Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is under fire from Michigan progressive groups for calling people in the United States without legal status “illegal immigrants.”
On Wednesday, multiple advocacy organizations released a statement “denouncing” Duggan for using what they described as the “I-word,” a term one group characterized as “racist,” according to the Detroit News.
“The Mayor’s use of the I-word is inappropriate, dehumanizing, and an insult to Detroit’s longstanding immigrant communities,” read the statement, which was signed by the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, 1 Michigan for the Global Majority, the African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs, American Citizens for Justice, the Caribbean Community Services Center, Rising Voices, MI Poder, and One Michigan for Immigrant Rights.
Angela Reyes, executive director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, added: “It’s disheartening to hear the mayor use such a disparaging word to describe a large portion of the city’s residents…In a city populated by majority Black and brown people, we would hope that our mayor would not succumb to racist rhetoric and instead stand with the many other mayors who are fighting to defend the people they serve.”
The groups were responding to Duggan’s announcement last week that he would lead Detroit in working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to remove “illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.” The mayor, a longtime Democrat who recently announced an independent bid for Michigan governor, also reiterated that Detroit “is not a sanctuary city.”
Duggan made the comments as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to deport people who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes. ICE operations across the country have already removed thousands of such individuals.
The immigrant groups argued Wednesday that Duggan’s rhetoric had “violated” the Detroit hallmark of being “a welcoming city,” which the activists said means that “local government leadership does not make public statements directly attacking individuals or groups on the basis of their immigration status.”
“Mayor Duggan has violated that tenet,” the groups said. “At a time when immigrant Detroiters are under attack and need the support of their elected officials, the Mayor’s comments are unacceptable.”
Duggan pushed back against the accusations in a statement Thursday, blasting the groups’ “political correctness” and arguing that his work with ICE to remove illegal immigrants from Detroit was the same position he took under prior administrations, including the Obama White House.
“During my term as Mayor, Detroit has been a welcoming city, where we support the success of immigrants,” Duggan told the Washington Examiner. “But when Detroit police make a criminal arrest and DPD gets federal notification that the person in custody is in the country illegally, we should not and do not shield you from federal enforcement.”
“Groups who oppose this position are criticizing me today over the political correctness of my statements, but I do not apologize for providing a clear explanation of Detroit’s position,” the mayor continued. “It is a position we have followed consistently through the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
In comments at the 2025 Detroit Policy Conference last Thursday, Duggan said that being a “welcoming city” does not equal being a sanctuary refuge for ‘illegal immigrants.”
“A welcoming city means if you are in this country lawfully as an immigrant, we encourage you to come here. We support your success. If you are in this country illegally, we should not be shielding you from ICE and federal enforcement, and the city of Detroit does not do so,” he added.