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Residents press Oakland County commissioners to codify limits on ICE access and to fund legal, food aid; commissioners say steps are underway
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Summary
Dozens of residents urged the board to ban ICE on county property without a judicial warrant, to refuse 287(g) agreements and to allocate funding for trusted legal aid ($50,000 requested) and food assistance ($100,000 requested). The chair said a purchase agreement with Clemens will not be renewed and an ad hoc committee will meet to consider next steps.
A large and recurring theme in public comment at the March 11 Oakland County Board meeting was pressure from residents and advocates for stronger county action to limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity on county property and to provide immediate support to affected families.
Multiple speakers urged the board to codify protections in county policy rather than rely on verbal assurances. Common public requests included: a written policy barring ICE and CBP from entering county buildings or using county property without a valid judicial warrant; an explicit, written commitment that the county will not enter into 287(g) agreements with federal immigration authorities; a ban on future Clemens Authority contracts with ICE; and county funding for two specific items frequently requested during public comment — $50,000 for trusted legal aid to help residents with immigration proceedings and $100,000 to address food insecurity for children affected by recent enforcement actions.
Speakers described local impacts. Alexis Cromie, a Pontiac resident, said organizing groups had mobilized and urged codified protections: "I applaud your efforts to keep our community safe... I urge you to pass local ordinances with teeth, truly protecting our residents from these growing well documented ICE abuses and overreach." Mike Flores and other speakers connected the requests to Social Work Month and argued practical supports and policy changes were required to maintain trust in county services.
Several speakers recounted detentions and highlighted fear among students and families. Paul Weinberg said more than 350 people had been detained by ICE in recent months in the county and urged immediate action on legal assistance and food aid. Other speakers asked the board to move faster; some urged the county adopt the kinds of policies passed in other Michigan jurisdictions such as Washtenaw County.
The chair and commissioners responded to the public account with three key points: the chair said the purchase agreement that enabled an ICE presence at the Clemens facility expires March 31 and would not be renewed; the board has directed departments to train frontline employees on the adopted policy restricting access to nonpublic county areas without a judicial warrant; and the chair announced the safer communities and civil rights ad hoc committee would meet next Tuesday to further discuss public requests and legal guidance. The chair said, "...the purchase agreement ... is not going to be renewed," and emphasized that staff are working with county attorneys to implement protections.
On board business related to public-safety funding, the board approved a $250,000 supplemental appropriation to continue a crisis response unit for six months while seeking ongoing grant funding; the clerk recorded a 16–0 vote. The board also confirmed an appointment to the OCHN board earlier in the meeting.
Public speakers repeatedly asked the county to "codify" promises into policy and to act with urgency. The board committed to follow-up through committee work and departmental implementation, but many speakers said they will return if written policies and funding do not materialize.
No formal ordinance or new county policy restricting ICE beyond the earlier-adopted nonpublic‑space rule was passed on March 11; the ad hoc committee meeting was scheduled for next week and county attorneys were reported to be reviewing options.
