Jitcel Tellez-Luz, left, and her mother, Elia Tellez, right, speak with an immigration lawyer during the Immigration 101 Know Your Rights training series. Photo courtesy of the City of Detroit.

Overview:

- The Tellez-Luz family joined over 40 residents at the First Latin American Baptist Church for a "Know Your Rights" training on their rights and protections during ICE encounters.
- Hosted by Detroit City Councilmember Gabriella Santiago-Romero and co-sponsored by Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, Michigan United,
- SEMCA Michigan Works, and the Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center, the event responded to President Trump's vow for the "largest deportation operation in history."

Jitcel Tellez-Luz sometimes gets distracted at work wondering if her parents are safe. The family has lived in Detroit for 23 years after moving from their home state of Michoacán, Mexico. 

“With the new administration, there are a lot of doubts, definitely a lot of fear,” Tellez-Luz, a Southwest Detroit resident, said. “It causes anxiety because I never know what’s going to happen with my family, or people that we know.”

With the return of President Trump and his administration’s renewed focus on mass deportations, immigrant communities in Detroit, particularly in Southwest, are facing heightened anxiety about their safety and future. 

Last week, the Tellez-Luz family joined over 40 residents gathered at the First Latin American Baptist Church for a “Know Your Rights” training last week to learn their rights and how to protect themselves and their neighbors during encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

Detroit City Councilmember Gabriella Santiago-Romero hosted the event to address these fears in light of President Trump’s vow to launch the “largest deportation operation in history.”

“As someone that was once undocumented, who has family that has mixed status, not knowing what to do gives you a lot of anxiety,” Santiago-Romero said. “The fear…it’s not good for your mental health.” 

The event was held in collaboration with Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, Michigan United, SEMCA Michigan Works, and the Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center. 

Santiago-Romero encouraged residents to email videos and pictures of an ICE spotting to councilmembergabriela@detroitmi.gov. She recommends following her newsletter for updates. 

“There are a number of Facebook Pages and Whatsapp chats but they’re a mix of reports, requests for support and overall comments of fear,” she said. 

Tellez-Luz’s mother, Elia Tellez, said she feels better knowing what rights she has in light of the incoming administration’s threat of mass deportations.  

Undocumented immigrants have constitutional rights, including rights to due process and legal counsel and against unreasonable search and seizure.

María Mason, a property manager in Southwest Detroit, said her mother is aware of her rights. But she said, “even though you know your rights, sometimes the fear comes in.” 

Southwest Detroit residents attend a training series on how to respond to interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ahead of President Trump’s promises of mass deportation. Photo courtesy of the City of Detroit.

President Trump’s promises on immigration

On Friday, former President Joe Biden’s administration announced an extension of a program known as Temporary Protected Status for nearly one million immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela, Documented reported. The Biden administration deported more than 271,000 migrants over the last fiscal year, surpassing Trump’s 2019 record removal of 267,258 people. 

On Monday, the newly inaugurated President Donald Trump signed 10 immigration-related executive actions in a signing ceremony at the Oval Office Monday, including: 

  1. Declare a national emergency at the border 
  2. Clarify the military’s role when it comes to border 
  3. Secure the border 
  4. Designate criminal cartels as terrorists 
  5. Suspend refugee resettlement 
  6. End asylum and close the border to those without legal status via proclamation 
  7. End birthright citizenship 
  8. Guarantee states protection against invasion 
  9. “Protect American citizens against invasion” 
  10. “Restore” the death penalty 

A day after President Trump’s inauguration, the District 6 councilmember went live on Instagram after she said she received notice of border patrol officers near homes and businesses.

ICE has always been in Detroit because of the city’s border with Canada, Santiago-Romero noted, adding that the federal government can conduct warrantless stops within 100 miles of the U.S. border. 

“Because we are a border state next to Canada, ICE is going to be active in our city,” Santiago-Romero said in the Instagram live video. “It’s going to be incredibly important that every single Detroit resident knows, regardless of your immigration status, that undocumented immigrants have rights.” 

Mason said that while she would sometimes see ICE in the streets or businesses of Southwest in 2020 here and there, she said that their presence was “pretty hot today” in comparison. 

ICE has not responded to requests for comment.

Trump also promised to “immediately ban all sanctuary cities” during campaigns in Michigan. A sanctuary city is a municipality that limits its cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies.

Nine counties within Michigan are identified by the Center for Immigration Studies as having sanctuary policies. The counties include Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau, Luce, Muskegon, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Wexford. Lansing is the only sanctuary city in Michigan. 

Editors update 1/24/25: County Executive Warren Evans stated to reporter Sam Robinson that he does not consider the county a “sanctuary” place for undocumented immigrants.

Detroit became a Certified Welcoming city in 2014 as part of the Welcoming America network of cities across the country. These cities limit their cooperation with federal immigration agents. The two terms, “Sanctuary City” and “Welcoming City” have no legal definition, and are used interchangeably, according to ACLU Washington.

District 6 Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero hosted the Immigration 101 event last week to empower residents. Photo courtesy of the City of Detroit.

Detroit police have an internal policy to not ask for legal status or call ICE with any follow-ups. Commander Shelley Holderbaum of Detroit’s Fourth Precinct, covering Southwest Detroit, said per city ordinance, officers only ask for immigration status when processing a person who is arrested for a criminal offense. 

City policy prohibits Detroit police from asking for immigration status on the basis of appearance, English-language proficiency, ethnicity, national origin or religious beliefs, among other criteria. 

Juan Pablo Marcos, a Mexican American first-generation resident of District 6, emphasized the importance of becoming familiar with city services and the roles of elected officials, particularly regarding immigration issues. 

“If you don’t know anyone who’s undocumented, you might have a friend of a friend who knows someone who’s undocumented. The information is valuable to anyone,” Marcos said. 

Santiago-Romero said that while Detroit city council members can advise local police, they cannot control ICE’s actions. ICE can operate within 100 miles of the border, and their jurisdiction is not limited by local policies. 

Santiago-Romero advises community members to get a Detroit ID for informed authentication. Detroit ID is an identification card for Detroit residents regardless of legal status, age, gender identity or housing status. 

The ID allows those to access city services, interact with the police department, open a checking and savings account and receive discounts at dozens of businesses across Detroit.

To apply, make an appointment here or by calling (313) 774-5388, then apply in person at the Detroit Health Department or Patton Recreation Center. Bring original copies of required documents such as proof of identity with your photograph and date of birth, and proof of Detroit residency. 

How to respond to Detroit ICE agents in a variety of places

Pavich Herrera, a legal services coordinator with more than 16 years of experience working in Circuit Courts of Appeals and District Courts within the Mexican Federal Justice System, presented on behalf of Michigan United, a nonprofit immigrant, environment and healthcare advocacy organization. 

Pavich Herrera, a legal services coordinator with Michigan United, guided the community in various situations with ICE interactions. Photo courtesy of the City of Detroit.

He offered guidance on how to interact with immigration enforcement agents at home, at work or in public. Some attendees received a free consultation with an immigration lawyer on site, and others were given information to find a Michigan immigration lawyer.

Herrera recommended organizing important documents like passports, power of attorney and family and financial records and keeping copies with a trusted friend or family member. 

A document on how to prepare your family for immigration enforcement is available here, and videos to help with engagements with ICE are available here. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center created a printable, wallet-sized card to help residents in these encounters. 

At home

Herrera advised against opening the door unless ICE agents have a warrant signed by a judge. If they do, ask the agents to slide it under the door for a proper look.

“If ICE comes to your home, remember you have rights, do not open the door. Ask to see a warrant signed by a judge,” Herrera said.

Herrera advised that If they do not have a warrant, to politely state, “I do not consent to you entering my home. Please leave.” 

You have the right to remain silent, and do not answer any questions without a lawyer present, Herrera said. Take notes and photos of the encounter if possible, including agent names and badge numbers, he added. 

At work

Employers need a warrant or consent to allow ICE agents to enter the workplace. Herrera recommends advising coworkers to remain silent and not to consent to searches. He also advised having a plan with coworkers about how to respond if ICE arrives, such as designating someone to contact a lawyer. 

“Never lie to ICE. If ICE asks for your identification, you don’t have to give them something that shows where you are born,” Herrera said. 

In public

Herrera advised remaining calm and not to run or resist and to seek legal assistance as soon as possible if you encounter ICE, Herrera said. 

He advised asking if you are free to go. If you are detained, he advised asking to speak to a lawyer. 

“You always have the right to remain silent,” Herrera said. “You can be polite, but you need to be really clear right now, because I don’t have my lawyers, I want to remain [silent].” 

Herrera advised being polite but firm in asserting your rights. He advised avoiding signing anything or providing information without a lawyer present. 

“Do not get legal advice from notaries. They are not lawyers. They don’t know immigration law as an attorney does,” Herrera said. 

‘Additional mental strain’

Santiago-Romero said the threat of deportation impacts mental and physical health. 

“Living in an already polluted neighborhood, piling on the additional mental strains is not good for our health overall,” she said. 

Marcos noted the stress caused by ongoing immigration policies under both the Biden and Trump administrations and advocates for community support and self-advocacy.

“This was a really valuable resource coming here tonight with other immigration lawyers,” Marcos said. “There’s food, there’s families, children. Taking yourself into these real spaces, getting out of the house and putting some effort into it.” 

Santiago-Romero highlighted past success in preventing deportations through community preparedness in Southwest and Dearborn in 2020. 

“There were reports that ICE would go to restaurants, but owners or staff were trained on their rights and would deny entries to the restaurants,” she said. “It’s community that helps protect each other… so I wanted to make sure that we could do that again.” 

The next Know Your Rights training will take place in February. That session will be geared towards the Middle Eastern population with live Arabic translations. More details will be shared in Santiago-Romero’s newsletter.

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Isabelle Tavares covers environmental and public health impacts in Southwest Detroit for Planet Detroit with Report for America. Working in text, film and audio, she is a Dominican-American storyteller who is concerned with identity, generational time, and ecology.