GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders after he was inaugurated on Monday targeting how the United States handles border security and immigration.
These orders include resuming construction on the border wall, forcing people seeking asylum to wait in Mexico, and an effort to end birthright citizenship for anyone born in the US that is already facing legal challenges.
President Trump has also promised the mass deportation of millions of people living in the country illegally and signaled he’d like to work with state and local law enforcement to carry out those efforts.
RELATED: Trump rolls out his blueprint on border security, but his orders will face challenges
During Thursday’s City Commission Retreat, city officials briefly addressed how the Grand Rapids Police Department’s policies involved people with undocumented status.
City Commission Retreats allow staff to get up-to-speed on budgets, issues, and projects while taking time to get oriented with each other’s priorities without formal proceedings. Commissioners do not vote on any items during retreats.
Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, City Manager Mark Washington and various city officials and Commissioners were in attendance.
The City Manager asked Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom to address how the department handles people with undocumented status in our community.
“The Grand Rapids Police Department is not in the business of immigration enforcement, period,” Chief Winstrom said. “We want people to feel comfortable calling 911, especially victims coming forward without the fear of information regarding their documentation status being provided to immigration authorities.”
Citing GRPD policies, Winsrom said his officers are not asking about immigration status and are prohibited from detaining based on immigration status.
“We certainly like to be nonpolitical. But this is — I believe we are being nonpolitical — that this is a federal government issue. We have a great relationship with our federal partners here. ICE has an office, obviously, local to Grand Rapids. We have a great relationship with all of our federal partners, but made it clear to them as well that there’s a very clear dividing line. We’re going to be doing our job and it’s not going to be doing their job for them,” Winstrom said.
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13 ON YOUR SIDE reached out to the Kent County Sheriff to learn if the office will be changing any policies when interacting with people who may not have documentation to live in the US.
Through a public information officer, Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young declined an interview but did share a statement to be attributed to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office:
“We are in the very early stages of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders related to immigration law enforcement, and not much detail has been provided. Exactly what these new orders will mean for law enforcement at the local level is not entirely clear. We are carefully assessing the information we have been provided and will continue to do so as this very dynamic situation evolves.”
In March 2024 the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said it has a “commitment to operating within the framework of the Constitution and legal requirements, ensuring the due process and civil rights of all individuals are respected. Our collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement agencies is integral to our operations.”
KCSO said in 2024 the office legally detains individuals based on proper legal documentation provided by a law enforcement agency, without infringing on due process.
“KCSO treats all law enforcement agencies equally, granting them all access to our facilities for the purpose of questioning and further investigating people in our custody. We share the community’s concern regarding the potential for dangerous individuals to reenter our community after being lawfully removed. In response, KCSO has diligently transferred individuals with ICE detainers to their custody,” the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said in March 2024.
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