ICE to use administrative office space in Southfield, city says

The City of Southfield says the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will use office space in its Metro Detroit community. 

The U.S. General Services Administration has executed a lease for office space at Oakland Towne Square, according to a city press release issued late Wednesday. The office complex is near the Lodge Freeway and Interstate 696. 

The space will be used to support administrative and legal functions on behalf of ICE. Southfield officials said they were also informed that ICE enforcement officers will not operate out of that location. 

City officials said that Oakland Towne Square is a privately owned commercial property, zoned for general office use. The city does not have the authority to allow or reject specific tenants as long as the proposed use itself follows zoning and regulatory rules. 

"The City recognizes that residents may have questions regarding this development. The City of Southfield remains committed to transparency, factual communication, and ensuring the community understands the scope of municipal authority in matters involving private commercial property," city officials said. 

Southfield-based REDICO, which is the property's landlord, issued a statement, saying in part: 

"REDICO has a longstanding relationship with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which leases space in several of our Class-A commercial properties across the country for office and administrative use only. 

Last month, REDICO signed a new lease agreement with the United States of America, by and through the GSA, for "general office use only" at a commercial office building in Southfield, Michigan. The terms of this lease allow GSA to utilize the space for any of its departments.

However, the lease explicitly prohibits any law enforcement, detention or similar activities to take place on the premises. Any suggestion that the space is being leased by ICE, or used for purposes other than administrative office functions, is inaccurate."

In response to the circumstances, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan's District 12 issued a statement. The Democratic representative's district includes Southfield.

"ICE has no place in Michigan. This is an unaccountable and violent agency that terrorizes and brutalizes our communities every day," Tlaib said. "We have all watched as ICE agents execute American citizens in broad daylight and detain and deport our immigrant neighbors with no regard for their wellbeing, right to due process, or the myriad other laws and court orders restricting their illegal operations. ICE is now attempting to expand its unwanted presence in Southeast Michigan, with a new office building lease with REDICO in Southfield to intensify their operations against our communities and a new warehouse jail in Romulus to cage hundreds of our neighbors in unsafe conditions. Across the country, people are coming together and fighting to prevent this massive expansion of ICE's network of abuse and cruelty. We must organize and use every tool at our disposal to keep ICE out of our neighborhoods. I will continue working hand in hand with advocates to protect our communities from ICE."

The increased activities of ICE across the country under the current Trump administration have attracted much attention.  

Congressional lawmakers are currently stalled out on Department of Homeland Security funding, the last piece that needs to be settled for the current federal budget cycle. Immigration enforcement would continue for the immediate future, even if the DHS budget technically runs out, as the agency received additional funds last year through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

In Metro Detroit, students at several Southeast Michigan high schools have led or participated in walkouts in recent days to protest recent ICE activities.  

And Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced during an ICE Response Roundtable panel discussion she hosted in Detroit that the state AG office has set up an online portal specifically to collect reports of immigration actions in the state.