Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar is running for re-election. He represents the 13^th Congressional District which encompasses much of Detroit as well as Wyandotte, Allen Park, Taylor and Romulus.

Thanedar has long been the target of criticism for being a newcomer to the city of Detroit, and for being mostly self-financed. He’s independently wealthy, and the 71-year-old has been able to easily out-spend his competitors.

This year, Thanedar is facing a difficult primary opponent, State Representative Donavan McKinney. The progressive Democrat has already been endorsed by Black leaders in Detroit and other lefties like Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.

The seat is safely controlled by Democrats, so whoever wins the primary will be the next Representative.

Recently, Thanedar sat down with WDET’s Russ McNamara and discussed many topics that could separate he and McKinney in the primary.

The following interview has been edited for clarity.

Russ McNamara, WDET: You’ve been running ads critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar: What happened in Minnesota in killing of two American citizens Renee Good, a mother of three, was murdered on the streets of America. Alex Pretti an ICU nurse at [the] VA was murdered. This agency is out of control. They are going to Home Depots, daycare centers, schools to round up people that look different.

This is not a way to run our immigration enforcement, so I, last year, introduced a bill in Congress to end immunity for ICE agents, because ICE agents cannot stand behind this immunity to go do atrocities on our streets and create fear among our communities and community members. People, even U.S. citizens, are afraid to come out of their homes being afraid.

ICE agents talking to people. ‘Hey, you speak with an accent, you look different. You You must not be an US citizen.’ … They are entering homes without a judicial warrant. So I introduced a bill last year, anticipating all of this, to eliminate the immunity for these ICE agents. And this year, I am the first member of Congress to introduce a bill in Congress to abolish ice.

RM: It should be noted that because of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, this bill is unlikely to go anywhere at all. Have you had any person experience with racial profiling?

ST: Yeah, you know, at times. I have seen the type of questioning that I get, or sometime, I do get singled out a lot more for interrogation and questioning. But I am not so sure it is how different that is compared to their interrogation of other people.

Medicare for All

RM: What is your plan to fix health care?

ST: Well look, with a nation as rich as ours, it is unfortunate that United States does not cover health care for all of its citizens. We are the only developed nation that does not cover health care for its citizens. I am a big proponent of Medicare for All.

I would like to see a single-payer healthcare system that covers healthcare, because I believe healthcare is a fundamental human rights issue. No one, no family, should have to make those difficult decisions, whether to buy medicine, go to a doctor or buy food to feed the family.

So we saw the condition of healthcare in Detroit, especially in the Covid times. We had disproportionate number of deaths during Covid, because Detroit does not have the health care.

So I think given the poverty in my district—26% of the people in my district are at or below poverty—they are struggling as such, and cannot afford health care. Now, the loss of subsidies, the Obamacare subsidies, has doubled and tripled insurance premiums for independent workers, small business owners, and that’s causing a lot of hardship for people as well. So a single payer healthcare like a Medicare for All is the ultimate solution.

We will have a better leverage to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to ensure because prescription medication is most expensive in United States compared to everywhere else in the world and whatever. Under Biden, we dropped the insulin rates to $35 a month. There is some progress made under the current administration, but it is too little and does not cover a lot of the life saving medications. So we need to have a comprehensive health care reform, such as a single-payer health care system.

Wealth gap

RM: You mentioned that 26% of your district lives in poverty. It has one of the lowest median household income rates in the country. You are independently wealthy. I’m sure you’ve seen the how the wealth gap has increased. What is your plan to address that wealth gap?

ST: We need to create skills jobs. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage. The current federal minimum wage is nowhere close to a living wage, so it is important that we raise the minimum wage, but it’s very, very important that we give people the skill set that they need.

Look, I wasn’t born wealthy. I grew up in India. My father lost his job when I was 16 years old, and while going to college, I worked as a janitor, and made a little bit of money. I didn’t get the living wages, I didn’t get the benefits, but I worked as a janitor. I worked in restaurants, serving tables. That’s how I got a little supplemental income that I gave it to my mom so she could put food on the table, you know. So I grew up in dire poverty, like no running water in my home. I had to go with my mother a block away to get drinking water for the whole day.

So I have gone through dire poverty. There are times where I’ve gone to bed hungry, but I got education. I came to the United States. I got education. After that, I got a job, and then I started a business, and that business became very successful, and that’s how I made my money.

Then I realized I achieved my American dream and I need to go help others, and that’s why I sold my business, took some of that money, gave it to all of my employees, because they helped me make that business successful.

So to close the wealth gap, we need to promote entrepreneurship. We need to give the skillsets people need.

Education costs way too much. No one should be graduating from college with 50,000, $70,000 loan. So we need to make education affordable, because like in my case, it was the education that helped me overcome poverty to be able to succeed and achieve my American dream. Every child, no matter what zip code he or she lives, every child, no matter what financial background the child comes from, must get good quality education.

Billionaires

RM: Should billionaires exist?

ST: I don’t think so. Some 80 or so billionaires have so much wealth compared to rest of the people, and that doesn’t seem like a fair system. We have billionaires who have a different set of rules that they live under. So no, I don’t think billionaires should exist, because often they exist because of because of their unethical practices, because of their monopolies. And we need to break those monopolies. We need to have a level playing field.

RM: Where has the Democratic Party gone wrong? What can they do to fix the disconnect between the base and party leadership?

ST: I can tell you just what I am doing as a Democrat, and my focus has been to fight for democracy. When this administration does illegal things when they do activities that are against the Constitution. I have stood up. I was the first member of Congress to bring articles of impeachment against this president, outlining some of the things that he did that were unconstitutional.

RM: But that wasn’t well-received by Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries though.

ST: It wasn’t. I don’t work for Hakeem Jeffries. I don’t work for Donald Trump. I work for my constituents. And my constituents felt that what Mr. Trump is doing in terms of the Trump meme coin or his families making these business deals with Middle East countries this Trump and his family have amassed $1.5 billion personal wealth using their office.

I’m doing what my constituents want me to do. Because, look, I have had more town halls than anybody else that I know of. I must have had almost 18 or so in person town halls. I have had tele-town halls where 18,000 people join in—I do this almost every month. So I am very much in touch with my constituents.

I hear them, and I’m doing what my constituents want, which is to fight with this administration and resist this administration when they do when they take law in their own hands, when they do unconstitutional activities.

Campaign finance

RM: How has it been raising money this time around? You’ve put a lot of your own money into your campaigns, but you’ve also taken a lot of money from AIPAC.

ST: I don’t do much fundraising. You know, most members of Congress spend anywhere from 20-60 hours per week on fundraising. I have put my own money when I ran for governor, I put my own money when I ran for Congress. I put my own money when I ran for state rep, so I don’t depend on anybody else’s money.

RM: But are you taking money from a PAC or one of their offshoots in this particular election cycle?

ST: I will take money from anybody who wants to support my campaign, but that is a insignificant part of my total funds that I use. 90, 95% 99% of the money is coming from my own pocket. So I am not beholden to any donor. I am not beholden to any one contributing to my campaign. I spend my own money.

War in Gaza

RM: So a lot of what went wrong for Democrats in 2024 was the failure to acknowledge people who were unhappy with Israel’s war and attacks on Palestinians in Gaza—

ST: I think it was the economy. I think Trump made a case that he alone can fix the economy. He identified the affordability struggles average Americans have, and he talked about the rising prices—and he said, Mr. Trump said, he alone can fix the economy. And people believed it. People believed that he can fix the economy, and I think that was the number one reason why Mr. Trump got elected.

RM: But I do want to suss out your personal feelings on Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. Scholars and vocal people on the left have characterized those attacks as genocide. Would you agree with that assessment?

ST: I feel that we need to fight terrorism all across the world. Terrorism needs to be fought. What happened? We suffered at the hands of terrorists on 9/11 and we just need to continue to fight and we need to fight terrorism anywhere, whether it’s Middle East, whether it is in any other part of the world.

War in Iran

RM: Iran has been a large state sponsor of terrorism across the globe. Are you in support of this current military action with Iran?

ST: I am totally opposed to the current war that Trump has started in Iran. It was ill conceived. I have seen no imminent threat to the United States from Iran. Iran has the capability of these missiles and drones all along. So there is nothing new that happened, that needed United States to go spend billions of dollars on this war and get our men and women—hard working men and women from the service—to be in harm’s way. So this was an ill conceived plan of war done by one man, and he did not consult Congress.

Congress, by constitution, is the sole authority in terms of declaring war, and this President started this illegal war for reasons known only to him, because every member of his cabinet has given us different reasons why they started the war. It seems like… none of them have one cohesive reason why they started this war.

Trump has said different things. Secretary Rubio has said different things. Vice President, J, D, Vance said some other things. So it almost like they’re making up reasons why they went into war, and I have my own thinking why they went into the war.

I feel that Trump needs every distraction he can get to distract Americans from the rising affordability crisis. Trump needs a distraction because people are mad at the operation of Department of Homeland Security and ICE particularly. And people are upset with the Epstein files and all of the attorney general who, as you know, has attempted to cover up. This is the largest cover up since Watergate, and it is something that Trump needed a distraction for, and they went into this Iran war without full preparation.

Transgender rights

RM: What do you plan to do to protect the rights of transgender people since Republicans continue to attack their existence?

ST: This cultural war by Republicans is another way of distraction from the current affordability crisis. The culture war that they have done to please their own base is unnecessary.

This is not the issue we need to feed people. They’re cutting Medicaid through the trillion dollars of cuts in health care. They are cutting snap the supplemental food benefits to the tune of $300 billion taking away, you know, Supplemental Nutritional food away from hungry and poor, and we’re talking about these culture wars. That is quite a distraction. We need to really focus on what really matters, and that’s feeding the hungry. That’s getting good health care for all, focusing on skills and closing the wealth gap.

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“In this episode”

• Business Man Perry Johnson speaks about his internal polling.
• The importance of filing signatures early.

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

With one month until filing deadlines to get on the November ballot, it’s time to take a look to see who has the best chance of representing their party as their next gubernatorial candidate. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben point out the candidates to watch out for as we walk further down the campaign trail.  

Handing in signatures on time is very important. Candidates for governors need to have 100 signatures from seven of the state’s 13 US House districts. Also, filing signatures earlier than your opponents do ensure that any duplicate signatures won’t be erased from your filings.  

Later on in the episode businessman Perry Johnson stopped by to talk about his bid for governor. Johnson’s candor in talking about his poll numbers from his own polling surprised the MichMash hosts. Internal polling from the Perry Johnson Campoaign showed that Johnson was at 20% in the district of Republican US Representative and gubernatorial candidate, John James. Johnson does not believe it makes sense for him to be that close  

“I did not conduct this poll, statistically I don’t see how it’s possible that I would be that close in his [John James] district. The poll numbers are so high even the candidate that I’m looking at find it hard to believe. 

Johnson had said that if he makes it to 20% he believes he would receive support from President Trump.  

• More from WDET:

  Michigan GOP governor candidates short signatures

  A Republican outlook on Michigan’s 2026 elections

  MichMash: How Trump auto tariffs impact Michigan; John James joins gubernatorial race + more

Artificial intelligence is all around us. AI can now create videos and provide analysis — it’s even able to code. What makes artificial intelligence so weird is that it’s not mechanistic like a light switch or a power button. Instead, AI can make decisions on its own. 

So, where should we be using it? And, where should we be limiting its use? 

Penelope Tsernoglou is a Democrat representing East Lansing in the state House who has been regulating AI. She helped to outlaw the use of AI to create deepfakes, and supported legislation that would ban employers from using AI to make decisions about wages, and hiring and firing workers. Tsernoglou also wants to prevent AI from determining claims in the healthcare marketplace.

Yet she also sponsored legislation to make it easier to construct data centers in Michigan.

For someone skeptical of artificial intelligence, how should we be considering the construction of data centers, which would greatly advance the technology? Rep. Tsernoglou spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent about this and more.

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

Vice President JD Vance made a stop at a robotics manufacturing plant in Auburn Hills this week.  The visit was mainly focused on promoting Republican policies ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

The vice president spent most of time touting the administration’s economic policies, which Vance claims have been good for job growth. The most recent report from the Bureau of Labor statistics shows a loss of 92,000 jobs in February. 

He made little reference to the ongoing war in Iran during his prepared remarks. When asked by reporters about oil prices, Vance acknowledged they are up.

“I will say,” says Vance. “the president said this and I certainly agree with it, this is a temporary blip.”

Vance promised the crowd gasoline costs would come back down once the U.S., quote, “finishes taking care of business” in the Middle East. He did not say when that would be.

It was his first visit to the state since last week’s attack on the Temple Israel synagogue, which took place about 30 minutes away from where the vice president was speaking. Vance says he and the president stand with Michigan’s Jewish community.

“We love you,” says Vance, “and we’re proud of how you’ve handled this particular situation because it is tough.”

The suspect, 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali — a naturalized U-S citizen from Lebanon — took his own life during the attack. Vance praised the work of security guards at Temple Israel.

He reassured the crowd that the U.S. government is constantly monitoring to try to stop such attacks before they happen.

These days, when it rains, it much more often pours. That’s due in large part to climate change. Heat waves are longer, winds are stronger, and rains are heavier. 

Meanwhile, much of metro Detroit’s infrastructure is old. And, combined with the downpours, it has led to more flooding. That’s true on Hines Drive in Wayne County; it’s true in East Dearborn; and it’s true in Jefferson Chalmers, or the “Venice of Detroit.” 

In 2021, the eastside neighborhood was declared a “high-risk flood zone” by FEMA after heavy rains flooded many basements and roads. 

The City of Detroit recently announced a $1 million pilot program to repair or replace sea walls for low-income residents to protect them from flooding. What do people in the neighborhood make of this plan? What do they need to protect their neighborhood?

Blake Grannum is a longtime Jefferson Chalmers resident. She spoke with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent about that and more.

The Metro reached out to Detroit Council member Latisha Johnson, who represents Jefferson Chalmers. Her office did not respond to our request for comment.

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

One of the most watched and most expensive U.S. Senate races in the country is happening here in Michigan. Republicans are seemingly running it back with Mike Rogers – who lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin two years ago.

However, in the race to replace Gary Peters, there’s a trio of Democrats vying for the party’s nomination. Congresswoman Haley Stevens, State Senator Mallory McMorrow, and physician Abdul El-Sayed are all serious contenders.

WDET’s Russ McNamara has talked with the three candidates about issues that separate themselves within the Democratic Party.

There is a certain ideological split within the Democratic Party that does not exist currently within the GOP. Republicans are either pro-Donald Trump or they lose elections. Democrats are split with more nuance on some policies – but even if it’s just a wiggle, there’s still room. 

Starting with healthcare

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed has been so vocal about his perspective on healthcare that he wrote a book on it.

“Medicare for All is government health insurance guaranteed for everyone, regardless of what circumstances you’re in,” El-Sayed says.  

“If you like your insurance through your employer or through your union, I hope that will be there for you. But if you lose your job, if your factory shuts down, you shouldn’t be destitute without the health care that you need and deserve so.”

Instead of the government taking on the entire burden of the health care system, Mallory McMorrow prefers a public option. Private insurers stick around, but a government-backed option exists. For her, Medicare For All is a no-go.

“I think it’s too big of a challenge. Admittedly, we are a country of more than 360 million people. When I talk to people all across the state, they don’t say that they want one single system. They say, I want the insurance that works for me,” McMorrow said.  

“I want to be able to see my doctor. I want to be able to go to my pediatrician, and I want it to be affordable. That, to me, requires more options, not fewer.”

For Congresswoman Haley Stevens,  she wants everyone who can be covered under the Affordable Care Act to get covered.  

“I deeply believe that we need to expand the Affordable Care Act,” Stevens said. “We need to protect that and we also need to make the tax subsidies permanent.”

The Republican-led Congress did not renew those tax subsidies. Rates went up and an estimated 1,200,000 fewer people did not enroll in Obamacare this year.

Will you be a good ally?

Since the last election cycle, Republicans have worked to strip transgender Americans of their rights to seek the healthcare they need.

It became a line of attack not only against trans youth, but against Democrats.

For many within the Democratic Party, the steadfast support of the LGBTQ community has shown cracks when it comes to trans rights.

McMorrow says part of the reason why trans folks are a target is that people are looking for someone to blame for a bad economy.

“I fundamentally believe the way forward is that we have to be the party that solves those fundamental problems for people,” McMorrow said. “If we can restore the American Dream and ensure that in Michigan and in the United States, if you work hard, you play by the rules, you can achieve that life that you wanted, then there won’t be this appetite to target and hurt vulnerable kids.”

Congresswoman Stevens has been supportive of the LGBTQ community and has tweeted support saying every American, regardless of their gender identity should feel safe to be their authentic selves. She voted against the anti-trans Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act earlier this year.

Dr. El-Sayed says Democrats need to be a good ally.

“I believe that rights are rights are rights. And when you assent to somebody taking away somebody else’s rights, you are at some point assenting to somebody coming for yours,” El-Sayed said.

“We have to stand together to fight for our collective rights, even when those rights are rights we may never see ourselves using.”

The fight for trans rights will come up again, with President Trump’s Save America Act attempting to tie restrictions to healthcare for trans people to a bill about adding strict voter ID laws.

Should ICE exist?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be a hot topic this year for the midterm elections. ICE agents have killed at least three American citizens in the past year. The government has deported or jailed tens of thousands of immigrants, most with no criminal records.

Before she was fired, Congresswoman Stevens advocated for the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Well, ICE needs to be overhauled. I will tell you that we need to start seeing accountability, and we need a complete overhaul of ICE. And there has been mismanagement from the very top.”

Mallory McMorrow was asked if ICE should exist as an agency.  

 “Yes, and it needs to be vastly reformed. Michigan is a border state. We need immigration and customs enforcement to do the work of what and who comes across the border. That should be its job,” McMorrow said. “Its job should not be to be unleashed on communities, to terrorize people, to go after people whose skin color isn’t exactly right, or who have an accent.”

Abdul El-Sayed believes ICE should be abolished.

 “We can have a safe and secure southern border. We can enforce immigration law, but ICE is not about that. What ICE is about is about a paramilitary force normalizing the use of government power on peaceful streets, in thrall to one man,” El-Sayed said.

Should billionaires exist?

The concentration of wealth at the top has been a growing concern since the Reaganomics era of the mid-to-late 1980s. Now tax rates for corporations and the wealthy have been slashed – while the federal government – and many states – have defunded social programs.

The number of billionaires has tripled in the past 15 years. I asked the candidates if billionaires – from an ethical standpoint – should exist.

McMorrow was unequivocal.

“Yes, I think they can and should exist, and I look at somebody like Mark Cuban as an example. You can be a billionaire without being a jerk,” McMorrow said.

It should be noted that Cuban wrote a blurb praising the State Senator’s book that came out last year.

 El-Sayed says billionaires should be the exception, not the norm.

“I don’t think that our system should be in the business of creating billionaires. I think our system should be in the business of empowering everyday folks to be able to live a life with access to the basic dignities that they need and deserve, good housing, good health care, affordable food,” El-Sayed said.

Haley Stevens says the wealthiest need to pay higher taxes, but didn’t outright say they should be taxed out of existence.  

“Well, we’re not going to be seeing someone like myself do billionaire bidding in the United States Senate. I’ll tell you that much. And tackling where and how billionaires are not paying their fair share needs to get done.”

That’s a good lead into:

Campaign contributions

When it comes to campaign cash, El-Sayed and McMorrow aren’t taking corporate money for the senate run.

McMorrow has taken corporate money in the past. but not this round. The filings with the Federal Elections Commission bear that out.

 “More than half of our donations are from people donating $200 or less,” McMorrow said.

El-Sayed avoided taking corporate dollars in a failed run for Michigan governor in 2018.

“I’m the only person running for US Senate who’s never taken a dime of corporate money to fund a campaign, and that shows up in the ways that I stand up to corporations.”

Congresswoman Stevens has no such hangups and says she will use all avenues to raise campaign money.

 “Well, look, I’m running my campaign in a grassroots way, with individual donors who participate in the democratic process and the way that our country allows,” Stevens said.

Some of that money is coming from AIPAC – the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has taken millions from the controversial organization that aides pro-Israel Republicans and Democrats. Earlier this month, as Israel and the U.S. continued to bomb Iran, Stevens appeared in a video for AIPAC.

The war in Gaza

Stevens supports a two state solution for Israel and Palestine.  

 “We need people in Gaza Palestinian people to have dignity and peace, just as we need people in Israel to do so.”

Mallory McMorrow was initially reluctant to criticize Israel’s attacks, but this fall when asked if the tens of thousands of dead Palestinians was tantamount to genocide, McMorrow said “yes,” even if she doesn’t seem comfortable using the term.

 “I am somebody who looks at the videos, the photos, the amount of pain that has been caused in the Middle East, and you can’t not be heartbroken,” McMorrow said. “But I also feel like we are getting lost in this conversation, and it feels like a political purity test on a word—a word that, by the way, to people who lost family members in the Holocaust, does mean something very different and very visceral.”

Abdul El-Sayed has unequivocally said that Israel’s assault on Palestinians – and the role the U.S. has played in supporting it – is genocide.

“I believe in international law,” El-Sayed said. “I want our tax dollars to stop killing children.”

Do Democrats need a change at the top?

Support for the Democratic Party and its leadership are at an all-time low. The party is polling behind artificial intelligence and ahead of Iran.

The biggest complaint is House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer aren’t doing enough to push back against the Trump Administration.

Mallory McMorrow says a change at the top is needed and a youth movement needs to happen among Congressional Democrats.

“We need leaders who understand how to engage with people, not as just a number, not as a voter or a donor, but as part of the team,” McMorrow said.

Abdul El-Sayed says stunning defeats in 2024 mean there’s a disconnect between party leadership and its base.

 “I think right now, we are in a place where there is so much profound frustration about the chasm between the Democratic Party writ large and its voters,” El-Sayed said. “And I think any democratic leader who wants to win elections in the future should be less worried about who holds the luxury suite on the top of the Titanic and more worried about getting in the engine room and saving the Titanic, which is where we are.”

Congresswoman Haley Stevens – who has Schumer’s support – sidestepped the question. 

“You’re asking me about the future of the Democratic Party. And there are some people who are running who assume that’s what this race is all about, and I don’t think that’s fair to the people of Michigan,” Stevens said. “I believe that this race is about the future of Michigan.”

Changes to SCOTUS?

The future of the U.S. Supreme Court has come up a lot since the conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Justices have been a bit inconsistent in their rulings depending on who was president.

Stevens says something needs to change.

“I deeply support ethics reform for the Supreme Court, what seems to look like pay-to-play, the fact that they have a different set of ethics rules, I think it would be more than appropriate, given that the Supreme Court doesn’t have elections and it’s a lifetime appointment,” Stevens said.

McMorrow thinks there needs to be a plan that makes sense both ethically and politically.

 “I am talking to some constitutional experts right now, some judicial experts on whether that means term limits, whether that means oversight, whether it means reforms, or whether it means more justices, I am open to anything to ensure the Supreme Court does its job,” McMorrow said.

El-Sayed has been working on a plan for SCOTUS for a while.

“I proposed a system here that says that every president should have three appointments, every Supreme Court justice should have at least ten years and a possible renewal for another ten years. But what that does is it incentivizes the selection of jurists who want to interpret the Constitution on its own terms,” El-Sayed said.

There are no shortage of issues for candidates in the upcoming elections, and more are sure to pop up along the way. Questions for the primary will be different than those in the general election this fall.

Detroit Public Radio plans to talk with these candidates multiple times over the next few months so our listeners can make an informed decision at the polls.

Michigan voters may get a ballot proposal changing the way they are verified to vote. This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss what this ballot would require. Later, candidate for Michigan governor Mike Duggan joins the discussion.

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

In this episode

• What is in the citizens-only ballot proposal?
• How is former mayor Mike Duggan connecting with voters during his gubernatorial campaign?

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Unpacking Michigan’s ‘Citizen Only’ ballot initiative
• Filmmaker Ken Burns says new American Revolution doc shows citizenship carries responsibility
• New Hampshire judge decides to pause Trump’s birthright citizenship order

In this episode

• Why is State Rep. Karen Whitsett not seeking a new term?
• How has the Regional Transit Authority improved public transportation?

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

State Representative Karen Whitsett, is making waves this week for not running for a fifth term in office. What influenced her decision? This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss her reasons for leaving as well as her career in office. 

Although Whitsett was a Democrat, there was friction between her and her own party. Gorchow pointed out multiple policy disagreements she had with her party but there was one thing that seemingly irked people the most.  “Whether in the most liberal corners of Detroit and Ann Arbor to the conservative bastions of Hillsdale…is that elected officials who don’t show up for work can hit the road.” 

This is in reference to Whitsett not showing up to multiple legislative sessions in the span of a year.  

Later in this episode Ben Stupka, executive director of the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, stopped by to talk about road funding. Stupka says the RTA is responsible for things like making transportation in Detroit more efficient and unifying the fare policy between SMART and DDOT. When it comes to ridership he says things are improving. “We are 80% back to pre-covid levels. We are seeing an increase each year. Transit is a public service, if that means putting routes out there that aren’t heavily used but are available for the people who have funded them locally….that’s what we have to do.” 

Michigan’s 2026 budget includes an increase in road funding.   

• More from WDET:

  MichMash: Democrat Karen Whitsett facing backlash over abortion stance

  Detroit Evening Report: Gas prices spike after Iran war starts

  Detroit Transportation Corporation looks into how to get the People Mover on track

The war in Iran — and the regional fallout — is continuing. 

Without Congressional authorization, President Donald Trump and Israel launched strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, and other military leaders of the current regime. And now, over a thousand people have died in this war.  

Iran has retaliated, launching military strikes across the region.

There is no clear path to peace. Neither Israel nor America have signaled that either have much interest in creating stability or democracy in Iran. 

Yesterday, we spoke with a Middle East scholar about what’s happening in Iran, and some of the different perspectives of the 92 million people living there. But there are a lot more voices to consider. What do folks from the diaspora who live in our region make of the situation? 

Layla Saatchi is an assistant Professor of Teaching at Wayne State University. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

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Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter will deliver the 2026 State of the County address at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5.

The annual address will highlight the county’s priorities, accomplishments and plans for the year ahead, offering a look at how county leaders plan to address economic development, public services and regional challenges.

WDET will be preempting its regular programming beginning at 7 p.m. to carry special coverage of Coulter’s speech.

Tune in at 101.9 FM, stream it live via the WDET app or wdet.org, or watch the County’s livestream below.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump Administration’s tariff policy. But there are still unresolved challenges out there.

That includes one filled by Michigan-based auto parts company, Detroit Axle. It filed a case against the Trump Administration’s tariff policy last spring.

Detroit Axle CEO Mike Musheinesh says their case was put on stay until the one the Supreme Court recently ruled on concluded.

“So now we’re going back to the court of international trade and saying ‘okay here we are again. They won, so did we win?’ And if we win, we’re able to keep reducing the price for the consumer,” says Musheinesh.

Detroit Axle’s case takes aim at Trump’s elimination of the so-called “de minimis exemption.” That rule had allowed small packages valued at less than $800 to avoid tariffs.

Musheinesh says revenue was up 35% last year, compared to 2024. But profitability was down more than 80%.

“During the first Trump Administration, we used to pay the government $25,000 in tariffs for a million-dollars-worth of products imported,” says Musheinesh. “Now for that same million-dollars-worth of products imported, we pay the government $725,000.”

Musheinesh adds that tariffs have forced him to raise prices on consumers.

In this episode

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivers her final State of the State of her tenure. 
• Why did Gov Whitmer thank President Trump?
• What is the “GSD Tour”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her final State of the State address, reflecting on her tenure and outlining priorities for the remainder of her term. This week on MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben discuss what stood out.

Roth said one of the most notable aspects of the speech was that there were few surprises. She described it as a reflection of Whitmer’s time as governor. One moment that did stand out was Whitmer thanking President Trump for his support of a new fighter mission slated for Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. Kasben said she believes the acknowledgment was intentional.

“I think she is trying to keep the pressure on about it,” Kasben said. “The more that she publicly talks about it and notes President Trump promised this, the more it’s out there that this commitment was made and hopefully makes sure it does happen.”

Less than 24 hours after the address, Whitmer joined MichMash to discuss key elements of her speech, her experience as governor and her plans for the remainder of her term. That includes launching her GSD Tour, which stands for “Get Stuff Done.” She said the effort is focused on making sure residents understand what has been accomplished during her administration.

“Michigan is full of hardworking, good people who have a lot going on in their lives and maybe have not heard about all the things that we’ve accomplished or what is available,” Whitmer said. “I think telling the story of what’s out there, what we’ve accomplished and listening to Michiganders is what the GSD is all about.”

During the interview, Whitmer also reiterated her goal of having state leaders pass the budget by June 30.

Editor’s note: Some images in this story contain language that may be offensive. 

Roughly one thousand protesters gathered outside Romulus City Hall this week to voice opposition towards plans for a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Among the crowd were concerned residents, public officials, faith leaders, and Michiganders from across the state. 

Melody Karr was one of the many protestors picketing the building. She said she lives just an hour away from the detention facility that opened last year in Baldwin and has been to multiple demonstrations protesting it’s opening.

“We don’t need any more concentration camps in Michigan. Anybody that’s paying attention can see that we’re not concentrating on the worst of the worst, that they’re running rampant over our constitutional rights,” said Karr.

City officials say they oppose the detention center

The demonstration preceded the weekly City Council meeting, where a resolution opposing any detention center within city limits was unanimously passed. 

Following the vote, Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight said he and the city are doing everything they can to stop the development of an ICE detention facility. Citing his letter of opposition sent the previous week to ICE Director Todd Lyons and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, McCraight said a detention center would conflict with current zoning regulations and be too close to residential homes less than a quarter mile away.

McCraight said that, despite not hearing from any officials on the federal level since news broke, he would do what he could to prevent the plans from moving forward.

“While I’m sitting in this position as mayor, we will not issue a permit or certificate of occupancy for this structure unless we’re mandated by a federal judge,” said McCraight.

As the mayor spoke, demonstrators could be heard chanting outside the building. Only 49 of the protestors outside were let into the meeting due to safety codes set by the fire marshal. Those in attendance reiterated their opposition during public comment.

Residents urge more action

Dan Doyle lives less than a mile from the proposed detention center. He urged the city to do more to stop the plans.

“I’m requesting immediate action. Cut the utilities, condemn the building, demo it, take it under eminent domain, whatever you can do. Make it impossible for them to use our neighborhood for these concentration camps,” said Doyle. “This will not be solved by a harshly worded letter or a resolution. We need action.”

Outside in the bitter cold, protestors continued their picket at city hall. Darrin Camilleri, who represents Romulus as a member of the Michigan Senate, was one of many public officials who came to support demonstrators. So far, Camilleri has been one of the only state legislators to reach out to Romulus officials after the plans for a detention center went public. He said he has been working with the city to uncover details about the building purchased by ICE.

“We know that an auto supplier, they put a bid in to buy this building, but ICE came in and outbid the auto supplier. So the Trump administration is literally taking away American jobs from our community that would love an opportunity like that,” said Camilleri. “Now we’re getting stuck with a detention center that no one wants, and it’s down the street from where people live. It’s down the street from where kids go to school.”

The building, located at 7525 Cogswell Street, was previously owned by the real estate investment firm Crestlight Capital. John Coury, managing partner at the firm, said he can’t disclose the selling price or the specific agency the building was sold to due to a signed non-disclosure agreement, according to reporting from Crain’s Detroit Business.

Pattern of quiet-buying

Secrecy surrounding these purchases aren’t unique to Romulus, either. In Social Circle, Georgia, officials were blindsided when they heard of plans to convert a warehouse in the city into a detention center. The previous owner of the warehouse, a commercial real estate firm called PNK Group, said they signed an NDA and couldn’t disclose any information to the city or residents. One month later, a deed for the warehouse was obtained that showed the federal government paid over $100 million more than the most recently assessed price.

When asked by WDET if the Romulus warehouse was purchased for an inflated price compared to the 2025 assessed value of $6,988,500, Crestlight Capital did not respond for comment.

At the time of writing, the city of Romulus has not received any documents indicating how much the property was purchased for.

Southfield ICE offices

Earlier this month, the city released a statement saying offices in Southfield’s One Towne Square were to be leased by the US General Services Administration (GSA) to “support administrative and legal functions associated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” 

The statement aligns with reporting from last year that showed the GSA was working with ICE to acquire offices across the country to expand it’s operations

Statements from REDICO, the landlord of the office space, said the lease was with the GSA, not ICE, and “the lease explicitly prohibits any law enforcement, detention or similar activities to take place on the premises.” REDICO’s statement prompted the city to remove their statement on the purchase from its website.

When asked about the city’s removed statement, Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver said he has only heard from REDICO, not GSA or ICE, and the city doesn’t have authority to intervene in tenant/landlord issues as long as they are compliant with zoning laws.

Still, residents and lawmakers are on edge amid the confusion. During the Southfield City Council meeting that took place the same time as the Romulus demonstration, residents packed the building to speak out against any potential presence of ICE in the city.

Southfield resident Lauren Fink said the city still needs to do more to address the offices potentially used in association with ICE.

“I’ve seen statements intended to calm our anxieties about this office opening here in our own community, telling us that this office cannot house armed and uniformed agents,” said Fink. “There seems to be this idea that the work being done by people in offices like this is acceptable, but the work being done by the people they enable is not. That kind of attitude is what allows the horrors of an authoritarian regime to continue.”

Southfield City Council unanimously passed a resolution “affirming community safety, civil rights, and local policy” during the meeting. The resolution does not mention the lease with GSA or the planned office.

A call for community action

Following the possible expansion of ICE in the metro Detroit area, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib released a statement condemning the encroachment and urging more collective action from the community.

“Across the country, people are coming together and fighting to prevent this massive expansion of ICE’s network of abuse and cruelty. We must organize and use every tool at our disposal to keep ICE out of our neighborhoods,” said Tlaib.

The Southfield office and planned detention center in Romulus come as the Trump administration massively increases the budget for ICE and plans on spending $38.3 billion to turn warehouses across the country into detention centers. Both actions have been made possible through last year’s passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has allocated billions of federal funds for the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.

What does it take to start over?

For thousands of people leaving Michigan prisons every year, it can come down to one piece of plastic: A photo ID.

This month, the Michigan Department of Corrections hit a milestone, having distributed thirty thousand government-issued IDs to incarcerated people since 2020.

That matters, because without an ID, you can’t get a job, sign a lease, open a bank account — you can’t even prove you’re you.

One in five people who leave Michigan prisons end up going back. The state says that’s the lowest it’s ever been. But what does a second chance actually look like when you walk out the door with so little?

Rick Speck knows this firsthand. He was released in 2014 after 15 years in prison. He didn’t have an ID. Now, he’s the deputy director of Nation Outside — a Michigan reentry nonprofit run by those who were formerly incarcerated.

He spoke with Robyn Vincent about his experiences and what our state and culture would look like if we believed more deeply in second chances.

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

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When someone is in distress, who should respond to the call for help? Police officers or social workers?

After the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement, police departments reformed. Throughout the country and around Michigan, police hired mental health professionals — or co-responders — to respond to 911 calls, alone or with cops. 

Now, the question of who should take the lead on distress calls has become all the more pressing. Last month, this query was thrust into the public eye once again. That’s when Ypsilanti residents became upset after a SWAT team had a 30-hour standoff with someone they say was experiencing a mental health crisis. 

Hillary Nusbaum is a co-responder supervisor for the Oakland Community Health Network. Her organization partners with Oakland County police departments by having co-responders work alongside police officers. 

Producer Sam Corey spoke with Nusbaum about what a co-responder does and when they should be called to take action on a 911 call. 

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

In her final State of the State address, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will discuss the next phase of her administration’s agenda, reflecting on progress made over the past seven years and describing what comes next. Her focus will include strengthening employment opportunities, easing financial pressures for residents, maintaining strong support for education and literacy, expanding housing development, and pursuing additional priorities moving forward.

Watch live at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25

What to expect as President Trump delivers the State of the Union address

Tonight, President Trump is scheduled to deliver his first State of the Union address since returning to the White House last year.

As the administration faces challenges on several fronts, including Iranian relations and tariffs, the speech is expected to outline the president’s agenda ahead of the midterm elections.

The address is set to begin around 9 p.m., though the exact length is unknown. Trump’s previous State of the Union lasted more than 90 minutes, making it the longest such address in the past 60 years.

While the Constitution requires the president to deliver a State of the Union “from time to time,” this year’s address comes at a pivotal moment for Republicans as they look to maintain control of both chambers of Congress in November. According to NPR, the party that holds the White House has typically lost about 27 House seats and four Senate seats in midterms since World War II. A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that six in 10 Americans believe the country is in a worse position than it was a year ago.

Watch live at 9 p.m. 

Immigration and enforcement under scrutiny

Immigration is expected to be a central focus. The Department of Homeland Security remains in a partial shutdown as Congress continues to debate funding, though enforcement operations have continued.

The Trump administration has said it aims to remove undocumented immigrants who have committed acts of violence. Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about ICE tactics, particularly after agent involved shootings that killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good last month.

At least six additional detainees have died in ICE custody since the start of the year, according to The Guardian.

Tariffs, trade and the courts

Tariffs are also likely to feature prominently. The address comes after the Supreme Court reversed tariffs signed through executive orders. Following that decision, Trump announced plans to impose a 10 percent ad valorem tariff on most nations by invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, with exceptions for certain minerals, fertilizers and agricultural products.

According to NPR, a majority of Americans believe the tariffs could hurt the economy more than strengthen manufacturing. Trump has dismissed affordability concerns, calling them a “hoax” promoted by Democrats.

Foreign policy and rising tensions

Foreign policy is another expected topic, particularly U.S. relations with Iran. Trump has continued to pressure Iran to dismantle its nuclear weapons program and has not ruled out the potential use of force.

Human Rights Activists News Agency reports more than 6,800 protesters have been killed since December, while the United Nations has suggested the total could exceed 20,000, according to Al Jazeera.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said last week that global powers are attempting to pressure the country but vowed Iran would not “bow our heads,” according to Reuters.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine has warned that military strikes against Iran could draw the United States into a prolonged conflict, according to the BBC.

Democratic response

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to deliver the Democratic rebuttal, outlining her party’s priorities ahead of the midterms. Sen. Alex Padilla will also give a Spanish-language response.

Several Democratic lawmakers have said they plan to skip the address and instead attend a counter rally known as the “People’s State of the Union.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has encouraged Democrats to remain silent during the speech as a form of protest.

On Wednesday, the Great Lakes Water Authority will vote on a nearly 7% water rate increase and a 6% sewer increase.

Last year, GLWA proposed an even bigger hike — close to 8% for water — but public testimony at the hearing pushed the board to lower it. Wednesday’s hearing is another chance for residents to weigh in. What’s driving these increases — and why does water keep getting more expensive?

Suzanne Coffey is CEO of the Great Lakes Water Authority or GLWA. She spoke with The Metro‘s Robyn Vincent.

On The Metro, we also spoke about GLWA rate hikes — and why utility costs are rising — with Nick Schroek, dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. You can listen to that conversation here.

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

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More stories from The Metro

A Dearborn father, Abdelouahid Aouchiche was detained on Oct. 6 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside Masjid Al-Furqan in Detroit, on his way to the pre-dawn Fajr prayer with his son and others.

Aouchiche’s wife Lorenda Lewis says he sent his son inside the mosque, and instructed him to call his mother to pick him up. 

“When I went to pick Abdullah up, he was outside by himself, and he said he hadn’t seen his father. He doesn’t know where he is. And then I realized they were parked over to the side, and they let the window down so that the kids can see him for the last time,” she shares.

Aouchiche was taken to the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, which houses over 1,400 people.

Lewis says it’s been a struggle to visit the facility, due to frequently changing policies, visitation times, and the 4 hour drive. She says the policies discourage you from visiting.

“It will alternate one hour for one week and three hours for the following week. So you will have to get up four o’clock in the morning to be there on time, because if you got there by a certain time… you were not allowed to visit,” she explains. 

Concerns of mistreatment at the facility 

In December, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), who is a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, visited the facility, noting its dire conditions.

Tlaib’s office says they received multiple reports, “including frigid temperatures, inadequate food, unsanitary facilities, difficulties accessing attorneys and loved ones, translation and communication issues, and problems obtaining medical care.”

After the visitation, Tlaib released a statement in which she says,  “I am fighting for the freedom and dignity of every immigrant, asylum seeker, and refugee who calls our country home.” 

A family separated

Aouchiche and Lewis share four children, between the ages of 6 and 12. 

Lewis says the current policies do not allow more than four visitors total in a day. With the kids being minors, they were not all able to go back to see their father together.

“But because there’s only four people, and they’re under 18, they could not go back there alone. So I was the only one that can go back there,” she says. 

Lewis says she is concerned about the conditions at the facility.

“They don’t have blankets. They have like a sweater type, something that they sleep with… the heat is horrible and it’s wintertime, but they don’t even have a blanket to sleep with,” she shares. 

Lack of religious accommodations 

Lewis says her husband was not receiving halal food in the beginning—only eating peanut butter, rice, and noodles. Since then, halal food has been provided, she says.

She says she’s also concerned for Muslims who observe fasting and worship during the month of Ramadan, which began Tuesday night. 

“Only in this one pod where he is there are over 300 Muslims… he said they have 12 prayer rugs and no Qurans,” she says. 

She says she’s also concerned whether people will be able to eat a pre-dawn meal to begin fasting, and the meal at sunset to break fast.

“Are they going to accommodate the Muslims getting up four or five o’clock in the morning so that they can eat breakfast at that time and then having suhur, and then having iftar when it’s time to break fast? With the way that they’re doing things, I’m not really sure,” she shares.

Community steps up to support the family 

Lewis says her husband’s detention has put a huge strain on her family.

“Something like this happened all of a sudden, with uncertainty, has taken a lot on my family, the children are having their father around. He paid most of the bills, so now I have to make sure that I work double time and put in extra hours so that I can pay the bills that he was paying,” she says. 

She may have to get a second job to provide for her family, something Lewis says will be difficult in her line of work as a doula.

Community members have put together a GoFundMe to help the family get on their feet. Lewis says she’s grateful people are stepping up to help, but she’s concerned about the funds running out. 

Lewis is also concerned about the mistreatment of others held at the North Lake Detention Facility in Baldwin. She says some people have no one to visit. Lewis says there are efforts to organize bilingual or multilingual volunteers to visit through a team at the Islamic Center of East Lansing by emailing info@lansingislam.com. 

Lewis says she’s leaning on her faith to get her through this time, during the spiritual month of Ramadan and prayer. 

She says there needs to be policy changes in the facility. 

“Their policies need to change, the visitation needs to change… we are not criminals. The detainees there are not criminals, and we’re being treated and our families are being treated like criminals and that needs to stop,” she says. 

Since conducting this interview late last week, Abdelouahid Aouchiche was transferred to Louisiana over the weekend and has since been moved to Texas.