Detroit police released 19 detainees to ICE by May
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Detroit police released 19 detainees to federal immigration authorities' custody this year through early May, per figures obtained by Axios from a FOIA request.
Why it matters: That's nearly two-thirds of the total released during all of 2025.
- The figures offer another piece of the puzzle in understanding the opaque federal immigration enforcement operations in Metro Detroit.
By the numbers: Nineteen detainees were turned over to ICE out of a total 37 detainer requests between Jan. 1 and May 4, per the Detroit Police Department.
- That's compared with 29 released to federal agents in all of 2025, out of 63 detainer requests, per DPD figures reported to Detroit City Council.
Zoom out: The Detroit figures come as deportation numbers have increased in Michigan under President Trump's second term, Bridge Michigan reported early this year.
Between the lines: The data doesn't indicate why transfers to ICE appear to be occurring at a faster pace this year.
- DPD declined to elaborate on the figures.
- Axios has requested similar data for DPD detainees turned over to ICE in 2021-24 for more comparison.
How it works: All DPD arrestees are fingerprinted and verified through local, state and federal databases, potentially triggering ICE to issue a detainer request to DPD if someone is wanted by the Department of Homeland Security and is considered "removable" from the U.S.
- Detainers are written requests to local law enforcement to hold someone for up to 48 hours past their scheduled release, giving ICE time to take custody.
However, if Detroit is informed that a detainee isn't being criminally charged, the process for their release must begin immediately.
- But ICE would still be notified, and the person could be released to ICE custody.
Otherwise, per DPD leadership, the department limits its cooperation with federal immigration agents and maintains that enforcing immigration isn't its job.
What they're saying: ACLU of Michigan staff attorney Ramis J. Wadood notes to Axios that "whether or not an agency complies with … a detainer, that's optional."
- Wadood says it's unclear what is leading to the higher rate of people being transferred to ICE custody so far in 2026.
- "There are a few factors that can contribute to how big or small that number is. First and foremost, it's on ICE to show up and pick someone up in that 48 hours."
Go deeper: How Detroit police limits working with ICE