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Many free speech advocates are alarmed as the Trump administration revokes visas for hundreds of international students. Those students could face deportation for committing traffic violations or participating in political activism. 

In both circumstances, this kind of federal action is rare. Students are always at risk of losing their status for criminal convictions, but rarely for political demonstrations. 

People working in the Trump administration, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, say student activists do not have a right to be here. He claims students have been “vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus,” and that international students who “start a riot” will have their visas revoked. 

It is unclear whether any students who have lost their visas have been charged with starting a riot. And so, this has many people worried about crackdowns on free speech and the broader implications for all Americans, including Amir Makled. 

Makled is a civil rights attorney representing a University of Michigan protester pro bono. That protester faces criminal charges filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for allegedly defying law enforcement. 

On Sunday, Makled was detained for two hours by federal agents at Detroit Metro Airport after returning from a trip to the Dominican Republic with his wife and two daughters. 

Makled said immigration officials told him they knew he was an attorney and that he takes on “high profile” cases. They wanted access to his cell phone.

Just last month, Makled appeared on The Metro to explain why he is representing a pro-Palestine protester pro bono. This week, he returned to the show to discuss what he experienced during his detainment at Detroit Metro Airport.

The Metro contacted the regional U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, which was involved in the detainment of Makled. The agency has not yet replied to that request.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 9:

• Increased concerns with measles on the rise
• Changes underway on Monroe Street in Greektown
• Local impact of federal cuts to libraries and museums

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Greektown Neighborhood Partnership is working on a “Monroe Streetscape Transformation Project.” 

The project would allow the partnership to occasionally close down certain streets to cars and make them more people-friendly. Some of these changes include expanding pedestrian zones, large landscaping projects, increasing lighting for visibility and new signature signage. 

Greektown Neighborhood Partnership Chair and President Athina Papas joined The Metro to discuss the changes coming to downtown. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 9:

• Attorney representing pro-Palestine protestor detained at Detroit Metro Airport
• Increased concerns with measles on the rise
• Local impact of federal cuts to libraries and museums

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is going away. It’s been the story for businesses and colleges in America over the last month. 

With pressure from the Trump administration and from the U.S. Department of Education, the University of Michigan and a number of other universities have removed their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices. 

But it’s not just the White House that doesn’t like DEI. It’s been criticized by some professors, students and public commentators as well.

Metro Producer Sam Corey sat down with two professors to understand how DEI programs work and what could happen as they go away. Robert Sellers is a professor of psychology and education, and the first chief diversity officer at the University of Michigan. Stacy Hawkins is a Rutgers professor, diversity consultant and DEI expert. 

The Metro has reached out to several University of Michigan regents who helped usher in the end of DEI practices and programming. We are still waiting to hear back from those state-wide elected officials. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Monday, April 7:

• Mallory McMorrow wants to bring a new generation to the US Senate
• Curbing the impulse to buy more stuff
• Former Sleeping Bear Dunes superintendent warns of cuts to national parks, public lands

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

For a good chunk of the 20th century, railcars took Detroiters from point A to point B. 

Along Gratiot and Grand River, people didn’t even own cars. They were too expensive, but there was also no reason to because streetcars crisscrossed Detroit and even went out to places like Port Huron and Ann Arbor. 

In 2025, new cars are really expensive, car insurance is very costly, and public transit is worse today than it was 100 years ago. Today on The Metro, we’re looking at the history and future of public transit in the Motor City. 

Guests: 

• Robert Pfaff: A professor of community and regional planning at Iowa State University. He wrote his dissertation at the University of Michigan about the history of Detroit’s streetcar system.
• Robert Cramer: Director of Detroit’s Department of Transportation. 

We also asked listeners:

“What would convince you to take public transit in Detroit? How fast, how convenient, do the buses or the Q-Line — or some kind of rail system — need to be for you to take it?”

Christina in Detroit said: “I believe in the last four years (public transit is) getting better. Is it the greatest thing in the world, the greatest thing since, like sliced bread? No. But I also think that there is strides, especially with Kramer involved, coming from Detroit People Mover to D-DOT tells me there’s gonna be a lot of changes.” 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro on March 26, 2025:

• Mayor Mike Duggan gave his last State of City address last night. He touted his accomplishments and his work to build coalitions. We talked to WDET Senior News Editor Quinn Klinefelter about the speech. 
• The Department of Education does a lot of things to support college students. One of its primary functions WAS to administer federal student loans and payment plans for college students and graduates, pograms that help make college accessible for students of all income levels. Michelle Zampini is the Senior Director of College Affordability for The Institute of College Access & Success. She joins the show to talk about what student loans and repayments could look like under the Trump Administration. 

• WDET’s Ryan Patrick Hooper talked with Detroit Symphony Orchestra president Erik Ronmark about the release of “Blues Symphony” via Third Man Records. This interview first aired on In The Groove.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Gas and electricity just seem to be getting more and more expensive, and they could keep going up because of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs. 

Last month, Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Then he raised tariffs on China. He then excused tariffs on U.S. automakers, plus some other Canadian and Mexican goods.

But that’s not the end of the story, because our trading partners are still retaliating. China announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agriculture exports that will hurt farmers in Michigan.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced that the province will charge 25% more for its electricity, which 1.5 million Americans use, including here in Michigan.

Dan Scripps, chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission — which regulates utilities including gas and electricity — joined The Metro on Tuesday to help us understand how much gas and electricity prices might increase as a result of the tariffs. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.