Romulus City Council unanimously opposes proposed ICE detention center

The Romulus City Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution that opposes the proposed ICE detention center.

Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight told CBS News Detroit on Monday that the goal of the resolution is to show that the city condemns the proposed facility. McCraight says they plan to take the matter to state leaders for support.  

The vote came after a heated moment between protesters and counter-protesters. Police were called to step in when there was shoving and punches being thrown.

The meeting comes one week after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it purchased a facility. A spokesperson told CBS News Detroit last week that "these will be very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards."  

Some residents spoke out on Monday, making sure their voices were heard.

"ICE claims they are making our communities safer, but we know that's a lie," said one resident during the meeting. "They seek to divide us, turn neighbor against neighbor and make us unsafe."

While many people are against the facility, others are in favor of it.

"People have not seen them do their job. If the rhetoric wasn't like this, our agents wouldn't be in danger and they wouldn't even need to be masked up," said protester George Butzow.

ICE says it is expected to bring 1,458 jobs to the area through the facility and just under $150 million in economic activity. The spokesperson also says they are projected to bring more than $33 million in tax revenue.