Councilmember Santiago-Romero seeks to limit ICE activity in Detroit

Detroit Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero hopes to ban or limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE agents access in the city. This follows an incident in Minneapolis in which an ICE agent fatally shot a legal observer. Renee Good was a 37-year old mother of three.

Bridge Detroit reports Santiago-Romero sent the council’s Legislative Policy Division a memo during a committee hearing yesterday to define the city’s ability to keep agents out of clinics, schools, and places of worship or city property.

Santiago-Romero said, “We need to ensure that does not happen here in Detroit.” She says there have been recent reports of people getting picked up by ICE agents during school pick ups and entering mosques.

She further inquired about the Detroit Police Departments relation to the federal agency. As of now, Mayor Mary Sheffield says she does not support the police department’s resources being allocated to immigration efforts.

A report by The Trace says ICE has been responsible for 59 shootings and 23 deaths between 2015-2021. None of the agents were charged.

Tonight there will be a vigil and rally at Clark Park in Detroit at 6 p.m.

Additional headlines for Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

Bike giveaway

Bikes 4 Kidz Detroit is giving out free bikes this weekend. The event takes place Saturday, Jan. 10 from 6-9 p.m. at the FB4K Warehouse. That’s located at 4015 Michigan Ave., Detroit, MI.

Sign up for the event in advance.

New honorary street sign in Hamtramck

The City of Hamtramck is naming a street sign after former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. She served three terms.

The honorary street name will be given to Carpenter Street between Jos. Campau and Conant. Carpenter also borders Detroit where the “Bangladesh: Coming to America” mural is painted on a school building, honoring the Bangladeshi community.

Hamtramck is home to a significant population of Bangladeshis in Michigan. Khaleda Zia passed away on Dec. 30 from health complications. She was 80 years old.

Dearborn Heights man passes away

A 30-year-old man with autism from Dearborn Heights, Yousif Hassan went missing Wednesday, prompting a city wide and multi-jurisdiction search in the city with 200 volunteers. His body was found yesterday in the Rouge River near Hines Park.

Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun said in a statement: "Despite the incredible outpouring of help and the rapid response from police and fire, the outcome was not what we prayed for.”

The Dearborn Heights Police Department hasn’t formally identified they body; however, they say it matches Hassan’s description. All search efforts have been called off while they await a confirmation from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.