The Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) does not have contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but that doesn’t mean deportation flights won’t continue out of Willow Run Airport.

Chad Newtown, CEO of the Wayne County Airport Authority told attendees at the WCAA board of director’s meeting last week that ICE operations in and out of Willow Run Airport are between airline carriers and the federal agency.

Responding to questions from the public and media about whether the WCAA has contracts with ICE, Newton said the WCAA does not have any direct agreements with ICE.

“The [Wayne County Airport Authority] does not have any involvement in the agreements between airlines and their partners, including federal agencies, as long as those agreements meet legal and safety requirements.”

In 2025, there were over 150 flights in and out of Willow Run Airport, according to reporting from the Detroit News.

Can the Wayne County Airport Authority interfere with ICE operations?

The Wayne County Airport Authority, which operates Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Willow Run Airport, does not receive any tax support, but it does receive federal funding for capital projects.

That means it must make the airport publicly available to airline carriers without discrimination of flights they service, including federal agencies.

Who runs the Wayne County Airport Authority?

The Wayne County Airport Authority is an independent, governmental entity that has an appointed board of directors. The appointments are made by elected officials:

• Wayne County Executive (4)
• Governor (2)
• Wayne County Commission (1)

Noah Kincade, coordinator for Detroit Documenters by Outlier Media, joined The Metro to discuss the recent Wayne County Airport Authority meeting.

Shiva Shahmir is a Detroit Documenter who attended that meeting and contributed to this story.

The next Wayne County Airport Authority board of directors meeting is February 18, 2026.

Detroit Documenters by Outlier Media trains and pays citizens to attend public meetings and monitor local government and elected officials.

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

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At the end of 2025, a commitment to getting a new economic development plan out of the Legislature was halted. In this episode MichMash, Bridge Michigan’s business reporter Paula Gardner joins Cheyna Roth and Alethia Kasben to discuss economic development incentives and if they are helping to attract Michigan businesses.

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Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.  A large group protesting the results of the 2020 election— claiming Joe Biden’s win was fraudulent—broke into the capitol building, destroying property, assaulting officers, and threatening elected officials. 

The events of January 6 resulted in several deaths and over a thousand arrests.

President Donald Trump pardoned most insurrectionists when reentering office in the past year, saying that the Biden administration over-prosecuted the group.

Melissa Nann-Burke was the Washington Bureau Chief for the Detroit News at that time of the insurrection.  She was working in the House chamber on January 6 and witnessed events from the inside. 

She spoke with WDET’s Jake Neher about it later that week on MichMash.

Congresswoman Haley Stevens is vying for the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in a highly contested field. In this episode of MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben sit down with the representative to see what makes her different from her opponents. 

In this episode:

• What sets Haley Stevens apart from the other candidates for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat?
• What issues are currently affecting Michigan residents?

Correction: Congresswoman Haley Stevens is endorsed by the Mayor of Highland Park, not Hamtramck.

Overview

Stevens is often compared to other established Democrats like U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell or even Governor Gretchen Whitmer. These comparisons are sometimes used to present Stevens as out of touch with the new generation of politics. Stevens says the focus should be more on meeting the needs of Michigan residents.

“I was Michigan’s first millennial to the United States House of Representatives. I’m not an ageist. I think the goal is representing all of Michigan and getting results for Michiganders.” 

She also stated that leaders like Gov. Whitmer’s popularity alongside her own ability to get things done should be embodied.  

Stevens also addressed the comparison with her fellow Democrat opponent Mallory McMorrow, and how they seemingly appeal to the same voters.

“I think poll after poll shows I’m the only Democrat who can beat (Republican opponent) Mike Rogers,”she said. “We need a dogged advocate for Michigan. And I think some of the unique attributes that I bring to this race for the United States Senate is that I am Michigan’s workhorse.” 

The election for the open Michigan U.S. Senate seat is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.  

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