Are there sanctuary cities in Michigan? Here’s where they are and what they mean

Immigration reform and border security are once again major topics of conversation ahead of the presidential election. And the debate about immigration issues is not a new topic.

Immigration has been a hot topic over the past decade, but in this election cycle, Americans now believe immigration is the most important issue facing the United States, a Gallup poll released this week found. In recent months, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has been vocal about the border and preventing migrants from crossing illegally, pushing “Operation Lone Star” — a 2021 initiative by Abbott that sent the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety to the southern border to “fill the dangerous gaps created by the Biden administration’s refusal to secure the border.”

The operation also involved transporting more than 100,000 migrants by bus or plane from the Texas border to Washington, DC, New York, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, all of which are considered sanctuary cities.

These larger metropolitan areas are just a handful of the hundreds of communities and even some states that have designated themselves as migrant sanctuary areas across the United States. There are also several communities in Michigan that have designated themselves as sanctuary areas as well.

What is a sanctuary city?

Sanctuary city is now a common term, but a sanctuary area can be classified as a city, county, or state in America that does not fully comply with the federal government’s efforts to enforce immigration laws. Usually, this is done through municipal laws that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution despite federal immigration laws.

Current practices and laws allow agencies to refuse or prohibit compliance with ICE warrants and impose unreasonable conditions for accepting warrants. Some also deny ICE access to interview detained aliens and prevent immigration officials from impeding communication or information sharing between their personnel and federal immigration officials, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

Is Michigan a sanctuary state?

No, Michigan is not a sanctuary statebut there is one city and several counties there that have been designated as sanctuaries, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

What are Michigan’s sanctuary cities and counties?

Detroit and Ann Arbor are often referred to as sanctuary cities, although they have not officially declared themselves as such. Detroit has called itself a “welcoming city” on several occasions, according to the City Council’s Legislative Policy Division. Both cities have enacted policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities and generally prohibit police from asking about people’s immigration status or conducting profiling based on ethnicity or religion.

Nevertheless, Detroit police cooperate with federal authorities in criminal investigations, regardless of immigration status.

Migrants in Michigan

Although Michigan does not see an influx of migrants from Texas, the state’s communities are familiar with people looking to start a new life in the United States.

In 2016, Michigan was the fourth-largest state in terms of refugee settlement, having welcomed more than 30,000 refugees in the previous decade, Global Detroit reported.

According to a Pew Research Center analysis, undocumented immigrants made up 1.2% of Michigan’s population in 2021.

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Tennessean: Are there sanctuary cities in Michigan? Where they are and what that means