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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel continues to put herself at the front of the line of Democratic elected officials trying to bar the door against Trump administration actions in the state.
Nessel, along with city officials, have filed a federal court challenge in an effort to block the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from converting a former warehouse in Romulus into a facility to potentially house hundreds of immigrant detainees.
In the complaint filed this week in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan, Nessel lays out multiple reasons why she says the warehouse is not suitable for use as a detention facility by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“As the state’s attorney general, I have a legal and moral authority to act if and when this administration behaves unlawfully and does so in a way that harms Michigan’s residents,” Nessel said at a press conference.
The complaint alleges the facility lacks the space, health and sanitation systems and infrastructure to handle as many as 500 detainees at a time. It also said the city, which is also part of the lawsuit, would have to pick up significant costs to manage the additional traffic and security if the project goes forward.
Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight said DHS never consulted with the city about its plans or made an effort to address its concerns. He said the building was designed for industrial use and is located in a flood plain. He said it is too close to residential neighborhoods, and violates local zoning rules.
“In addition, this site is located approximately one mile from elementary and middle schools,” he said. “In my opinion, DHS could not have picked a worse location.”
DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
The federal government is not required to follow local zoning rules, but communities looking to block ICE's building plans could still have some legal avenues
ICE has met with heavy resistance across the country as it’s moved to expand its network of detention facilities. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Maryland ordered a pause on construction of an immigration detention center. The state filed a lawsuit alleging the federal government failed to conduct a thorough environmental review or solicit public comment.
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Have questions about Michigan politics? Or, just want to let us know what you want more of (less of?) in the newsletter? We always want to hear from you! Shoot us an email at politics@michiganpublic.org!
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What we’re talking about at the dinner table
No wage on ballot: Another campaign trying to get a question on Michigan’s November ballot has stalled. “A referendum campaign to undo changes state lawmakers made last year to the state’s minimum wage law is the latest to fall. Others that have dropped out include a campaign to raise taxes on some of Michigan’s highest earners and direct the revenue to schools, and an effort to bring ranked-choice voting to Michigan elections. One Fair Wage, the most recent group to suspend its campaign, has been trying to create one minimum wage for all Michiganders, regardless of whether they make tips. One Fair Wage needed to collect 223,099 signatures to get the referendum before voters this November. In a statement announcing the end of its 2026 campaign, the group did not say how many signatures it ended up collecting. Instead, One Fair Wage said it was refocusing its efforts on the next election cycle,” Michigan Public Radio Network’s Colin Jackson reports.
He’s out: Democratic state Representative - and former Speaker of the House - Joe Tate has decided not to run for reelection to the House. “Tate, 45, said he isn’t sure what’s next, but is proud of his tenure as House Speaker that marked the first time a Black person served as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Tate, who lives in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, led the Democratic caucus during its once in a generation legislative trifecta from 2022-24,” Michigan Chronicle’s Sam Robinson reports. But, Robinson notes, “the final days of Democratic control in the state Legislature in 2024 ended in chaos as several pieces of legislation advocates thought would be passed were killed. State Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit joining Republicans in protesting session was the final nail in the coffin to some of the Democratic legislation that never passed in the House.”
GOP convention: Michigan Republicans are gathering this weekend for their party’s endorsement convention. Party leaders will endorse candidates for Secretary of State, Attorney General and others on the November ballot. As Bridge Michigan’s Jordyn Hermani explains, “Michigan is one of just three states where major party delegates routinely choose nominees for those consequential posts at conventions rather than primary elections, deciding which candidates get to go before voters in November. The system allows Republican and Democratic activists to select nominees, and party leaders say it allows winning candidates to save money for their general election campaigns. But critics say it’s an outdated practice that stacks the odds against moderate candidates who might better reflect the statewide electorate.” Rick will be at the convention and you’ll be able to hear his reporting Monday morning on Morning Edition.
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Yours in political nerdiness,
Rick Pluta & Zoe Clark
Co-hosts, It’s Just Politics
