A Michigan advocacy group is pressing U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin to take federal action against the use of county jails as immigration detention facilities, as four Michigan counties continue to house hundreds of detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Letter
The Coalition to Shut the Camps sent a letter to Slotkin, a Democrat from Holly, on Aug. 20, laying out three core demands. The group asked her to lead a congressional oversight visit to all four Michigan facilities currently under contract with ICE, to help pass federal legislation banning such county jail contracts, and to host a convening in Lansing or Battle Creek to build momentum for state-level legislation ending the arrangements. The coalition set a Sept. 18 deadline for a response from Slotkin’s staff.
The four Michigan counties currently providing detention space to ICE are Calhoun, Chippewa, Monroe, and St. Clair. An analysis of ICE data covering January 2025 through early August 2026 found the four facilities held an average of 398 detainees per day. Calhoun County carries the largest share, reaching a peak single-day population of 232 detainees last year.
The coalition also demanded the release of withheld records from Calhoun County, including detainee-level data and inspection reports. Litigation over those records dates to 2019 and has involved the American Civil Liberties Union.
ICE’s Own Acknowledgment
The coalition cited an April 21 sworn declaration from Shawn L. Byers, deputy director of ICE’s enforcement and removal operations field office in Chicago. Byers stated that ICE lacks reliable detention capacity in the Detroit area and depends on local law enforcement partners to fill that gap. He warned that without additional capacity, the agency might forgo arresting some individuals it would otherwise apprehend.
Melody Simmons, chair of the Coalition to Shut the Camps, argued that the county contracts directly enable immigration enforcement operations. The coalition’s letter frames the county agreements as providing ICE the infrastructure it needs to expand operations into Michigan communities.
Slotkin’s Response
A spokesperson for Slotkin said the senator is reviewing the letter and that her team has already been in contact with the group. The spokesperson noted that Slotkin recently visited the Baldwin ICE detention facility and worked with local leaders to block a proposed ICE facility in Romulus.
The coalition includes member organizations such as No Detention Centers in Michigan and Community Aid for Empowerment, based in Oakland County.