U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, with state Sen. Jeremy Moss and state Rep. Jason Hoskins to her right and University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker to her left, speaks to the media regarding the reported potential lease of office space for ICE administrative operations in Southfield on Feb. 17.
By: McKenna Golat | Southfield Sun | Published February 17, 2026
SOUTHFIELD — More than 20 people, made up of government representatives and Southfield residents, gathered to speak out against the proposed leasing of office space to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Southfield.
The gathering took place at 11 a.m. Feb. 17 at the corner of Corporate Drive and Coral Gables Street, across from One Towne Square where ICE is reportedly seeking to lease a space for legal and administrative operations. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit; state Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield; and state Rep. Jason Hoskins, D-Southfield, were present and gave statements regarding the proposed lease. The message they all circled back to was that ICE operations are not wanted within Southfield.
Hoskins said Southfield residents have come to him concerned about what an expansion of ICE operations represents for the community. He said that when communities of color see agencies exercising power against citizens, there is a historical weight that cannot be ignored.
Hoskins said that when residents react strongly, they are not overreacting, and that they are responding to “a lived experience and generational memory.”
“I am not equating any agencies or individuals to certain relics of the past, but we cannot pretend history doesn’t shape how people feel today,” he said.
Hoskins said this demonstration was in no way anti-law enforcement. He said it was about residents wanting to feel safe in their own neighborhoods and trusting institutions to ensure that safety.
Moss said the Southfield community, and metro Detroit, does not want ICE within its neighborhoods. He said he is currently advocating for bills in the Michigan Senate that would ban ICE agents from concealing their identities with masks, protect certain locations from ICE raids and protect personal private data from being used by ICE.
“There have been too many moments over this last year of cruelty and chaos that have demanded moral clarity,” Moss said. “Unfortunately, this is another one of those moments.”
Tlaib said the office space could be used to intensify ICE operations within Southfield. She said people need to work together to advocate for the removal of ICE from the community, and that it does not have space within Michigan.
“We must organize every single tool at our disposal to keep ICE out of our neighborhoods,” Tlaib said.
Gail Barber was one of the residents speaking out against the proposed lease.
“We want ICE out,” she said. “It’s illegal, racist and unconstitutional. They break the law every day.”
Chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party Vance Patrick gave comment to the Southfield Sun via email.
“The Oakland County Republican Party fully supports the expansion of operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement into Southfield. We stand behind federal law enforcement one hundred percent as they carry out the laws passed by Congress and work to keep our communities safe. We proudly support President Donald Trump as he fulfills his promise to deport criminals who are in this country unlawfully. Ensuring that violent offenders and lawbreakers are removed from our communities is not controversial. It is common sense.”
Chair of the Southfield/Lathrup Village Democratic Club Joseph Person said there are people being wrongfully detained and deported.
“As Americans, we will stand for justice and not allow a wannabe dictator in the White House to hurt us,” Person said. “A lot of people voted uncommitted. Now you are seeing the results of your vote.”
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Public Affairs gave comment to the Southfield Sun via email.
“ICE will not confirm office locations as our officers are facing a coordinated campaign of violence against them including an 8,000% increase in death threats against them and a 1,300% increase in assaults against them. Is it really news that when a federal agency hires more personnel that they need more space? Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That’s a 120% increase in our workforce.”
The Southfield Sun also reached out to the ICE Public Affairs Office and Redico, the leasing agent for One Towne Square.