The federal lawsuit targets the County of Washtenaw, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Sheriff Alyshia M. Dyer, Prosecuting Attorney Eli Slavit, and their respective offices for policies that allegedly "promote aliens over citizens and obstruct the Executive's enforcement of our Nation's immigration laws." The complaint alleges the county's ban on cooperation with federal immigration authorities has resulted in the release of convicted criminals including those guilty of criminal sexual conduct with a child under thirteen, sexual assault, domestic violence, and DUI.
According to the Justice Department, Washtenaw County's failure to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests has endangered public safety and placed federal officers at risk. The agency said illegal aliens previously released from county custody without being transferred to ICE have attempted to flee from federal officers on foot and in vehicles, with at least one individual ramming federal vehicles in an escape attempt. "This chaos is entirely avoidable if Washtenaw County acted with common sense rather than political theater," the department stated.
The lawsuit seeks to compel Washtenaw County to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and cease policies that the Justice Department characterizes as obstructing lawful immigration enforcement. The complaint does not specify monetary damages but aims to force policy changes that would allow ICE detainer compliance and information sharing between local and federal law enforcement.
The Washtenaw County action represents the 15th sanctuary jurisdiction lawsuit filed by the Justice Department in the past year, joining cases against New York, Minnesota, Los Angeles, Boston, and New Jersey. The enforcement campaign reflects the Trump administration's renewed focus on eliminating sanctuary policies nationwide as part of what officials describe as efforts to reverse "Biden's open-border policies."
"Federal agents are risking their lives to keep Michigan citizens safe, and yet Washtenaw County's leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement," said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Counties may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals — Washtenaw's sanctuary policies will not stand."
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward indicated the enforcement efforts will continue beyond the current litigation. "Our efforts will not end until every sanctuary city's lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Executive's duty to take care over immigration matters ceases," Woodward said. The Justice Department has pledged to identify additional state and local laws and practices that allegedly facilitate violations of federal immigration laws.
The lawsuit underscores the renewed federal-state tensions over immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with sanctuary jurisdictions facing increasing legal pressure to modify policies that limit cooperation with ICE. Legal practitioners expect additional challenges to sanctuary policies as the administration continues its immigration enforcement crackdown.