Detroit’s Santiago-Romero Urges Michigan Lawmakers to Adopt Bills Protecting Undocumented Residents

January 29, 2026

Detroit City Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero testified before a Michigan Senate committee to advocate for legislation aimed at safeguarding undocumented immigrants from federal immigration enforcement measures. Santiago-Romero represents Southwest Detroit, which has Michigan's highest concentration of undocumented residents. She appeared Thursday before the civil rights, judiciary and public safety committee to press state legislators to approve protective measures.

Who is affected

Undocumented residents in Michigan
Undocumented residents in Southwest Detroit specifically
Gabriela Santiago-Romero (Detroit City Council member)
Michigan lawmakers
The civil rights, judiciary and public safety Senate committee

What action is being taken

Gabriela Santiago-Romero is urging Michigan lawmakers to pass protective legislation
Santiago-Romero testified before the Senate committee on Thursday afternoon

Why it matters

This matters because Southwest Detroit contains Michigan's largest undocumented population, making them particularly vulnerable to federal immigration enforcement. The proposed legislative package would establish state-level protections that could limit collaboration between Michigan authorities and federal immigration enforcement, potentially affecting how immigration policy is implemented at the local level and providing sanctuary-type protections for a significant vulnerable population.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle