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Bernie Sanders endorses Donavan McKinney in bid to unseat Shri Thanedar

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is endorsing state Rep. Donavan McKinney’s campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, joining U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib in supporting the Detroit lawmaker ahead of the August primary. Sanders’s endorsement adds to McKinney’s growing support from progressive Democrats, including six state senators, 11 state representatives, and numerous local elected officials.

Faith leaders urge Wayne State to drop charges against pro-Palestinian student

A coalition of religious leaders gathered at Wayne State University on Thursday morning to demand that school administrators drop misconduct charges against a student activist involved in the campus movement for Palestinian human rights. The press conference, held at the intersection of Second and Warren avenues, comes days after the student organizer was charged with a non-academic code of conduct violation that could lead to suspension, expulsion, or loss of scholarships.

Rep. Tlaib to join ‘No Kings’ rally in Detroit to protest attacks on immigrants, democracy

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and a coalition of progressive groups are organizing a rally and march at Clark Park in Detroit on Saturday as part of a national day of protest against political repression, authoritarianism, and attacks on immigrants and dissenters. Billed as a National Day of Defiance and Mass Mobilization, the Detroit event is one of more than 1,600 demonstrations planned across the country.

Jury finds Michigan labor contractor guilty in human trafficking trial

A federal jury has found Michigan labor contractor Purpose Point Harvesting guilty of exploiting a group of Guatemalan farmworkers in a forced labor scheme that violated both federal and state laws. The verdict, delivered Friday after an eight-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, marks a major win for advocates fighting against abuses in the H-2A visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign agricultural workers for temporary jobs.

Activists urge officials to help Detroit high school student facing deportation

Teachers, students, and parents across Detroit are urging elected officials to intervene in the case of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old junior at Western International High School who was detained by immigration authorities last month and faces deportation before completing his diploma. Bogoya-Duarte, who immigrated from Colombia two and a half years ago, was pulled over by Rockwood police on May 20 while driving with three classmates to Lake Erie Metropark for a school field trip, Chalkbeat Detroit reported on Friday.

Suspended Hamtramck police chief told volunteer to point loaded gun at someone’s head, according to audio recording

A newly released audio recording captures suspended Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri telling a civilian volunteer to point a loaded gun at someone’s head, adding to the growing list of serious allegations against him and city leaders. The recording, released by attorney Jon Marko, features a disturbing exchange between Altaheri and civilian volunteer Carol Rutkowski during a conversation in the chief’s office on April 30.

Michigan health officials warn of sharp rise in nitrous oxide-related emergencies

The recreational use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas,” has led to an alarming surge in emergency medical incidents across Michigan, prompting a warning from state health officials on Wednesday. Calls to the Michigan Poison and Drug Information Center (MiPDC) involving adverse effects from nitrous oxide misuse rose 533% between 2019 and 2024, while emergency medical service responses increased by 553% over the same period.

Muslim family accuses Domino’s of food tampering and Islamophobia in civil rights complaint

A Muslim civil rights group has filed a complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights accusing a Domino’s Pizza in Waterford of religious discrimination after a family’s food was allegedly tampered with and a store employee made Islamophobic remarks. The complaint, filed by the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), stems from an incident in February when two Muslim women and their children ordered pizzas and asked for no pork.

Hamtramck whistleblowers speak out as more corruption allegations surface

Two Hamtramck officials at the center of a federal whistleblower lawsuit spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time, leveling new and explosive allegations of corruption, misconduct, and election interference against the city’s top leadership. At a news conference, attorney Jon Marko, who represents City Manager Max Garbarino and Officer David Adamczyk, outlined a sweeping array of claims against Mayor Amer Ghalib, Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, and members of the all-Muslim city council.

ACLU lawsuit forces ICE to reinstate Michigan students’ immigration status

Four international students at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan had their F-1 student immigration statuses restored after a federal court approved an agreement resolving a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan against the Trump administration. The lawsuit, filed in April, challenged what the ACLU called an “abrupt and illegal” termination of the students’ records by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Whistleblowers sue Hamtramck, alleging corruption and retaliation

Two Hamtramck officials have filed a sweeping civil rights lawsuit against the city, accusing top leaders, including Mayor Amer Ghalib and Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, of corruption, retaliation, and abuses of power that they say silenced whistleblowers and shielded misconduct. Filed by City Manager Max Garbarino and Officer David Adamczyk, the lawsuit claims the pair exposed serious misconduct by Altaheri and other officials, including election interference, retaliatory personnel decisions, and a purported scheme to secure a presidential pardon in exchange for millions of dollars.

Highland Park resident sues city, towing company over seized Thunderbird

Highland Park resident Bob Nelson has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city and Troy’s Towing of illegally seizing his cherished 1985 Ford Thunderbird, violating his constitutional rights, and causing lasting emotional and financial damage. The lawsuit, filed April 30 in U.S. District Court in Detroit, outlines a series of procedural failures and constitutional violations.

Muslim cop sues Melvindale, alleges racism, harassment, and retaliation

Hassan Hammoud, a Lebanese Muslim corporal with the Melvindale Police Department, has filed a lawsuit accusing the city and its police department of subjecting him to years of racial and religious harassment before retaliating when he spoke out. The complaint, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, describes a culture of racism and bigotry inside the department where Hammoud has worked since 2021.

Mayor Duggan gains bipartisan support but lags behind top candidates in governor’s race

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s campaign for governor is showing signs of drawing bipartisan support, but he still trails leading Republican and Democratic candidates statewide, a new poll shows. According to a survey released Tuesday by the Detroit Regional Chamber, Duggan, who is running as an independent, is winning a substantial share of votes in metro Detroit and appealing to both Democrats and Republicans.

Deep political divide threatens Michigan’s economic stability, new poll shows

Michigan voters are deeply divided along party lines over the state of the economy, with fears of a recession and inflation rising among Democrats and independents, while Republican voters express growing optimism, according to a new statewide poll released by the Detroit Regional Chamber. The survey, conducted by The Glengariff Group between April 24 and 28, shows that while a plurality of voters continues to believe Michigan is on the right track, those views have eroded since January, and that trend is driven primarily by shifting sentiment among Democrats and independents.

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