(WXYZ) — Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and immigration policies are ramping up across the nation, including in Detroit.
Watch Whitney Burney's piece and Ryan Marshall's piece in the video player below:
On Wednesday, protesters gathered outside the immigration courts in downtown Detroit.
In front of the Patrick McNamara Federal Building, demonstrators raised their voices as undocumented immigrants headed to their court hearings.
"This is an attack with the overall goal of restricting the movement of people," said Tristan Taylor of Detroit Will Breathe."My biggest message is Detroit needs to be a sanctuary city. There's no reason that we're on the side of the Trump administration as he's carrying out these draconian reactionary policies."
Michigan Senator Jim Runestad (R) says the city of Detroit and democrats have been making Trump's plan of action more difficult, refusing to follow orders.
"(Detroit is) officially not a sanctuary city, but they're doing everything they can to thwart ICE. Again, we have 40 million people coming into this country illegally, competing with housing for the working class. So working class in your lifetime is probably not going to be able to afford a house," he said.
Runestad added that "the President is trying to fulfill the campaign promise to the American people that was either to the number one or two most popular issue."
Extended interview: Hear more from Senator Runestad in the video player below:
Hours after the protest Wednesday, officers were seen putting up barricades outside the federal building. Another protest is scheduled for this weekend, with Detroit Police keeping a close watch.
In a statement, Detroit Police said: "The City of Detroit has a proud tradition of peaceful protest and we expect the same for Saturday."
These protests come as students and parents in Detroit Public Schools Community District are fired up after a Western International High School student was pulled over near Rockwood and detained while en route to a field trip in May. That student was turned over to ICE and now faces deportation to Colombia.
"This was an adolescent mistake. I think everyone inside and outside of the situation knows this was a terrible idea, but I think we can also agree skipping school and driving without a license shouldn't be justification for imprisonment and deportation," one community member said at a Tuesday School Board meeting in the detained students' defense.
Previous Story: Detroit high school student detained by ICE after traffic stop during field trip
After demands from dozens of community members, the district issued a statement of support during the Tuesday meeting.
The city of Rockwood, where the student was pulled over and detained, received multiple threats to its police department. The threats prompted the city to shut down all nonessential city services Wednesday.
7 News Detroit stopped by the Rockwood Police Department for more information Wednesday. Chief Randy Krause says at this point in the investigation, they’re waiting for more evidence and don’t want to speculate if the two incidents are connected.
The Rockwood Police Department and other city departments are anticipating reopening Thursday. Their investigation into the threats continues.
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