ICE in Ypsilanti: Washtenaw County Sheriff clarifies that agents weren't conducting enforcements at bus stops

YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - After posting on social media about reports that ICE agents were targeting parents an Ypsilanti bus stop, Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer clarified that agents were not conducting enforcement on school grounds, including bus stops.

Dyer's update was posted Thursday, after ICE responded to the claims that agents were detaining parents dropping their children off at the bus.

What they're saying:

Dyer posted on social media Wednesday that her office had received multiple reports from community members about ICE detaining a mother in front of her child in Ypsilanti.

She said the alleged incident did not take place on any school grounds, but that parents were "targeted" near a bus stop. Her post included a letter from the Superintendent at Ypsilanti Community Schools that was sent to parents about "a deeply distressing situation."

"Earlier today, following reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence near our campus, we have received confirmation that several parents in our community were taken into custody while off school grounds," the letter reads. "There are now words to fully capture the pain, fear, and disruption this causes for our scholars and their loved ones."

However, Dyer later said that she spoke with ICE leadership and confirmed that immigration enforcements are not conducted at schools and bus stops.

"I was able to have a conversation with immigration enforcement leadership, and they confirmed they were in Washtenaw on 1/27, but were not, and will not, do any enforcement on school grounds, or school bus stops," Dyer wrote on social media, adding that other reports of ICE activity on Jan. 28 were unfounded.

The sheriff said the agency agreed to better communicate with local law enforcement when they are conducting operations in the county.

Ypsilanti ICE operation:

An ICE spokesperson said officers were looking to apprehend undocumented immigrants with final orders of removal on Tuesday when they saw two vehicles leave the home of one of the targeted people. Agents conducted a traffic stop, the spokesperson said, and detained three people – two from Honduras and one from Mexico.

A fourth person, who is also from Honduras, was detained from the second vehicle.

"ICE does NOT target schools for enforcement actions or bus stop locations. To be clear, NO children were present during these arrests," the spokesperson wrote in a statement.

It is unclear if any of the people detained were parents who had dropped children off at the bus stop.

The trio remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

Local perspective:

Reports of ICE in the city have led to fears that prompted the Ypsilanti District Library to issue a response.

On Thursday, the library dispelled rumors that its Michigan Avenue branch was on lockdown due to ICE presence, and later issued a letter that clarified that the library "does not collaborate with ICE agents in any way unless we are legally required to do so."

The post also noted that patrons are not asked their immigration status when applying for a library card, and their library records are confidential and cannot be shared with law enforcement without a court order.

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