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Residents urge transparency on ICE contracts and highlight housing needs at Calhoun County meeting
Summary
Speakers during citizens' time pressed the board for clarity about a local contract with ICE after a recent killing, raised broader civil-liberty concerns, and presented a coalition plan estimating $25 million over 10 years to address local affordable housing needs for seniors and people with disabilities.
Several residents used the meeting’s citizen-comment periods Jan. 15 to press the board on immigration enforcement transparency and on local housing shortages.
Karen Weideman, a Battle Creek resident, said she was "very concerned about the aggressive actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents," cited the recent killing of Renee Nicole Good and asked why the shooter, Jonathan Ross, had not been immediately placed on administrative leave and investigated. Weideman said she would feel better "knowing that our sheriff and his staff have jurisdiction and authority to protect us residents" and requested transparency about Calhoun County’s long-standing contract with ICE; she suggested barring masked ICE agents in Kellogg County.
Barry Wayne Adams echoed concerns about aggressive federal enforcement and raised broader constitutional questions. Adams also raised suspicions about a local LDFA land purchase and connections to data-center development; those claims were presented as his interpretation and were not substantiated at the meeting.
Michael Evans, who works with the Senior Empowerment Project, described an emerging local housing crisis—he said rents have risen about 30% over four years—and outlined a coalition effort to develop a 10-year plan to address senior and disability housing needs. Evans said the coalition estimates approximately $25,000,000 in local investment will be needed over a decade and that the group plans a press conference in about two weeks to present more details.
The board did not take formal action on ICE contracting at the Jan. 15 session; several residents requested more transparency and information that could inform future discussion.
(Representative Steve Frisbie’s office provided a brief legislative update via staff; Rachel said Frisbie recently sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging reconsideration of temporary protected status removals for Burmese residents in Calhoun County and noted other recent legislation the office worked on.)
