Detroit, Highland Park Officials ‘Learning More’ About Reported ICE Facility Plan

December 31, 2025

Following a Washington Post report identifying Highland Park as one of 16 potential sites for new federal immigrant processing facilities, local officials and a property developer have pushed back against the claim. Ashley Capital's vice president confirmed that the warehouse building mentioned in the report is already leased to DTE Energy and cannot be used for immigration detention purposes, though it remains unclear how the location ended up on the reported list. Highland Park Mayor Glenda McDonald and State Senator Stephanie Chang have expressed opposition to hosting such a facility and are attempting to get clarification from federal authorities, who have not responded to their inquiries.

Who is affected

Non-citizen immigrants and immigrant detainees
Highland Park residents and community members
Mayor Glenda McDonald of Highland Park
State Senator Stephanie Chang
Representative Tonya Myers Phillips
Ashley Capital (warehouse owner/operator)
DTE Energy (current tenant)
Southwest Detroit residents
Detroit City Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero
Non-citizen students at Western International High School
DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti
Community advocates and teachers in Detroit

What action is being taken

Mayor Glenda McDonald is trying to learn more information about the reported plan
State Senator Stephanie Chang is reaching out to federal officials to get verification and details
Senator Chang is communicating with Mayor McDonald and Representative Myers Phillips to strategize
The Trump administration's ICE is planning 16 processing sites (according to the Washington Post report)
Immigration enforcement is being ramped up within Michigan communities

Why it matters

This matters because it involves the potential expansion of immigrant detention infrastructure that could significantly impact local communities. The reported plan would establish a coordinated system to detain and deport immigrants more quickly, holding over 80,000 detainees at a time across industrial warehouse facilities. The controversy highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local community values, particularly in areas with significant immigrant populations. It also raises concerns about transparency and local input in federal facility placement decisions, as elected officials learned about the potential site through media reports rather than official government communication.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle