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HAZEL PARK — Two men, allegedly in the country illegally, are in custody after federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement tracked them to the Amazon facility in Hazel Park where they work as delivery drivers.
In response, state senators Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, and Mary Cavanagh, D-Redford, along with state Rep. Veronica Paiz, D-Harper Woods, and Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero have sent a letter to ICE urging the release of the two men.
The lawmakers claim neither man has a criminal history and both have work authorization, valid Michigan driver’s licenses and temporary protected status as they seek legal asylum in the United States while providing for their families. One has a mother he cares for while the other is raising several children, according to the letter.
Both were reportedly fleeing political instability in Venezuela. They have upcoming asylum court hearings and at press time were being held at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan.
Requests for comment by ICE went unreturned by press time.
According to Hazel Park police, the incident which led to the arrests began around 11:08 a.m. Feb. 2 when an ICE agent called the Hazel Park Police Department requesting a vehicle tow. ICE informed the police that an individual had fled from them on foot after exiting a moving vehicle in the parking lot at the Amazon warehouse in the Tri-County Commerce Center at 1400 E. 10 Mile Road.
The vehicle reportedly crashed into some carts there, and the suspect ran into the Amazon building where ICE agents attempted to follow but were stopped by Amazon security. ICE then chose to wait until Amazon permitted them to take the subject into custody, after which Hazel Park officers arrived at the scene.
In an official statement by the city, it was noted that the city got involved only because the police had to complete a vehicle tow report. In this case, since the abandoned vehicle was left on private property, ICE and Amazon were told they would have to contact a private towing company if they wanted the vehicle removed.
“The Hazel Park Police Department has not worked in conjunction with ICE or Border Patrol to actively look for violators of immigration law,” read the police statement. “The HPPD has not accompanied federal immigration agents on sweeps, or to residences in Hazel Park or elsewhere to conduct immigration enforcement, nor have we been asked to do so.
“The enforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility,” the statement continued. “The city of Hazel Park does not have a 287(g) agreement or any other memorandum of understanding with federal immigration agencies. A 287(g) agreement gives local law enforcement training and authority to enforce immigration law.”
According to a joint statement by Chang, Cavanagh, Paiz and Santiago-Romero, the second suspect was arrested the same day, also near the Amazon facility. The statement identified the two men as Edwin Vladimir Romero Gutierrez and Angel Junior Rincon-Perez.
“Edwin was on his way back to the facility to start a second shift when he noticed he was being followed by an unmarked car. He was not intending to put anyone in danger,” the letter read. “Angel was on his way to the Amazon facility in Hazel Park to return a package that he was able to unsuccessfully deliver on a previous day, when federal agents detained him. Both men were simply trying to do their job as Amazon Flex drivers and continue to be productive members of our community.
“We understand that neither of them has a criminal history,” the letter read. “Before arriving in the United States in 2023, Edwin was involved in protest movements against the Maduro regime in Venezuela. His partner Maria describes Edwin as a family man who loved to help his mother. Angel has several children, including a 3-year-old girl, and a loving girlfriend, Franyl. With Angel in ICE detention, the family has no current income, and the children are relying on community members to be driven to school so they can get an education. Additionally, Angel suffers from high blood pressure.”
Richard Rocha, a representative for Amazon, said the company only knows of one person arrested at the site. He also noted their delivery drivers are not Amazon employees; rather, they are either independent contractors or employed by a delivery service partner.
In a statement provided by Rocha, Amazon described how the situation was handled, including an immediate site lockdown after agents told site leaders that someone had run from them and breached the facility’s turnstiles.
“Due to the exigent circumstances of the security breach of an unknown person with unknown intentions, law enforcement was allowed into the building to prioritize the safety of everyone,” Amazon’s statement read. “We have protocols for how we handle law enforcement visits to our facilities, which includes the need for a valid warrant to enter our sites unless there are exigent circumstances.”
In an interview Feb. 16, Chang said she remains concerned.
“I have not heard any strong arguments about any threat they pose. They’re just two guys who are simply trying to deliver packages … working with work authorization our country has already given them,” Chang said. “And it’s not just them that are affected, but their family, as well. The aftereffects of these men being in detention are real; there are children who don’t have a dad, and that’s devastating. There are many others going through the same thing. It’s heartbreaking — just unnecessary pain and trauma caused by the government.”
Asked for comment on the letter sent by the Democratic lawmakers and immigration enforcement operations in southeast Michigan, Vance Patrick, chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party, signaled his party’s support for ICE.
“The Oakland County Republican Party fully support our federal law enforcement and are thrilled with their increasing presence in Michigan as they carry out the laws passed by Congress and work to keep our communities safe,” Patrick said in a statement. “We proudly support President Donald Trump as he fulfills his promise to deport criminals who are in this country unlawfully.”
