Livonia Mayor: Local resources should not be used for immigration enforcement

Questions raised about Michigan law enforcement cooperating with ICE

As tensions spike over the federal government's enforcement tactics in Minnesota and beyond, more in Michigan are raising questions about if local law enforcement are cooperating with ICE and homeland security.

(FOX 2) - As fallout from the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis spirals into the rest of the country, those in Michigan are questioning whether their own police department is working with federal law enforcement.

In Livonia, state lawmakers were joined by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib at Monday's city council meeting. They called for an end to the city's cooperation with federal immigration.

The following day, the city's mayor joined the chorus of discontent by calling for a de-escalation of ICE forces in Minnesota.

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What they're saying:

Both the mayor and police say they are reviewing their policies and are weighing changes when it comes to cooperation with federal police.

In a statement from Livonia Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan, she said the administration "understands the gravity of the situation. We also understand local resources should not be diverted for immigration status enforcement."

"We are working with police leadership, outside agencies and our community partners to ensure that everything we do improves our community's safety. Good policy requires ample time for proper judgment and discernment," the statement continued.

Local perspective:

FOX 2 spoke to other residents of Livonia, including one who took issue with how ICE had used tactics to stamp out illegal immigration.

Robert LaBelle said he supported the idea of policing to remove illegal immigration, but did not agree with the methods deployed by ICE, specifying violations of due process and the brutality involved in the policing. 

"I think I have to support what’s being said," he said. "It seems to me that I don’t think you can at this point co-opt local officials into a federal effort especially when that federal effort is controversial in the way it is."

Jim Deluca, another Livonia resident said "I'm against it unless there's reasons to believe they're guilty or not legal."

Zoom out:

Livonia police declined to give details, but told FOX 2 they are looking into potential changes in policy and that those adjustments could come in as soon as a few weeks.