DETROIT, MI: On Friday, November 14, 2025, Michiganders held a press call to share firsthand accounts of how the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda is harming immigrant children across the state. The call featured Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-06); Grace Rowley, Legislative Director for State Senator Mary Cavanagh (D-06); Dr. Keenan King, Executive Director of Kent School Services Network; Molly Huffaker, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center; Lauren, former refugee foster mom in Michigan; and Jennifer Vanegas, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.
Speakers detailed how the Trump administration’s policies are forcing families to make impossible decisions amidst constant fear and uncertainty. Children and families face the frightening specter of separation from their loved ones at every turn – from policies that force children to return to federal custody, to changes that allow immigration enforcement at schools and health clinics, to longer detentions and fewer releases for parents. Michiganders are experiencing lawless tactics by immigration agents, including the attempted detention of an unaccompanied child with a pending immigration case. Schools are doing their best to help prepare staff and inform families of district protocol in the case of enforcement actions on school grounds, and advocates encourage families to know their rights and prepare. State lawmakers are responding to the suffering of immigrant families with proposed legislation (SB 508, 509, 510) that would ensure basic safeguards are in place to uphold the rights of all Michigan residents.
“Senate Bills 508-510 would strengthen public safety, privacy rights, and dignity for the benefit of all Michigan residents,” said State Senator Stephanie Chang. “Policies that prioritize children’s wellbeing and keep families together strengthen our communities and economy for everyone. Our commonsense solutions aren’t just good for immigrant families – it’s good for all of us.”
“Public safety depends on trust. We can’t build safer communities if communities are too afraid to call for help, interact with the justice system, go to school, or seek care,” said Grace Rowley, Legislative Director for State Senator Mary Cavanagh. “These bills reaffirm Michigan’s commitment to transparency, accountability, human dignity, and due process guaranteed to all Michiganders.”
“Immigration policies [causing] fear that children will be removed from schools leads to a reluctance to attend school. This domino effect essentially creates conditions where the more kids don’t attend school, the more likely they are to become truant, the more likely we are to put them into more systems that then the state or the county and things like that are paying for. Kids not going to school is bad for business. It’s bad for our community and bad for our society, whether the fear is real or not real,” said Dr. Keenan King, Executive Director of Kent School Services Network.
“Since the beginning of this administration, we have seen attack after attack on children and families,” said Molly Huffaker, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “Children are children, regardless of their nationality, and our law and our values require us to act in their best interest. With fair and humane legislation, we can ensure their rights are upheld in the state of Michigan and bring peace of mind to frightened families.”
“My husband and I are former foster parents. Over the 6 years of fostering, we have cared for nearly 10 immigrant children, all of which were forcibly separated from their loving families. We know firsthand that this separation is horribly traumatizing and has lasting effects on these children and their families. All children deserve safety. They deserve the chance at an education. They deserve to go to church, places of worship, and receive medical attention without fear. If the federal government insists on trampling on their rights, then we need the state of Michigan to step up to protect them. ” said Lauren, former refugee foster mom in Michigan.
“This is not just a border story, this is a Michigan story.” said Jennifer Vanegas, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. “The government creates this impossible dilemma through actions that violate due process and the family’s fundamental right to stay together. No family, certainly no child, should be forced into that position. But for families, immigrant families in Michigan, this has become a regular reality.
Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) is a statewide legal resource center for Michigan’s immigrant communities that works to build a thriving Michigan where immigrant communities experience equity and belonging. MIRC’s work is rooted in three pillars: direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community engagement and education. michiganimmigrant.org