Michigan Democrats Oppose Planned ICE Detention Center in Romulus
Five Democratic House members from Michigan are urging federal officials to abandon plans for an ICE detention facility in Romulus, citing local opposition and environmental concerns.
ROMULUS, MICHIGAN — Five Democratic U.S. Representatives from Michigan sent a letter Thursday to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin opposing the development of a planned ICE detention facility in Romulus.
Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham led the letter and was joined by Reps. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor, Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids, Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City, and Shri Thanedar of Detroit. The group represents almost the entire Democratic delegation to the U.S. House from Michigan, except for Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has also been actively fighting against the detention center’s opening.
The detention center is located in Thanedar’s district. ICE purchased a warehouse in Romulus earlier in 2026 that is set to become the detention facility.
Local Opposition and Zoning Concerns
The representatives’ letter outlined several arguments against the detention center, including local opposition and zoning concerns, as well as environmental regulations for the area’s floodplain and wetlands.
“In response to initial press inquiries, an ICE spokesperson stated that new detention ‘sites will undergo community impact studies and rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase’,” the representatives wrote. “No local officials were consulted about any such study or due diligence, raising questions about whether the analysis was completed before the purchase of the facility and, if it did occur, the accuracy of the work.”
State and Local Officials Join Opposition
“Given these dynamics, it is clear DHS must not move forward with the planned Romulus detention facility,” the letter continues. The representatives noted that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the City of Romulus have already taken action against the proposed facility.
The Romulus City Council previously rejected the ICE detention center plan, with hundreds rallying in opposition to the proposal in February 2026.
The letter represents the latest effort by Michigan Democrats to block the detention facility from opening in the suburban Detroit community. The facility has faced sustained opposition from local residents and officials since ICE announced its plans to convert the warehouse into a detention center.
