Lansing, MI – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a sweeping federal records request seeking transparency surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s planned detention facility in Romulus.
In a March 4 FOIA request to officials within ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, Nessel demanded documents related to the federal government’s purchase of a warehouse at 7525 Cogswell Street in Romulus, which ICE intends to convert into an immigration detention center.
The Attorney General said the request was filed due to what she described as a lack of transparency surrounding the project, including concerns about floodplain issues, environmental impacts, and the absence of coordination with state and local officials. The FOIA request seeks records covering the warehouse purchase, communications between federal agencies and local governments, environmental and engineering studies, construction proposals, and the projected timeline for when the facility could begin operating.
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Nessel is also requesting documents explaining why ICE selected the Romulus location, as well as records related to a separate property in Detroit that was reportedly considered as an alternative site. Additional requests seek information about the expected detainee population, including the age ranges of individuals who may be housed at the facility.
The Attorney General asked federal officials to expedite the records request, arguing the issue has generated widespread public attention and raises significant questions about how the project was approved and whether federal agencies complied with environmental and regulatory requirements.
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