ROMULUS (WWJ) An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detention facility is slated to come to the city of Romulus, according to the city's mayor Robert McCraight.
McCraight said in a Friday statement that DHS has "secured" a warehouse on Cogswell-- in the area of Ecorse and Middlebelt-- to use as the ICE detention center. The site is less than six miles from Detroit Metro Airport.
According to McCraight, DHS representatives at the Cogswell site told him verbally that DHS has taken over the property. He added he has received no formal notification regarding the site from the Federal Government as required by law.
"While this is extremely unfortunate, I am getting mixed reports on their intended use of this site and continuing to communicate to legislators at all levels that a detention center for any purpose is not permitted and will be opposed by the City of Romulus," McCraight said in the statement.
He added city officials are working with lawyers to determine how much power the City of Romulus has regarding the ICE facility's presence in their community.
City officials worry the approximately 300,000-square-foot facility would be used to accelerate deportations and expand ICE operations throughout Romulus and Metro Detroit.
No date was given for when the ICE facility may open.
McCraight urged the community to stay aware of developments: "please stay tuned as this extremely sensitive issue changes by the minute as more details are discovered."