerous reports of problems with medical care, food, and living conditions,” Chang said. “We see detained people moved across state lines, making it impossible for families or attorneys to find them.”
She highlighted the cases of four Western International High School students and graduates—Kerly, Antony, Mor, and Santiago—currently detained while seeking legal asylum. “They’re just trying to live their lives and pursue their dreams. They should not be in detention.”
The resolution submitted by Santiago-Romero also includes formal questions to the Detroit Police Department regarding any collaboration with ICE—a practice which has been already documented by the People’s Assembly.
Joshua Medina, a community organizer with the People’s Assembly and the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), spoke of the families the assembly supports with financial relief, transportation aid, and public campaigns. “To our immigrant brothers and sisters, you are not alone,” Medina told the crowd. “Detroit will move forward in Renee Nicole Good’s honor.”
Council packed with community demands
When the City Council meeting began, residents packed the public comment section for over two hours and overwhelmingly urged support for Santiago-Romero’s measures. Speakers described a climate of fear, detailing routine kidnappings of immigrant neighbors, smashed car windows, children left stranded, and the growing number of Western International High School students in ICE detention.
Omar Santana, a retired U.S. Army veteran and Bricklayers union member, told People’s World that his work as an activist in the People’s Assembly has been intensifying with the ramped-up deportations. At the meeting, he spoke up and addressed the council directly. “I’ve had community members reach out to me about their husbands being beaten by these ‘ICE agents.’ This is happening. This is real life,” Santana declared. “This may not be your reality, but it’s the reality of many Detroit residents.”
Other speakers drew clear parallels between ICE violence and police brutality, recalling the Detroit Police Department’s history of killing unarmed Black residents. “Detroit is not a sanctuary for the people who have already been here,” said one Detroit resident. “The accounts being brought forth today—that has been our history as Black folk in Detroit and throughout these lands.”
Abi Naleagaca, a youth success coach and liberation worker, condemned the impact of ICE on young people. “How are youth supposed to dream when they are stuck in survival? How are they supposed to dream when their future doesn’t seem to exist?” she demanded of the council.
“Protect your youth and our communities before they add us to their death count!”
Naleagaca explained to People’s World why she spoke out: “It’s a place to feel backed up by your community. A place to challenge your voice into speaking out. That’s how fascism loses its footing. Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.”
With many calling for newly elected Mayor Mary Sheffield to address the issue, the People’s Assembly and allied grassroots working-class organizations vowed to continue their unified fight to push ICE out of Detroit for good.
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