Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is scrutinizing plans for a proposed ICE facility in Romulus, while Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office has remained publicly silent on the issue.

Why it matters: The differing levels of state engagement highlight uncertainty about how — or whether — Whitmer will respond as federal plans advance.

• The Romulus mayor is awaiting clarity on the governor's stance, too.

Driving the news: After Axios first reported a federal floodplain notice tied to the Romulus facility, Nessel (D) wrote a letter demanding ICE halt its plans and comply with state and local laws.

• She then filed a Freedom of Information Act request last week seeking records related to the warehouse purchase at 7525 Cogswell St. and the intended use of the property.

State of play: The Romulus warehouse sits on federally identified floodplains that could trigger state or local permitting requirements.

• ICE has confirmed its purchase of the warehouse, but state, county and city officials tell Axios Detroit that neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security have coordinated with them on plans to build a detention facility there.

The latest: Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight tells Axios that the city recently met with Nessel's office to discuss potential state involvement. The city is also trying to obtain "a notification of any kind or formal communication from the federal government" about the proposed facility, he says.

Yes, but: Whitmer's office has not responded to the city's outreach so far.

• "I would like to hear an official communication from the governor's office where they stand on this issue," McCraight says. "We're really trying to focus on the right of a city for self-governance."

The other side: Whitmer's press office has not responded to multiple inquiries from Axios Detroit since January regarding immigration enforcement activity or the Romulus facility.

Between the lines: Whitmer has maintained a working relationship with President Trump on various federal funding issues affecting Michigan.

• On Tuesday, she met with Trump again at the White House and secured additional federal funding to support recovery from the 2025 ice storm in northern Michigan, Michigan Advance reports.

The intrigue: Wayne County Drain Commissioner Elmeka Steele confirmed to Axios through a spokesperson that part of the property lies within a county drain easement.

• Construction within the easement would require county review and permits before work begins, including construction and soil erosion and sedimentation control approvals.

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A man armed with a rifle was fatally shot by security after ramming his vehicle into West Bloomfield synagogue Temple Israel today, AP reports.

• One security guard was injured at the scene when struck by the vehicle, per the Free Press.
• Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said that "no kids or no staff were injured whatsoever."

Investigators are still working to identify motive.

• News footage this afternoon showed smoke rising from the building, which was surrounded by law enforcement vehicles.

What they're saying: "This is heartbreaking. Michigan's Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement.

• "Antisemitism and violence have no place in Michigan. I am hoping for everyone's safety."

Temple Israel calls itself the nation's largest Reform synagogue, with 12,000 members.

• About a dozen parents sprinted to get their children from an early childhood learning center inside the building this afternoon after getting approval from police to do so.

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🍲 Ethiopian pop-up Konjo Me will open a permanent stall in the Detroit Shipping Co. food hall on Saturday. (Detroit News)

🪨 Visitors from Illinois to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the U.P. were fined and banned from the park for allegedly carving letters into the cliffs and collecting 100 pounds of rock to take home. (WDIV)

Viewers of a new art exhibition are more than spectators — they're active participants winding through terrain that mirrors how our brains work.

The big picture: Multidisciplinary artist Jamie Wineman's "Neuroplasticity IV: Fragmented Reality" is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit, near Cass Technical High School and I-75.

Zoom in: Curiosity governs Wineman, also called Wolfganggang, in a body of work that combines design, art, sound and the physical body. It looks at the concept of neuroplasticity, or how our brains evolve and change their structure in response to what we experience in our lives.

• The goal is to show that reality is malleable and can be rewired depending on life experience.
• Viewers navigate "a terrain that mirrors the brain's own capacity to reorganize and evolve," per a summary of the exhibition.

Context: The museum is an arts, exhibition and education space founded in 2015, offering access to career pathways in the design industry.

If you go: The show runs 11-4pm Wednesday-Saturday through March 28 at 905 Henry St. on the third floor.

Let's get ready to ruuuuummmmbbblllee!!!

State of play: Tickets are now on sale for the 10th annual Detroit Burger Battle, returning June 28 to Eastern Market.

• Presale tickets start at $20 before rising to $30.

Dig in: The all-inclusive tasting event will feature unlimited burger samples from a dozen Metro Detroit restaurants as past champions face newcomers to crown a "Burger of the Decade."

• Organizers also announced a Taco Showdown in Detroit on July 26 and the first Grand Rapids Burger Battle on July 11.

😋 Weigh in: We're compiling a list of Metro Detroit's best burgers before June's battle.

• Reply to this email and tell us your favorite!