Michigan’s Romulus City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday night opposing a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility at a warehouse in the city.
The property, a 260,000-square-foot warehouse located at 7525 Cogswell Street, has been identified as a potential site for an ICE detention operation. City officials said they are concerned the project could affect surrounding property values and impact future business development.
The vote followed a rally outside Romulus City Hall that drew both supporters and opponents of the proposal. Demonstrators gathered with signs reading “ICE OUT,” while counter-protesters held signs expressing support for the agency. Romulus police were present to separate the groups as tensions escalated. It was not immediately clear whether any arrests were made.
During public comment inside City Hall, several residents urged city leaders to oppose the project.
🚨 BREAKING: Anti-ICE leftists are trying to STORM the Romulus, Michigan City Council meeting because a building in the city is about to become an ICE facility
KEEP WHINING, ICE is surging and deportations will continue in Michigan! 🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/3xc8hwlLFD
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 24, 2026
“I am a fifth-generation Romulus high school graduate. Romulus raised me. Romulus raised me to know humans are humans no matter what,” one resident said.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said the community was not informed in advance about the potential facility. “What we’re seeing is that ICE outbid an auto supplier to purchase or lease a warehouse in Romulus and it is not at all what the community wants,” she said.
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, also voiced opposition. “I would tell them that we don’t want to see an expansion into our community and they should take their business elsewhere. Romulus is not open for business,” Camilleri said.
ICE has previously stated that the proposed operation would create approximately 1,458 jobs and generate an estimated $150 million in economic impact, including more than $33 million in tax revenue.
McMorrow said local officials have limited authority to block federal projects. “It puts local elected officials in a really hard spot because there really is little that can be done right now to prevent the federal government from outbidding private companies,” she said.
No timeline for the facility’s potential opening has been announced.
