Residents lined up to plead with city officials in Grand Rapids Tuesday to declare the city a sanctuary city, as fears of increased immigration enforcement have spread in the community.
But city commissioners resisted the calls, saying Grand Rapids police already have a policy to not ask about immigration status when interacting with people.
Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, who took office this year, said a sanctuary city resolution would be a rhetorical move, not a legal one, and he questioned whether it would do anything to stop federal immigration officers from targeting immigrants in the city.
“The danger of holding out some media term like 'sanctuary cities' is that people may think that somehow gives them protection they don’t have,” LaGrand said.
But while there seemed little support for a sanctuary city resolution, other commissioners said they hope the city will do more to help immigrants as the Trump administration promises crackdowns.
Before taking office as president, Donald Trump promised to launch the largest deportation program in America’s history. Though his administration has released a flurry of executive orders regarding immigration policy since the inauguration last week, and one federal agency said it was making arrests in Michigan and Ohio, there have been no confirmed reports of mass immigration raids or arrests.
Commissioner Milinda Ysasi said commissioners could consider using city funds to help with legal assistance or other aid to families fearing deportation.
“I hope that we can talk more about that as a body, around what are some investments that we can make in this moment,” Ysasi said.
The sanctuary city resolution was not on the city commission meeting agenda, but residents packed city hall to call for it anyway, with many people forced to wait downstairs in the lobby while others lined up to deliver public comments pleading with commissioners to act.
Kawiye Jumale said she came to the U.S. as a refugee. Even though she has citizenship, she asked the city commission for action because she said she fears what the Trump administration may do.
“Families belong together, not separated,” Jumale said, “and you have the power to say no we’re not going to accept racism into this town. ICE will not come here, the police will not associate with them. You have the power.”
“I’m persuaded that the things we fear, the arguments that we advance that keep us from acting on a request for sanctuary city status — loss of funding, explicit targeting — will happen anyway."Grand Rapids resident Mary Alice Williams
City manager Mark Washington told commissioners the city already has a policy that prevents Grand Rapids police officers from asking about immigration status when interacting with residents. That policy was put in place in 2019, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained a Marine combat veteran for deportation, based on a tip from a GRPD officer. The family of that veteran, Jilmar Ramos-Gomez, settled a lawsuit with the city over the incident.
Some at Tuesday’s meeting said they don’t think the existing policy goes far enough to prevent collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
And some argued that commissioners shouldn’t overthink the request from immigrants and immigrant rights activists to make the sanctuary city resolution.
“I’m persuaded that the things we fear, the arguments that we advance that keep us from acting on a request for sanctuary city status — loss of funding, explicit targeting — will happen anyway,” said resident Mary Alice Williams.
“Every person who has ever been bullied learns that there’s no appeasing a bully,” Williams added. “So please don’t think appeasement will work in the political arena. You have a unique opportunity.”
Tuesday’s city commission meeting stretched well past 10 p.m. as dozens of people lined up to urge commissioners to issue the sanctuary city resolution. Many said they had a personal stake in the issue; some told commissioners they lacked legal status and could be targeted for deportation.
Commissioners, though they didn’t act on the request, said they were moved by the comments and expected this issue would continue to come up in future meetings.
Milinda Ysasi, the city’s first Hispanic commissioner, said she was particularly touched by some of the comments she heard.
“The individuals who came who are undocumented who gave their names, you didn’t have to do that, but you did,” Ysasi said, tears streaming down her face. “And I hope that you’ll stay safe.”
