DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit City Councilwoman is pushing for legal ways to limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city following the shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE agent.
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Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero sent a memo Thursday to Detroit City Council's Legislative Policy Division asking what ways the city could ban or limit ICE operations, particularly on city-owned properties and in sensitive areas.
"For me, this is about me making sure we are protecting everybody in the city of Detroit," Santiago-Romero said.
The councilwoman wants to explore restrictions on ICE operations at certain locations in the city.
"If we can do so at least on city-owned properties and sensitive areas like schools, places of worship," Santiago-Romero said. "Courthouses, hospitals, places that we know people are going to right now and are being picked up by ICE."
Santiago-Romero says she believes ICE is targeting U.S. citizens and creating fear in certain communities.
"I think this is an unfortunate example of what happens when you give an agency this amount of power and money," Santiago-Romero said.
Southwest Detroit residents Jessica Avila and Veronica Rodriguez, who have been helping families whose loved ones have been deported, say some residents are scared to leave their homes.
"People can not go out and work; therefore, we've had families that have no electricity… they don't have the funds to continue to pay their rents," Rodriguez said.
"We're allowing ICE just to walk up and to just aggressively because we're seeing this more and more every single day, coming opening up doors and pulling people out. That's not okay," Avila said.
Michigan State Representative Lisa McClain, who recently tweeted her support for ICE, provided a statement defending federal immigration enforcement.
“Let me be absolutely clear: The left’s’ nonstop demonization of law enforcement is dangerous. Whether it’s ICE, Border Patrol, or the local police that liberals have long called to defund, these men and women are stepping into harm’s way to remove violent illegal criminals, keep communities safe, and enforce the law. They deserve our respect, not attacks from the radical Democrats.”
Meanwhile, Santiago-Romero says her next step is to meet with Mayor Mary Sheffield to discuss potential executive orders.
"There are executive orders that she may or may not be able to do. What are those?" Santiago-Romero said.
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