Federal government abandons Romulus warehouse detention center

The federal government will not convert a Romulus warehouse into an immigration detention center. The Department of Homeland Security now plans to sell the property, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

ICE purchased the warehouse at 7525 Cogswell Street in February for $34.7 million. The agency intended to transform the quarter-million-square-foot building into a detention facility capable of housing hundreds of immigrants. The plan sparked immediate outrage from residents, local officials, and community activists.

"Romulus simply was not and never would be the appropriate place for a large-scale detention center."

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel

The lawsuit that changed the course

Nessel and the city of Romulus filed a lawsuit against ICE and DHS on March 24. The complaint alleged multiple problems with the project.

  • The warehouse sits within a mile of an elementary school and a middle school
  • The property borders residential neighborhoods and wetlands
  • The site is located in a floodplain that flooded as recently as last year
  • The building lacked adequate sewer capacity and restroom facilities for approximately 500 detainees and staff members
  • ICE and DHS failed to follow required environmental review processes under the National Environmental Policy Act

The lawsuit claimed the agencies violated federal law by not evaluating alternative detention locations, such as existing prisons or jails.

"My office will keep this lawsuit active until we have a signed agreement committing that DHS and ICE will never use this Romulus warehouse as a detention center and will list the property for sale," Nessel said.

DHS pivots to existing detention space

A DHS spokesperson said the agency is shifting its strategy.

"From day one, DHS has remained singularly focused on removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from the United States and is always evaluating the best methods to do so. These heinous criminals, once arrested, should be removed at lightning speed, not housed on American soil at the taxpayer's expense. DHS is moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners."

According to internal documents obtained by the New York Times, DHS plans to sell seven of the 11 warehouses it purchased nationwide for planned detention centers. The agency spent a total of $700 million on those properties. Lawsuits in Michigan, Maryland, and New Jersey have set the detention center plans "back significantly," the Times reported.

Romulus residents say the decision brings relief

Neighbors who live near the warehouse expressed relief at the announcement.

Debra Singal, who has lived in the area for decades, said a prison-sized facility next door would have harmed the community.

"This is not the place to do this type of thing," Singal said. "I feel like I can breathe."

Another neighbor, Sabrina Jatta, echoed the sentiment.

"I know there's a place for everything, but that wasn't the place," Jatta said. "That building was not equipped for them to put people, humans in that building."

Protests drew hundreds during the fight

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Romulus City Hall on February 23, waving anti-ICE signs and speaking out against the detention center plan. About 40 residents stood inside a Romulus City Council meeting to voice their opposition.

"What I've seen the past couple months on television has turned my stomach," councilmember William Wadsworth said at the meeting. "They're shoving the detention center down our throat. And it's wrong."

Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight said the city never received formal written notice of ICE's plans before the purchase.

"Everything's been radio silent," McCraight said at a February 23 meeting.

State and federal leaders weigh in

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer praised the outcome.

"The proposed ICE detention center in Romulus was widely opposed by the local communities. I commend the efforts of Attorney General Nessel, Romulus Mayor McCraight, and our state and federal lawmakers for putting a stop to this facility and ensuring Michiganders have a say in what happens in their own backyards."

Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II added:

"Our first responsibility as public servants is to protect Michiganders from any person, organization, or government that tries to bully them. The people of Romulus made it clear that an ICE detention facility was not welcomed."

Romulus Mayor McCraight released a statement thanking DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin for listening to local concerns.

"The City's position should not be confused with opposition to responsible enforcement of our country's laws. Instead, the facility's proximity to residential neighborhoods, schools, and wetlands made it the wrong location."

Melody Simmons, chairperson of the Coalition to Shut the Camps, said she remained "cautiously optimistic" about the decision.

"The reason Romulus was unbuildable is not because of the lawsuit," Simmons said. "It's the infrastructure, the contamination, the wetlands, the permits and service agreements that these officials control and the authorities they have run from."

What happens next

The lawsuit remains active. Nessel said the state will not close the case until a formal written agreement confirms that DHS and ICE will never use the Romulus warehouse as a detention center and that the property will be listed for sale.

ICE had initially projected the Romulus facility would generate 1,458 jobs, nearly $150 million in economic activity, and more than $33 million in tax revenue. Those projections now appear unlikely to materialize.