On February 23, over 1000 activists, students, teachers, and community members braved the intense cold to pack the city hall in Romulus, Michigan to protest the proposed construction of an ICE detention center in the city. Thanks to their efforts, the project has been rejected, at least for now.

The protests were part of a wider effort to fight the further encroachment of ICE into the metro Detroit area. Last week it was announced that ICE would be expanding in Metro Detroit, opening a detention center in Romulus and administrative offices in Southfield.

This latest encroachment by ICE closely follows the defeat of the Trump administration in Minneapolis, where activists and everyday citizens organized to drive ICE out of their city. As the Trump administration seeks to deploy these troops elsewhere across the country, it is more important than ever that other communities like Detroit take up the struggle against ICE in Michigan, and everywhere.

The protesters who turned out in Romulus were adamant that they did not want a concentration camp in their city; that they want ICE out of their communities; and that they are not willing to wait for another election for their voices to be heard. As the meeting began, many became frustrated over the fact that the city council was only letting 49 people in. This caused the crowd to start to chant “let us in” and bang on the doors in multiple entry points of the building to send the message that the people of Romulus do not want ICE in their city. These protesters and the movement behind them forced the city council to unanimously pass a resolution rejecting the opening of the detention center.

This resolution is a victory for the movement, however the resolution is non-binding, meaning that the state government could still pressure the city council into allowing the facility to be built. Additionally the members of the city council only opposed the construction of the facility on economic grounds, stating that it would be a drain on resources. Clearly, the city council is not willing or able to mobilize the city to fight against ICE. That is why we have to keep fighting, and why it is important that the movement continues to mobilize to oppose ICE not only in Romulus and Southfield but across the country. By drawing lessons from the struggle in Minneapolis, and by bringing the movement against ICE into all of our workplaces, unions, schools, and communities, we can build a national movement to oppose Trump’s continuing attacks against the wider working class and the oppressed.

The post Romulus City Council Rejects ICE Detention Center Proposal appeared first on Left Voice.

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