Washtenaw County Resists ICE, Citing Local Authority and Civil Rights

(ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN) Local officials in Washtenaw County are refusing to help federal agents carry out immigration enforcement, a stance they say is meant to keep residents safe and focused on local law while rising U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement concerns ripple through workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods near Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. The position, voiced by the newly elected Washtenaw County Sheriff and echoed by campus public safety leaders, comes as business owners describe staff disruptions and advocates pursue legal action against federal agencies.

Alyshia Dyer, the newly elected Washtenaw County Sheriff, said her office will not participate in immigration enforcement, drawing a clear line between county duties and federal responsibilities.

“federal immigration matters are federal immigration matters, and we are local public servants,” she said, underscoring that deputies will not assist immigration agents with raids or status checks.
Her message aligns with what several local agencies have told residents in recent weeks: county officers answer to local law and public safety priorities, not immigration status questions.

Campus officials have taken a similar approach. At Washtenaw Community College, Public Safety Chief John Leacher said immigration status checks are not in his department’s remit and detailed how officers would handle any request for access to non-public areas.

“The enforcement of immigrant status is a federal law enforcement function, not something that your public safety department is concerned with at all. We don’t want to get involved with that, and we have no intention of getting involved with that,” he said.
Leacher added that only warrants signed by a judge—not forms or notices signed by ICE officers—would allow federal agents to move beyond public spaces on campus, reinforcing how local law enforcement interprets the limits of such requests.

Behind these policy lines are practical consequences felt across town. Business owners and workers say they have spotted immigration agents in the area, yet few are willing to go on the record, citing fear of attention or retaliation. Ann Arbor business owner Phillis Engelbert described a chill spreading through staff rooms and shop floors as rumors circulate but voices fall silent.

“There is a real sense of ‘I’ve got to stay quiet. Yes, it’s happening, and I’m not going to talk about it.’ … It is unlike anything I’ve seen in 14 years in this role with the chamber. So, it’s significant!” she said.
The silence, she noted, masks how many families are adjusting routines or weighing whether to run errands, send children to activities, or show up for shifts.

The strain is already hitting operations for employers who have no warning when a worker cannot come in. Andy LaBarre of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber said managers are dealing with sudden absences when a family member is detained or fears an encounter with immigration agents.

“When somebody doesn’t show up for a shift because their brother or husband or whomever is being held by ICE, that’s an issue for you as an operator and owner right away, right now,” he said.
Owners describe rearranging schedules mid-morning, calling in favors to cover lunch rushes, and delaying deliveries because one driver is missing. It is a cascade that starts in a living room or a parking lot and lands on the front counter by the next hour.

As these ICE concerns deepen, local law enforcement leaders say their refusal to partner with federal agents is about maintaining trust with residents who need to call 911 without worrying that a local deputy will check their papers. The Washtenaw County Sheriff has emphasized that patrols and investigations will remain focused on county crimes and emergencies, not on civil immigration processes. For people on campus, Chief Leacher’s note about warrants signed by a judge clarifies the boundary: if immigration authorities show up with documents not backed by a court, campus officers do not open office doors or escort them beyond public halls.

Advocates are pushing on another front—courts—arguing that due process and constitutional limits apply to how immigration enforcement is carried out. Ramis Wadood, staff attorney at the ACLU of Michigan, said the organization is pressing its case against federal agencies.

“The ACLU is in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s ICE and DHS,” he said, pointing to ongoing litigation that challenges the way enforcement actions are initiated and executed.
While he did not detail case filings in this setting, the legal posture mirrors the community’s message: if immigration agents act outside judicial oversight, local institutions are not required to facilitate that work.

City leaders are also drawing the line between federal and local responsibilities. Ann Arbor’s mayor Christopher Taylor said the city will not block federal agents from carrying out their duties but will stay centered on local law.

“We do not interfere with the enforcement of federal law. But we also focus our attention on state and local law,” he said.
That balance, officials argue, allows local departments to keep responding to assaults, thefts, mental health crises, and traffic safety without pulling officers into federal civil processes that are separate from criminal investigations.

The sharp focus on warrants and limited access on public property is not new, but it has taken on new urgency in recent weeks as stories of late-night visits and unmarked vehicles circulate through group chats and break rooms near Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Local law enforcement leaders say people have a right to ask whether a warrant is judge-signed and to decline entry to private spaces unless such a warrant is produced. On campuses, that means classroom buildings, labs, and offices remain protected spaces unless a court authorizes entry. In apartment complexes or businesses, managers and tenants are asking for judicial paperwork before opening non-public areas.

Community advocates say the climate of fear changes daily habits in small ways that add up. Parents warn teens not to congregate in parking lots. Workers plan commutes that avoid certain intersections where agents were reportedly seen. Managers stagger start times to give staff more flexibility, and some shift leaders carry a list of phone numbers for last-minute coverage because uncertainty has become a part of scheduling. While the specifics vary by workplace, LaBarre’s warning about the “right away, right now” pressure on operators captures the practical side of these federal immigration enforcement concerns that start outside storefronts and flow straight to balance sheets.

For the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, the policy is straightforward: local deputies are not an extension of immigration enforcement, and their role is to uphold county law and maintain safety. Dyer’s phrasing—

“federal immigration matters are federal immigration matters, and we are local public servants”
—has quickly become a reference point for residents asking what will happen if they report a crime or seek help. The office has reiterated that victims and witnesses should call local law enforcement, regardless of immigration status, and that deputies will not detain someone solely because federal agents ask for assistance with a civil matter.

At Washtenaw Community College, Chief Leacher is making the same case to students and staff who worry about random checks.

“The enforcement of immigrant status is a federal law enforcement function, not something that your public safety department is concerned with at all. We don’t want to get involved with that, and we have no intention of getting involved with that,” he said, adding that his officers verify whether any presented warrant bears a judge’s signature.
Without that, he explained, campus operations proceed as usual, and access beyond public hallways remains closed to outside agents.

Business owners like Engelbert and chamber leaders such as LaBarre say the silence is its own challenge.

“There is a real sense of ‘I’ve got to stay quiet. Yes, it’s happening, and I’m not going to talk about it.’ … It is unlike anything I’ve seen in 14 years in this role with the chamber. So, it’s significant!” Engelbert said, noting that fear keeps people from reporting patterns or sharing details that could help managers plan.
LaBarre’s warning about the “right away, right now” pressure on operators underscores how management decisions are shifting toward contingency planning—extra training for supervisors, alternate staffing pools, and backup delivery options—in a county known for steady service and a dense network of small businesses.

The mayor’s framing highlights how city hall is trying to keep the peace between federal actions and local priorities.

“We do not interfere with the enforcement of federal law. But we also focus our attention on state and local law,” Christopher Taylor said.
City officials say they will keep communicating with residents about their rights and available local services while avoiding any steps that would insert city staff into civil enforcement by federal agencies.

Legal challenges continue in the background, with the ACLU of Michigan committing to push its case in court.

“The ACLU is in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s ICE and DHS,” Wadood said, a reminder that the stakes are not just day-to-day interactions on streets and campuses but also the rules and limits that govern federal agencies.
For residents and employers in Washtenaw County, that courtroom track runs parallel to the immediate demands of staffing a kitchen, keeping a campus calm, and calling the sheriff when help is needed.

As federal actions draw attention in and around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, residents are pressing for clarity about what happens when local officers and immigration agents cross paths. The county’s message is plain: local law enforcement answers to local law. The sheriff’s office will not assist with civil immigration enforcement; campus officers will verify warrants and protect non-public spaces unless a judge says otherwise; city hall will keep its focus on its own laws and services. For those trying to keep a business open or a family steady, the hope is that clear boundaries—and steady communication—can blunt the fear that now travels through shops, schools, and schedules.

For official information about federal immigration enforcement, residents can consult U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.