During the 2025 Detroit Policy Conference, Duggan expressed his support for lawful immigration. However, he made it clear that the city would not obstruct the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to remove individuals who are in the United States illegally.
“Detroit is not considered a sanctuary city,” emphasized Duggan. “Rather, we take pride in being a welcoming city. Being welcoming signifies that if you are an immigrant lawfully residing in this country, we wholeheartedly encourage you to choose Detroit as your new home. We are committed to supporting your aspirations and achievements. However, if you are residing in this country without the proper legal documentation, we cannot provide protection from ICE and federal enforcement. It is crucial to note that the city of Detroit adheres to this policy.”
Duggan, a Democrat with a long history in politics, secured his position as mayor in 2013. However, he made a surprising announcement in December 2024 by declaring his candidacy as an independent for Michigan’s upcoming gubernatorial election in 2026.
On Thursday, Duggan announced that the Detroit law enforcement will collaborate with President Donald Trump’s initiative to deport individuals who are residing in the country illegally and have a criminal background.
According to Duggan, ICE maintains a list of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes and are being sought after. When one of these individuals is apprehended by the authorities, ICE contacts them. If the person is currently held at the Detroit detention center, they will be handed over to ICE.
In the week following Trump’s inauguration, ICE has been actively carrying out operations nationwide to apprehend and detain criminal undocumented immigrants. During a recent operation on Sunday, the agency successfully made close to 1,000 arrests.
On Thursday, Duggan confirmed that his city had not yet been the target of any ICE operations aimed at apprehending illegal immigrants.
In a surprising turn of events, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has taken a surprisingly friendly tone towards the federal agency, despite leading Democratic opposition to President Trump’s proposed measures to toughen punishments for illegal immigration.
Other Democrats, such as Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) and New York Mayor Eric Adams, have also expressed an openness to collaborating with the Trump White House, much like Duggan.
According to Duggan, Detroit’s stance on ICE aligns with the approach taken by previous Democratic and Republican administrations in Washington.
According to the mayor, during Biden’s time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would frequently visit and apprehend individuals on a weekly basis. The purpose of these visits was to arrest undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes and subsequently deport them. Therefore, the presence of ICE in the community is not a recent development.
“We have always cooperated with ICE,” said the speaker, emphasizing that this has been the case throughout the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations.
