On Stateside, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are believed to have detained immigrants who arrived for routine government check-ins in Grand Rapids. A volunteer with an immigrant rights group in Grand Rapids gave us details.
Then, a conversation on the consequences of Trump's executive order declaring there are only two sexes. We spoke with a Grand Rapids resident and a Michigan Public reporter for insight on how transgender and non-binary Michigan residents seeking passports have been affected. Also, Michigan Public's Beenish Ahmed reports on one boy from Gaza learning to walk again following medical treatment in Flint.
After that, the Michigan Department of Corrections is facing a $500 million lawsuit following the alleged illegal videotaping of inmates at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Inmate Leisha Tarrant described her experience. Then, a reporter from IPR outlines the new immigration detention center planned for Baldwin in Lake County.
Update, June 16 at 11:00 am:
Stateside reached out to both The Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) and ICE for comment regarding claims that the GRPD officers aided ICE officers in detaining immigrants at the ISAP office in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, June 4.
A GRPD spokesperson provided the following statement:
"At approximately 12:45 p.m. June 4, GRPD responded to the 500 block of Michigan St NE on report of a group of approximately 10-15 disorderly people who were on private property. Officers informed the group they were free to exercise their First Amendment rights on the sidewalk (public property) but could not be on private property, nor impede the business of the several businesses/offices at that location. There were no arrests. GRPD was there solely to address the trespassing complaint."
They also provided a media release originally issued in 2019 regarding GRPD’s policy. The release reads, in part:
"GRPD is not responsible for or has the authority to enforce federal civil immigration laws used to detain or remove undocumented immigrants from the U.S. That means GRPD does not serve as a civil immigration enforcement for the federal government. The department does not perform immigration functions unrelated to the investigation and enforcement of criminal violations."
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GUESTS ON TODAY’S SHOW:
- Gema Lowe, volunteer with the immigrant rights group in Grand Rapids, Movimiento Cosecha GR
- Elinor Epperson, Michigan Public reporter
- Jamie Adams, she/her, Grand Rapids resident impacted by Executive Order on gender
- Beenish Ahmed, reporter for Michigan Public
- Leisha Tarrant, inmate at Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility
- Claire Keenan-Kurgan, reporter for Interlochen Public Radio
