Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison reaffirmed that the Detroit Police Department does not enforce federal immigration laws during a hearing confirming his appointment.
Bettison said DPD will honor a detainer request by ICE if signed by a judge, which allows federal agents to apprehend people who are being held in the Detroit Detention Center for a local offense. He shared the view during a discussion with Detroit council members before being confirmed as Mayor Mary Sheffield’s appointment for chief.
“We’re constantly reminding our officers that that is not our lane, nor our focus, and if an officer does violate our policy, I will hold them accountable for that,” Bettison said.
Santiago-Romero said Detroit’s policies are good when enforced, but pushed Bettison to “dig beyond” to create better protections for residents. She said community members believe DPD officers are working with ICE, even if they’re not.
“When I’m hearing from residents what’s going on on the ground, they tell me we have new Dodge vehicles … Then I ask DPD, ‘Is this your vehicle?’ They run the plates. The plates go to nowhere, and when the public is asking these agents what you’re doing here, they’re saying that they’re DPD.”
Santiago-Romero said ICE activity in Detroit has been “brushed under the rug.” She asked Bettison to take a more active role in ensuring the city is notified when ICE is conducting operations in Detroit.
“I actually feel like we are gaslighting residents when we say it’s not that bad here,” she said. “We’re not Chicago, we’re not Minneapolis, but people are still being deported. They are arresting non-criminals. I know that in Detroit, we have always had ICE here. We have always had a working relationship, but under this new administration, we have new agents coming into the city.”
Santiago-Romero also pushed the Sheffield administration to hire a leader for the Office of Immigrant Affairs, which is being moved under the mayor’s oversight. Sheffield’s Chief of Staff, David Bowser, said interviews are being scheduled and the position should be filled within a few weeks.
“The hire for this feels incredibly urgent given the time that we’re in right now,” Santiago-Romero said. “Unfortunately, my office has become the immigration office. We are beginning to get calls forwarded to my office from other council offices, which feels incredibly inappropriate.”
