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Residents press Livingston County commissioners on immigration policy and regional transit
Summary
Public commenters at the Sept. 9 Livingston County meeting focused heavily on immigration—some supporting a proactive resolution and others calling the concerns fearmongering—and one resident urged commissioners to experience a long regional bus commute to understand gaps in transit service.
Public comment at the Livingston County Board meeting on Sept. 9 centered on immigration policy and regional transportation, with several in-person and Zoom speakers offering sharply different perspectives.
Mary Witalik of Green Oak Township criticized a resolution discussed earlier in the Courts and Public Safety committee, saying it "creates a registry of undocumented immigrants" and urging the board to consider asylum timelines and rights. "Many of them are here waiting their asylum claim," Witalik said, arguing that people awaiting asylum are not "illegal."
Other commenters supported a proactive posture on immigration. A speaker identified as Helen of Gwyngenoa Township said the county should act to avoid problems that she said have appeared in other cities. Janine, participating by Zoom, praised the commissioners as "good stewards" and criticized federal policy under the Biden-Harris administration.
At the same time, Ellen Niketan of Hartland Township focused on regional transit access. She described a resident in Tyrone Township who must take multiple buses — into Fenton, then Flint, then to Auburn Hills and Pontiac — and spend hours in transit to reach work. Niketan invited Commissioner Domas to "reenact this bus ride" with her to witness the commute firsthand.
Mike Stanton of Marion Township, who identified himself as speaking during campaign season, told commissioners he supports their stewardship of the county and urged proactive governance.
Speakers framed the immigration debate in broad national terms and invoked crime statistics and local examples; commissioners did not take formal action on immigration at the meeting. The board did not vote on any immigration-related policy during the session.
