Faith leaders, community organizers and civil rights advocates will rally outside of Southfield’s Target store tomorrow April 12, according to nonprofit organization Michigan United Action.

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The rally is in response to the Target Corporation reversing its commitment to diversity equity and inclusion measures.

The Minneapolis-based retailer said the changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy would include ending a program it established to help Black employees build meaningful careers, improve the experience of Black shoppers and to promote Black-owned businesses following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people, said it already had planned to end the racial program this year.

The Trump administration has threatened to cut off funding to organizations and corporations like Target to put pressure on abandon DEI initiatives.

Since Target’s decision to reverse course, the retailer has faced decreased stock prices and declining foot traffic.

–Associated Press writer Anne D’Innocenzio contributed to this report.

Other headlines for Friday, April 11, 2025:

• Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is set to deliver his second State of the City address on April 15 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. 
  
• Nonprofit group Focus Hope is giving away free fresh food boxes on select Saturdays. All Wayne County residents are eligible to pick up a box of fresh food, which include halal chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables, condiments and more.
• Spot Lite Detroit is hosting an event featuring live performances and DJ sets from Arab artists in metro Detroit this Saturday.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

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Many free speech advocates are alarmed as the Trump administration revokes visas for hundreds of international students. Those students could face deportation for committing traffic violations or participating in political activism. 

In both circumstances, this kind of federal action is rare. Students are always at risk of losing their status for criminal convictions, but rarely for political demonstrations. 

People working in the Trump administration, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, say student activists do not have a right to be here. He claims students have been “vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus,” and that international students who “start a riot” will have their visas revoked. 

It is unclear whether any students who have lost their visas have been charged with starting a riot. And so, this has many people worried about crackdowns on free speech and the broader implications for all Americans, including Amir Makled. 

Makled is a civil rights attorney representing a University of Michigan protester pro bono. That protester faces criminal charges filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for allegedly defying law enforcement. 

On Sunday, Makled was detained for two hours by federal agents at Detroit Metro Airport after returning from a trip to the Dominican Republic with his wife and two daughters. 

Makled said immigration officials told him they knew he was an attorney and that he takes on “high profile” cases. They wanted access to his cell phone.

Just last month, Makled appeared on The Metro to explain why he is representing a pro-Palestine protester pro bono. This week, he returned to the show to discuss what he experienced during his detainment at Detroit Metro Airport.

The Metro contacted the regional U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, which was involved in the detainment of Makled. The agency has not yet replied to that request.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 9:

• Increased concerns with measles on the rise
• Changes underway on Monroe Street in Greektown
• Local impact of federal cuts to libraries and museums

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

Several thousand protesters — unhappy with the Trump administration’s cuts to federal employees, mass deportations, and tariffs — marched down Woodward Avenue from the Detroit Institute of Arts to Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.  

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More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations were planned across the country by more than 150 groups, with thousands gathering at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston and other major cities.

In Michigan, there were protests held across the state, including in Troy, Ferndale, Wyandotte, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Marquette and other communities.  

Protester Aisha Banks, who splits her time between homes in Detroit, Colombia and Panama, says the president’s policies have hurt America’s standing as a global leader. 

“This is the worst thing. It’s disastrous for the country as well as for the world,” she said. “It’s going to affect everyone, not just the United States, but everyone all over the world.”

The protest drew concerned citizens across generations. Patynn Johnson is a 10th grade student from Marygrove High School. She says now is not the time for her young people to be silent.

“My mama taught me, if somebody’s doing this to you, say something back. Speak out. You can’t just be quiet, because nothing’s gonna happen.”

When asked about the demonstrations, the White House said in a statement that Trump will always protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

–Reporting by Russ McNamara, WDET. The Associated Press contributed.

More headlines for Monday, April 7, 2025:

• The Embassy of Bangladesh is hosting a two-day mobile consular service event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 12-13, at the Al Ihsan Islamic Center in Warren, organized by the Bangladesh Society of Michigan. The event will offer services including issuance of the No Visa Required (NVR) seal, biometric enrollments for e-passports, and power of attorney services. No appointments required.
• The city of Detroit Construction and Demolition Department kicked off “Detroit Demo Week” on Monday, with events planned throughout the week aimed at fostering engagement and support for the city’s ongoing efforts to remove blight.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) awarded $8 million to 20 organizations to build Healthy Community Zones in several counties, including in the city of Detroit. The funding — from the Michigan Racial Disparities Task Force — is aimed to encourage community-led solutions for reducing racial disparities in chronic disease awareness and resources.
• The nonprofit Rising Voices is hosting a virtual community briefing from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 15, to educate people about the “Alien Land Law” bills. The organization says the bills “are rooted in anti-Chinese, anti-Asian, and anti-immigrant sentiments,” which allegedly are being branded as “national security” concerns.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.