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How Michigan is impacted by immigration crackdowns
A growing number of immigrant families in Michigan are feeling the effects of a nationwide crackdown. Advocates say arrests at ICE check-ins and court hearings are happening more often and the pressure is building.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A growing number of immigrant families in Michigan are feeling the effects of a nationwide crackdown.
Advocates say arrests at ICE check-ins and court hearings are happening more often and the pressure is building.
Local perspective:
Across Michigan, immigration advocates say they’re seeing a sharp rise in arrests, especially at court hearings and ICE check-ins.
"For several weeks now we’ve been seeing more arrests at ICE check-ins and at immigration court hearings. This started happening earlier in other states, but it’s now happening pretty frequently in Michigan," said Christine Sauvé with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.
Big picture view:
The surge follows a dramatic shift in federal priorities. Since President Donald Trump took office, the number of people booked into immigration detention for civil immigration violations alone has skyrocketed by more than 800%, jumping from about 860 in January to 7,800 in June. Many have no criminal record.
"These arrests have already been possible, but it was very rare and usually meant that a person had violated conditions of their removal or an extreme exceptions," Sauvé said.
The effects are rippling through local communities. The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center says intake calls tripled as of last month.
"It is very difficult to keep up with the demand. We can’t meet the demand and the need for legal advice for everyone in Michigan who needs it at this moment," Sauvé said.
What they're saying:
The group says it’s the only statewide organization in Michigan regularly receiving calls from people in immigration detention and says many immigrants come to the US legally.
"This administration really has dismantled the many legal pathways that existed for immigrants to enter the country," said Sauvé.
The other side:
The Trump administration defends the crackdown as a matter of law and order, saying the arrests protect public safety, deter illegal crossings, and fulfill campaign promises.
Officials argue it’s a course correction after years of leniency.