Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel continues her aggressive legal strategy against federal overreach and election fraud, with recent actions targeting both immigration enforcement and electoral integrity.
In March 2026, Nessel joined forces with Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight to file a federal lawsuit challenging the Department of Homeland Security's plans to convert a warehouse into an immigration detention center. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges the facility near Detroit Metro Airport lacks adequate space, health systems, and sanitation infrastructure to handle as many as 500 detainees simultaneously.
McCraight criticized the federal government's approach, noting that DHS never consulted with the city about its plans or addressed its concerns. The Romulus Mayor emphasized that the building was designed for industrial use and is situated in a flood plain, too close to residential neighborhoods while violating local zoning rules.
"In addition, this site is located approximately one mile from an elementary and middle schools," McCraight said. "In my opinion, DHS could not have picked a worse location."
Nessel invoked her legal authority to act when the federal administration behaves unlawfully and harms Michigan residents. The state argued that if the project moves forward, the city would face significant costs to manage additional traffic and security.
This lawsuit marks Nessel's 50th legal challenge to Trump administration policies. The Michigan Attorney General has become known for her confrontational approach to federal executive actions, particularly those related to immigration enforcement and election interference.
Separately, Nessel's office secured a significant conviction in the 2022 Michigan election fraud scheme. Willie Reed of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 2-20 years in prison after a Macomb County jury found him guilty of conducting a criminal enterprise and fraud.
Reed had defrauded multiple gubernatorial candidates during the 2022 primary election by submitting forged signatures. He was convicted of defrauding candidates James Craig, Perry Johnson, Michael Markey, and Ryan Kelly. Reed charged the campaigns $350,000 in total for signatures he claimed were valid, but knowingly delivered fake ones.
The Michigan Bureau of Elections initially caught the forgeries and referred the investigation to Nessel's office in 2022. Reed was convicted of multiple counts including:
- One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise
- Two counts of False Pretenses, $100,000 or more
- One count of False Pretenses, $50,000 to $100,000
- Three counts of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $20,000 or more
- One count of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $1,000 to $20,000
- One count of Larceny by Conversion, $1,000 to $20,000
- Three counts of Election Law Forgery
In addition to his prison sentence, Reed was ordered to pay $333,817 in restitution to the victim campaigns.
"The actions of the defendants deliberately undermined our electoral process and denied voters their choices in our primary," Nessel said of the conviction. "I hope this outcome serves as a deterrent to others who attempt to subvert our system. My department remains committed to defending the integrity of our elections and is pleased that Mr. Wilmoth and Mr. Reed will be held fully accountable for their fraudulent scheme."
The case highlights Nessel's continued focus on protecting Michigan's electoral system from fraud and manipulation. Her office has pursued numerous election-related investigations since taking office, positioning itself as a defender of voting integrity against both domestic and federal threats.
These latest actions demonstrate Nessel's dual strategy: challenging federal immigration enforcement through litigation while simultaneously prosecuting those who seek to undermine Michigan's elections through fraud. Both approaches align with her broader mission of protecting Michigan residents from policies and actors she views as harmful to the state's interests.
The immigration detention challenge could face resistance since the federal government is not required to follow local zoning rules. However, communities across the country have found various legal avenues to block ICE facility construction, with recent federal court orders pausing similar projects in Maryland and other states.
Nessel's election fraud convictions add to a growing list of prosecutions related to the 2022 election cycle. Her office has become increasingly active in pursuing criminal charges against individuals and organizations accused of attempting to manipulate Michigan's electoral outcomes.
With both federal and state-level legal challenges underway, Nessel's office remains a central player in Michigan's complex landscape of state-federal relations and election security efforts.