YPSILANTI (WWJ) -- A crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Ypsilanti is fueling a new push to change state law.
After reports surfaced Tuesday that agents were detaining parents at or near school bus stops, State Senator Jeff Irwin is calling for the immediate passage of the "sensitive locations" bill.
Legislation (Senate Bills 508-510) has been introduced in Lansing that would ban immigration enforcement actions at schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
Local authorities say they generally get no advance notice from ICE about these operations.
Irwin said, in a Facebook post, Tuesday night: "People shouldn't be afraid to go to school or church without facing detainment or worse from untrained, reckless, and unaccountable federal agents."
Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer said they're looking into reports about ICE at the bus stops, and that her department did receive multiple reports from community members that ICE detained a mother in front of her child in the Ypsilanti area.
"These situations are deeply distressing for families, especially for children. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to confirm details, as ICE frequently provides no advance notice, does not contact Metro Dispatch, and leaves families, schools, and communities to process the impact on their own in the aftermath," Dyer said.
Dyer said kids deserve to feel safe traveling to and from school, and actions like these can undermine that sense of security and cause lasting harm.
The sheriff added: "My office will continue to be there for our immigrant families. We do not ask about immigration status, nor do we engage in immigration enforcement, and we will continue that practice, as our job is to protect and serve all residents regardless of immigration status. I will continue seeking answers, as any ICE activity especially near bus stops and/or other sensitive locations is deeply disturbing."
The sheriff's office said anyone in the Washtenaw area who needs support or resources can contact the WICIR hotline for immigration-related emergencies at 734-355-2707.
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