In 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump promised mass deportations. Since his election, the president has largely delivered.

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security deported more than 620,000 people, with another 70,000 currently in custody.

Millions have taken to the streets in protest. But for places that have seen the greatest influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, protests and observation of ICE tactics is a new way of life.

Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Twin Cities have been inundated with federal agents. Residents are putting themselves between immigration officers and the people ICE is attempting to deport.

Protesters have been aggressive in letting agents know they’re not welcome. They’re following them around town, honking horns and blowing whistles. There has been no shortage of profanity.

Protests get bloody

White House Border Czar Tom Homan says those words are violence. “I begged for the last two months on TV for the rhetoric to stop,” says Homan. “I said in March, if the rhetoric didn’t stop, there’s going to be bloodshed, and there has been.”

In Minnesota, the blood that has been shed has come from U.S. citizens. Last month, federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In justifying Good’s killing, Trump Administration officials said she was armed with a car. In the moments leading up to his death, Pretti was exercising both his First and Second Amendment rights with a gun on his hip and a phone in his hand.

Steve Dulan is a professor at Cooley Law School in Lansing.  He’s also on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners. Dulan says Pretti’s actions that day were Constitutionally protected.

“Being a protester? That’s not justification to kill somebody,” Dulan said. “Filming the police? Not justification to kill somebody. Being armed? Certainly not justification to kill somebody.”

At Second Amendment rights demonstrations at the Michigan State Capitol Dulan has been armed – but also while doing business inside. After a series of armed protests during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Michigan Capitol Commission largely banned the possession of guns inside the Capitol building – something Dulan believes is likely unconstitutional.

Exercising two amendments at once

Dulan says he would defend the rights of people to carry firearms while protesting, though he wouldn’t put himself in a similar situation.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s responsible gun ownership, particularly when there’s a high likelihood that there could be some kind of a physical confrontation,” Dulan said. “You know, we’ve been teaching classes to gun owners for a long time at MCRGO. We teach that situational awareness is incredibly important, and the best way to solve most problems is by avoidance.”

Carrying a gun can also influence how other protesters see you.

Loren Khogali is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. She says demonstrating 2^nd Amendment rights may make others hesitant to exercise their right to peaceably assemble.

 “What we need right now in this country is as many people as possible to feel as comfortable possible exercising their 1st Amendment right to speech,” Khogali said.

Acting with impunity

The bigger issue to Khogali is the Trump Administration – and the armed agents enforcing his demands – attacking people with seeming impunity.

 “Right now we are watching the government engage suppressing people’s right to speech, suppressing people’s right to protest in the most violent of ways,” Khogali said. “We have watched the federal government murder two people in Minnesota, and so it is extremely important that when you go to a protest, you understand exactly what your rights are based on those state laws.”

 “Law enforcement should be adhering to the Constitution and should be protecting the right of protesters to protest within the law,”Khogali said.

In Minnesota, federal law enforcement has been largely unconcerned with the rights of protesters. Numerous judges have cited ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for violating court orders.

What is qualified immunity?

Steven Winter is the Walter S. Gibbs, Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law at Wayne State University. He’s litigated cases on qualified immunity – the rule that shields police and other governmental entities from civil liability. 

He says those who violate constitutional rights should face consequences, but that’s not the reality.

 “Well as a practical matter, very little,” Winter said. “In a theoretical matter, they should both be open to potential civil and criminal liability.”

But asked if he thinks the agents who killed Good and Pretti will face justice… “I think it’d be very unlikely,” Winter said.

Winter says U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of what can negate qualified immunity. “It’s only a violation–it’s only actionable–if it was clearly illegal, clearly unconstitutional. So that’s easy to muddy up, right?”

Knowing your rights regardless

Even if it’s unlikely you will receive justice if your rights are violated, it’s still best to know your rights and have a plan.

“You always have the right to remain silent and to ask to speak to an attorney. You also have the right to walk away from the police calmly,” Khogali said. “If an officer demands that you should turn over your phone, you should refuse and you should tell them that you would like to speak with an attorney.”

However, witnesses to the killing of Alex Pretti say their phones were confiscated anyway. Other witnesses were taken into custody.

Khogali recommends having emergency contact numbers memorized and to let loved ones know when you’re headed to a protest.

Steve Dulan says the on-going protests can serve as a teaching tool. “I am hopeful that people will take this opportunity to learn about their rights and I’m hoping that the rhetoric cools.”

This week, Homan announced that 700 ICE agents were being taken out of Minnesota. The protests and deportations continue.

The ACLU of Michigan has this handy pocket guide for your rights at protests, and what you should know before, during, and after ICE raids.

During President Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement has become more dangerous and more visible. 

Detention has expanded rapidly. Last year was the deadliest year in more than two decades. Federal records show people have continued to die in custody in the opening days of this year.

There have also been multiple fatal shootings at the hands of on-duty and off-duty ICE agents in recent months. 

In Minneapolis, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. That killing prompted lawsuits from Minnesota and its largest cities. There were also resignations inside the Justice Department after leadership declined to open a customary civil rights investigation.

Other people have also been killed by ICE agents, including Silverio Villegos González near Chicago and Keith Porter Jr. in California. Those deaths, though, did not trigger the same national response.

In Detroit, City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero is pushing the city to act. She represents Southwest Detroit and chairs the City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee. She’s asking whether Detroit can legally restrict ICE activity on city property and in sensitive areas, such as schools and hospitals. 

Santiago-Romero joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss how cities can respond when federal immigration enforcement becomes more aggressive, and how local governments weigh responsibility, risk, and trust.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

While President Trump was inside Motor City Casino on Tuesday, protesters outside were braving the elements and aggression by the Detroit Police Department.

A group of demonstrators marched from Cass Park in front of the Masonic Temple and to the sidewalk in front of the casino at the corner of Temple and Grand River Avenue.

After being allowed to peacefully assemble for a few minutes, Detroit Police forced protesters down Grand River to a less visible location on the casino’s west side at Trumbull Ave and Elm Street.

A Detroit Police officer – who would not give his name, only the numbers 168 – threatened protesters and members of the press with arrest if they did not move. At least two protesters were arrested.

What the protesters have to say

Sarah Reed of Farmington Hills carried an inverted American flag – a symbol of distress. She stood in front of the advancing officers in an act of defiance.

Reed was surprised by their aggression. “It’s a public sidewalk, and if you and I were there this evening, this morning, before any of this, they’d have no issue with us being on the sidewalk,” Reed said.

Reed, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, said she wants the president to resign. But she had a message for Democrats too. “Get off your asses and fight,” Reed said.

Troy resident Jake Malacos used his lunch hour to protest. He says he was happy to be around protesters because a show of solidarity is good for the community.

As for why he was picketing: “Well, the corruption from the Trump administration. The brutality. The murder of Renee Good. Most of the policies that he’s putting out are pretty rough for me,” Malacos said.

Once DPD had pushed the protesters to the designated 1st Amendment area on Trumbull, about 1,000 protesters marched to Detroit Public Safety.

Officially, Detroit Police do not work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but they do share office space.

For more than half a century, the American environmental movement has struck a familiar rhythm: alarm, action, and industry backlash.

The first Earth Day in 1970 helped launch the modern movement, and by the end of that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was born. It was a promise that government had a crucial role to play, that it could protect our air and water from industry polluters.

Over the decades, that promise has ebbed and flowed: environmental rules were expanded under presidents from both parties, then pared back under others, only to be reinforced again as new science and public pressure emerged.

Critics — including historian Douglas Brinkley and former EPA administrators from both parties — argue the rollback push is an attempt to turn back decades of federal environmental protections.

Meanwhile, a striking silence is showing up in a place with massive moral reach. A new large-scale study of more than 700,000 Catholic parish sermons finds that climate change is rarely mentioned, even after the late Pope Francis issued some of the strongest language on climate change written by a religious leader.

Harvard historian of science Naomi Oreskes led that research. She joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss the price of that silence.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The Trump administration recently announced $12 billion in bailout money in an effort to prop up the farming industry. That comes as farmers around the country have complained about trade wars and general economic conditions making it tough for them to do business.

What that money looks like by the time it makes its way to local farmers remains to be seen. Michigan Farmers Union president, Bob Thompson, says there are still questions surrounding the distribution.

“The Administration,” says Thompson, “still has to decide how much money is going to corn, versus wheat, versus soy beans, versus 15 different row crops.”

Thompson says about $11 billion of the $12 billion in the bailout will be dedicated to row crops. That means farmers growing specialty crops, like apples and cherries, will share the remaining funds.

Thompson warns the funding may not be enough to offset the challenges facing Michigan’s farms.

“The financial problems that a lot of farmers, particularly our smaller family farmers are experiencing, is a direct result of a lot of policies of the new administration,” Thompson explains, “ Particularly the tariff policies.”

He says the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration has also hurt farmers in the state. About three-quarters of the seasonal workforce on farms comes from immigrant labor programs.

The Michigan Farmers Union says it may take a new long-term farm bill to stabilize the industry.

The Trump administration issued an executive order reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance. This change doesn’t legalize the drug on the federal level but could mean significant tax savings for Michigan cannabis businesses.

Cannabis businesses are currently taxed on gross income and cannot deduct operating expenses like other companies ordinarily do. Changing the classification could help smaller businesses that operate without a lot of resources.

There are concerns from leaders in the cannabis industry about federal regulations that might follow this move — including taxes. The Trump administration announced that this move was to recognize legitimate medical use and expand medical marijuana and cannabis research for the medical community.

Additional headlines for Dec. 19, 2025

Food vouchers expire Dec. 31

Shoppers have until Wednesday, Dec. 31 to use their Double Up Food Bonus Bucks vouchers. The statewide program expanded during the government shutdown when SNAP benefit recipients were under threat and families didn’t know if they would lose their ability to purchase food.

Run through the Fair Food Network, the program matches SNAP benefits used to buy up to $40 in fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at partnering farmer markets and grocery stores. It has been operating for more than a decade and is continuing into 2026. Frozen foods will be added to the list of eligible foods as well as unlimited earning and spending options.

If you have questions about the program, call the hotline at 866-586-2796 or visit doubleupfoodbucks.org.

Detroit sports updates

NFL: The Detroit Lions face the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Sunday night match up. Lions fans probably have a Detroit win on their Christmas list because they currently have a 25% chance of making it to the playoffs, according to ESPN reports. If they win the last three games of the season including the game against the Steelers, their chances rise to 95%. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. at Ford Field.

NBA: The Pistons fell to the Dallas Mavericks yesterday in a tight overtime matchup. The loss doesn’t change up too much because they are still number one in the eastern conference with a 21-6 record. The next game is tomorrow, Dec. 20 against the Charlotte Hornets at Little Caesars Arena. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.

NHL: The Red Wings, currently on top of the Atlantic Division, go against the Washington Capitals tomorrow at the Captial One Arena. The game starts at 12:30 p.m.

Detroit Sandwich Week

Detroit Sandwich Week is going down right after Christmas. Sandwiched in between Christmas and the New Year, this annual event celebrates different local sandwich shops each day to support community and small businesses.

This year’s featured shops are Mudgie’s, Vesper and Ayiti Spaghetti, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Roccos, Tall Trees Cade and Batch Brewing Company. For more information, visit detroitsandwichparty.square.site.

Perfume popup

Artisan perfumer and “scent docent” Terees Western will host a popup at Source Booksellers on Saturday for her business FragranTed. Visitors will have a chance to create their own holiday scents and learn about using scent to celebrate and make memories. The event runs from 2–4 p.m. at 4240 Cass Avenue.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.