During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to implement mass deportations during his second term as president. Some voters are counting on that promise, while othesr consider it a threat that's caused anxiety about the coming year.
Although Michigan’s foreign-born population is relatively small when compared to other states, the state is known for accepting a relatively large number of refugees and temporary visa workers.
Adam Yahya Rayes, a data reporter for Michigan Public, noted that federal immigration enforcement data since the new administration took over have been inconsistent, confusing and incomplete.
While it may be too early to assess how immigration or enforcement activity in Michigan has changed since the beginning of Trump’s second term, Rayes provided historical immigration data for the state to help contextualize any new information that may be released.
Rayes walked through a detailed breakdown of the immigrant population in Michigan, highlighting how many of these immigrants are believed to be residing here without legal status. Additionally, Rayes pointed out that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Michigan and Ohio have historically played a minimal role in national immigration enforcement totals.
In Michigan, only four county jails permit ICE to detain immigrants on their premises; however, the available data offers only a limited view of the number of individuals who are actually detained.
Find Adam's FAQ page on immigration data below:
