Michigan lawmakers seek to stop plan to turn warehouse into ICE detention center

A coalition of five Michigan Democrats are urging the federal government to reverse its plan to turn a warehouse in a Detroit suburb into an immigration detention center.

They sent a June 11 letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, pushing for the agency to “reverse the decision” to convert a Romulus warehouse into a 500-bed federal facility.

The letter cites concerns about North Lake Processing Center, a 1,400-bed ICE detention facility in Baldwin that has faced scrutiny over conditions, alleged medical neglect and a recent hunger strike.

“Since DHS announced its proposed facility in Romulus, the local community has been clear that they do not want what is happening in Baldwin to be replicated in other parts of our state,” the lawmakers wrote.

The proposed Romulus facility has faced fierce backlash from the community and advocacy groups which has protested the scale of the project.