Welcome back. I’m still Malachi Barrett.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison says his officers don’t engage in immigration enforcement, but residents argue police participated in the arrest of an undocumented Honduras man by apprehending protesters who attempted to stop federal agents on Monday.

Council members summoned Detroit Police Department representatives to Tuesday’s formal session to explain why four squad cars were dispatched at a raid carried out by several federal agencies. The incident also sparked backlash from residents who called in to the council meeting with concerns about Detroit police aiding the operation and questions about whether DPD is following policies meant to limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

DPD was called by the FBI to quell an “unruly crowd” gathered in the 7100 block of Alaska Avenue on Monday morning. A group of roughly two dozen protesters attempted to get between federal officials and a westside home where Marcos Fabian Arita Bautista fled after escaping a traffic stop.

Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald said DPD “is not in the business of immigration,” but will “restore the peace of the neighborhood” when protesters interfere with an investigation. Residents who called in to Tuesday’s council session said it’s a distinction without a difference. 

“Despite DPD’s policies that they do not assist with immigrant enforcement, it is clear that they were there yesterday to do just that,” said Detroit resident Brooke Harris.

Fitzgerald asked if I had seen videos taken by Asamblea Popular Detroit, a collective response organization, when I asked whether DPD facilitated immigration enforcement. I told him I did see the videos, and asked whether federal agencies could have handled the protesters on their own. 

“I’m sure they could have,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t know because I don’t know what the federal agencies do and don’t do when it comes to that. When it comes to restoring the peace, they knew they were getting a search warrant, they knew there was going to be a moment in time where they just wanted some moral support. So we just (stood) by and watched. … When you try to cut off a federal agent’s vehicle, unfortunately, they’re gonna want you to go to jail for that.” 

DPD officers pepper sprayed the crowd and apprehended two residents who were then arrested by federal agents. One person who tried to cut off a law enforcement truck in his own vehicle was Tasered and arrested by U.S. Border Patrol while another person who allegedly struck a federal vehicle with a metal pipe was arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Fitzgerald said DPD can’t pick and choose whom to protect. 

“We’re not trying to just protect the federal agency,” he said. “We’re also trying to protect the people that are out there that are protesting.”

Several agencies swarmed the westside address to execute a signed search warrant, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals and the FBI. Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero said the homeowner wasn’t provided the search warrant, causing them to call 911 themselves. The door was forcibly opened, she said.

“Our residents are trained on their rights, they need to be shown a warrant beforehand,” Santiago-Romero said.

Detroit resident Heidi West said residents were trying to document what was happening to neighbors “being abducted by masked men.” She argued that DPD was “supporting an ICE abduction.” 

An ICE spokesperson said Arita Bautista had already been deported twice. Arita Bautista also pleaded guilty to driving an unregistered vehicle without a title or insurance in Pennsylvania in 2022. ICE learned he was living in the Detroit area in June. 

Between the armed and masked agents and the alleged failure to produce a warrant, Santiago-Romero said the heightened situation was entirely avoidable. She and Council President Mary Sheffield requested the release of body camera footage.

Sheffield declined to speak with BridgeDetroit after Tuesday’s meeting, saying she would respond via a phone call later. At a mayoral candidate forum that night, Sheffield said “no city resources” would be used to assist any federal efforts dealing with immigration enforcement if she’s elected this year.

I asked if that includes DPD responding to protesters opposing ICE activities. Sheffield said she’s gathering more information and wants to review the body camera footage.

“That’s what we’re all trying to make sure happened, that DPD was not assisting federal immigration efforts at that time, but they were actually protecting or bringing peace regarding the protesters,” Sheffield said.

Council Member Fred Durhal III, who is also running for mayor, said he’d rather have Detroit police “keep the peace” than federal agents who aren’t accountable to city leaders.

“We have a sensitivity in our department when it comes to residents, that is our jurisdiction,” Durhal said after the mayoral forum.

BridgeDetroit received several messages from residents who don’t want DPD involved with immigration officials in any way. Detroit resident Adam Barrett said when local police provide manpower to federal officials, they are effectively participating in immigration enforcement. 

“Having DPD fill that role only makes our local police the de facto facilitator of what’s happening, at great expense of manpower, when they should be pushing back against federal overreach,” he said in an email. “If DPD is really ‘not participating in immigration work’ like Bettison says, then why are they obliged to provide a security detail for each raid? Isn’t that the same thing? Direct or indirect, DPD is now doing immigration work.” 

Stevie Kollin, an organizer with Detroit Jews For Justice, said DPD appeared to violate its own policies. 

“I strongly do not support DPD getting involved with ICE, as they have already stated they do not do,” Kollin said. “And yet, yesterday when community members showed up to support their neighbor facing detainment, a large number of DPD officers arrived on the scene to protect ICE agents, pepper spray community members documenting the scene, and arrest community members for documentation and intervention.” 

Several residents called for protesters to be released and raised concerns about their wellness. Santiago-Romero said she was assured that one woman who was arrested will receive medication for epilepsy.  

“This is about consolidating federal forces in our cities,” said Detroit resident Brian Silverstein. “That is a problem for all of our residents. It’s a question of where we are putting our resources. Are our leaders fighting for our people, are they fighting for putting money into housing, into infrastructure? Or are we going to give money to DPD to help them do the dirty work. 

Silverstein said candidates for 2025 elections must make it clear where they stand on police aiding ICE operations in Detroit.

“I know they say they don’t help ICE, but we gotta believe what they do, not what they say,” he said. “We saw it all on video yesterday.”

What page are we on? 

Today’s notebook covers the July 1 formal session. Council Member Coleman Young II was absent. 

Dig into the agenda, read Detroit Documenter notes or watch the recording for more details. 

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Federal funds for historic sites are at risk

Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board asked congressional representatives to protect federal funding used to save culturally significant sites. 

According to the letter, $188 million in federal funds appropriated to the Historic Preservation Fund haven’t been released to states, and the Trump administration proposed slashing the fund by $158 million in the upcoming 2025-26 budget. Carolyn Carter, chairman of the Historic Designation Advisory Board, said the funds come from offshore oil leases instead of taxpayer dollars.

“Many important projects in Detroit have received these grants, for repairs to structures on Belle Isle to the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant’s roof repairs,” Carter wrote in the letter.

Carter said funding delays and cuts threaten the work of ongoing preservation projects and economic development throughout the state. Holding back and eliminating HPF funds could result in staff layoffs at the Michigan Historic Preservation Office, she said, which administers National Park Service programs at the state level to facilitate the rehabilitation work of real estate developers, nonprofits, and homeowners statewide.

The letter was addressed to Michigan’s representatives in Congress, along with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Mayor Mike Duggan and other state officials. 

More money OK’d for private sewer repairs

The City Council authorized an $8.5 million increase in federal funding to repair private sewer systems damaged by catastrophic flooding in 2021. 

Contractors were originally working in 22 eligible neighborhoods across City Council Districts 4, 6 and 7. The additional funding will expand the work to 97 neighborhoods across all seven Districts. More than 1,500 homes are expected to receive repairs. Roughly 780 have been completed so far. 

Federal Community Development Block Grant funds allowed for a $3 million increase to a contract with DMC Consultants, $2.5 million for LGC Global and $1.5 million increases for Five Star Energy Services and Murphy Pipeline Contractors. Another $13 million will be bid to additional contractors. 

The city intends to send 14,000 mailers to eligible properties next week. There are still openings for residents to apply, but they need to show documentation of being affected by the 2021 storm.

Call 866-313-2520 to apply. 

Southwest fitness club clears hurdle 

The council authorized a zoning change allowing a new boxing gym to open in the Midwest neighborhood. 

Ronald Hatmaker and William Parker purchased a collection of former church properties along McGraw Street in 2022 and began renovating a vacant building into a fitness center known as Southwest Fight Club. They agreed to change the name to Southwest Fitness Club after hearing concerns from residents who were alarmed by the name and thought it encouraged violence. 

The fitness club aims to provide a space for youth and adults to explore and participate in combat sports like boxing and mixed martial arts in a safe and community-oriented environment. It plans to offer free training and use of the site to youth under the age of 13. 

Kronk’s Boxing Gym and Steps2Change also expressed interest in collaborating with the fitness club to develop programs for the community, contingent upon the site’s rezoning.

The zoning was changed from an R2 District, which allows for residential developments, to an SDI Special Development District. The change will allow the site to open.