East Lansing Faces Crossroads on Sanctuary City Policy

The City of East Lansing is the last remaining “sanctuary city” in Michigan on the U.S. Department of Justice’s list of jurisdictions that violate President Donald Trump’s mass deportation-focused policies.

And as federal immigration agents rain down upon other sanctuary cities like New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, which have implemented policies and practices aimed to support immigrants, some in the city worry East Lansing may have a target on its back.

It’s too soon to say, generally, if sanctuary city designations will offer more protection for Michigan’s immigrant communities than the potential harm of drawing attention from federal agencies and local communities, like East Lansing, need to have that conversation, Christine Sauvé, manager of policy & communication at Michigan Immigrant Rights Center said.

There is no legal definition of a sanctuary city, Sauvé points out, and as the Trump administration has crafted different iterations of its list of cities, counties and states it says violate federal laws and impede law enforcement from implementing immigration enforcement. Sauvé does see one consistent element in each sanctuary policy.

“I’ve never seen or heard of any sanctuary policy that has violated U.S. law,” Sauvé said.

Back in August, shortly after the newest list of sanctuary jurisdictions the Justice Department identified as unlawful, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and then-East Lansing Mayor George Brookover corresponded in writing about East Lansing’s inclusion on the list.

East Lansing adopted a “sanctuary city” status in 2023 to “reaffirm its commitment to protecting and developing better resources for undocumented immigrants within its boundaries” in a move Bondi told Brookover “thwarts” federal immigration enforcement, to which Brookover responded by asserting the city’s resolution does no such thing.

Officials in Meridian Township, which neighbors East Lansing, reported last month that federal immigration agents were performing an operation in the area, with the township supervisor advising residents to know their rights if they encounter federal agents.

Two counties east of East Lansing, Clarkston Community Schools implemented a shelter in place for students earlier this week as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE agents, were seeking out individuals in the area.

“At this time, immigration enforcement actions are happening everywhere across the state, and so whether people have certain policies on the books or not, immigration enforcement is still happening there,” Sauvé said.

Ahead of the start of Trump’s second administration, which began with dismantling protections against immigration-related arrests at “sensitive” locations such as hospitals, places of worship and schools, East Lansing Board of Education supported a resolution to not aid ICE with the enforcement of immigration laws.

And though many ICE arrests are happening around courts rather than schools, places of worship or health care settings, Sauvé said in Michigan just the fear of ICE presence is keeping individuals and families from facets of life.

“We have heard reports about parents less engaged at schools, afraid to bring their kids to school or show up for parent teacher nights. We have heard reports about people staying away from health care settings and abandoning preventive health appointments,” Sauvé said. “I would say that this even extends to people who have legal immigration status just because the fear is so pervasive because the consequences are so great.”

Even members of the immigrant community who have legal immigration status have been wrongfully detained by ICE, Sauvé points out, as the current presidential administration’s policies have eliminated several safeguards in its deportation crackdown.

East Lansing has to have conversations that every other municipality who has expressed interest in protecting its immigrant community has to have, Sauvé said, which includes continuing the conversation on whether or not it should label itself as a “sanctuary city”.

This debate was a key issue in East Lansing’s recent city council election where all six candidates for the two open positions on council discussed their stance on the city’s status during a candidate forum in September ahead of Election Day.

One candidate who was not elected to council, Joshua Ramirez-Roberts, shared his great grandparents were never legal citizens. He felt that the city’s insistence to keep its sanctuary city status, despite being put on the department of justice’s list, feels “performative” and may do more harm to residents than good.

East Lansing’s resolution is laudable, Sauvé said, showing clear support from the community to support the rights of immigrant residents. Still, it’s valid to discuss whether or not the sanctuary city policy protects community members and if immigrant residents want it in place under the Trump administration.

“I think each community has to find the path that feels most comfortable for them, and I would encourage communities to really, really stay the course of committing to upholding the rights of immigrant residents, and then figuring out the best way to do that,” Sauvé said. “So some communities may change the name of something, a program that they run, but they’re still offering those same services to immigrant residents.”