Civil rights leaders in Detroit condemn ICE violence

NAACP Civil Rights leaders in Detroit Michigan joined community organizations on January 30 to denounce recent deadly confrontations surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, portraying the violence as a nationwide issue that to demand urgent federal response.

During a meeting hosted by the NAACP Detroit Branch, Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, the chapter’s president, said the clashes related to immigration enforcement in Minneapolis should not be seen as a local issue. “This isn’t just a problem in Minneapolis,” Anthony said. “This is an American problem – not a tragedy in Minneapolis. This is an American tragedy. This is not law and order. This is chaos and disorder.”

Anthony referenced deadly shootings involving an ICE agent and U.S. Customs and Border Protection during protests in Minneapolis earlier this month. American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed during demonstrations against federal immigration actions, according to organizers.

Community advocates emphasized that the deaths highlight broader concerns about civil liberties and accountability. Nabih Ayad, founder of the Arab American Civil Rights League, invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while criticizing the current state of the country. “As the great Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’” Ayad said. “With all due respect, what’s going on in this country – this is not the America we know.”

Speakers repeatedly emphasized that their concerns transcend partisan politics, urging lawmakers to address immigration enforcement practices through legislative reform. Detroit leaders called on Congress to reconsider policies toward ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that the current approach endangers lives and erodes public trust.

“We are united today in our belief that the value of human life and the value of the law must be upheld in this country we all call home,” said Mary Carmen Munoz, Executive Director of La SED.

Organizers concluded by framing the issue as a matter of fundamental rights rather than an ideology, saying the deaths caused by immigration enforcement underscore the need for accountability, transparency and humane policies across the country.

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