ROMULUS / SOUTHFIELD — Federal preparations in the Detroit area signal a major expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Southeast Michigan, including the purchase of a large detention facility near Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the leasing of administrative office space in Southfield.

The developments have triggered immediate political backlash and growing public concern across the region.

Romulus detention facility purchase

ICE confirmed Sunday that it purchased a facility on Cogswell Street in Romulus with capacity for approximately 500 beds to detain and process undocumented immigrants prior to deportation.

The property, located at 7525 Cogswell Street, sits roughly six miles northwest of Detroit Metropolitan Airport and spans approximately 300,000 square feet.

The announcement sparked swift opposition from local elected officials and residents, who expressed concern that increased ICE activity could bring instability to their neighborhoods.

In an effort to counter criticism, ICE highlighted the projected economic impact of the facility, stating that it would:

• Create 1,458 jobs, excluding temporary construction positions

• Inject approximately $150 million into the local economy

• Generate nearly $33 million in tax revenue

The facility was previously reported in early February by Bloomberg News as part of the Trump administration’s plan to acquire up to 23 warehouse properties nationwide for use as immigration detention centers.

According to Bloomberg, ICE plans to open:

• Seven large facilities with more than 7,500 beds each

• Eleven facilities with 1,500 beds each

• Five facilities with approximately 500 beds each — including the Romulus site

The agency reportedly plans to spend $38.3 billion on warehouse acquisitions under legislation approved last year by Congress and the White House.

ICE’s Romulus detention facility purchase at 7525 Cogswell Street. – File photo

Political opposition

State Rep. Dylan Wegela, a Democrat representing Michigan’s 26th House District, which includes the proposed facility site, said he drove past the building and observed signs reading: “Property of the United States Government – No Trespassing.”

“Shame on the federal government for secretly planning and coming into our community without notifying anyone at the congressional, state or local level,” Wegela wrote in a Facebook post.

Michigan State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, the Democratic senator representing the area, issued a sharply worded statement following confirmation of the purchase.

“We cannot allow Minnesota to be repeated on our streets,” Camilleri said.

He described the facility as “a poorly constructed prison” that would enable ICE to continue “terrorizing immigrant communities throughout Southeast Michigan” and urged residents to send a clear message to the Trump administration that “this detention center is not welcome in Romulus or anywhere in our state.”

Camilleri pledged to use “every available tool” to block the project, arguing that it would undermine local law enforcement, bring masked federal agents into neighborhoods and cause widespread disruption.

“We are at a crossroads,” he said. “We must decide whether we will allow the inhumane immigration policies of Donald Trump and Kristi Noem to take root here, or stand united to prevent the chaos that has already affected too many lives in our state and country.”

Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight also publicly opposed the project, stating that he has informed lawmakers “at all levels” that the city will work with legal counsel to determine what authority it has to intervene.

Although federal signage has already been posted at the site, an ICE spokesperson told local CBS affiliate WWJ-TV that the project remains under a “community impact assessment” to ensure no negative effect on local infrastructure before the purchase is finalized.

Grassroots pushback

U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, who represents Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, which includes Romulus, launched a public petition Monday opposing the facility.

Thanedar, one of ICE’s most vocal critics in Congress, recently introduced legislation titled the “Abolish ICE Act.” While the petition itself has no legal force, it may serve as documented evidence of a lack of community acceptance during federal review processes.

Residents interviewed by local media expressed concerns that the facility could lead to protests and confrontations similar to incidents seen in other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, ICE has reportedly encountered resistance in other states. Property owners in Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma have refused to sell or lease warehouse properties to the federal government for detention use.

Southfield office expansion

In a separate development, ICE officials announced February 10 that the agency will lease office space at Oakland Town Square in Southfield for administrative and legal operations.

The lease was executed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) with REDICO, a real estate development firm.

REDICO emphasized that the lease “explicitly prohibits law enforcement, detention or similar activities”, stating the space will be used for “general office purposes only.”

Southfield Mayor Kenson J. Siver told the Detroit Free Press that the city does not have authority to interfere with lease agreements between private property owners and tenants as long as zoning laws are followed.

However, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, whose district includes Southfield, issued a statement opposing ICE’s presence.

“ICE is now attempting to expand its unwanted presence in Southeast Michigan by leasing new office space with REDICO in Southfield to intensify its operations against our communities,” Tlaib said.

She also criticized plans for the Romulus facility, describing it as “a new prison to detain hundreds of our neighbors in unsafe conditions.”

During a joint press conference with other elected officials, Tlaib called on REDICO to immediately terminate its lease with the federal government, stating that “the deportation machine relies on modest offices like these.”

ICE activity in Michigan

Last August, ICE opened an 1,800-bed detention center at the privately owned North Lake Facility in Baldwin, Michigan — currently the only dedicated immigrant detention center in the Great Lakes region.

ICE also uses county jails in Chippewa, Monroe, St. Clair and Calhoun Counties to detain migrants pending removal.

According to available data, ICE significantly increased enforcement in Michigan during the first year of President Trump’s current term, recording 2,349 arrests between January and mid-October 2025. Estimates suggest that the number has surpassed 3,500 arrests by mid-February, with further increases expected following the termination of TPS protections for nationals of 13 countries, including Yemen and Syria.