The government may be giving up on its efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion, but we sure aren’t. This week, we’re celebrating the Lunar New Year with our community, enjoying Bollywood-inspired high tea and learning about the Black-led legacy of dance music.

Plus, some underground events you won’t find anywhere else. Read on to learn more.

Celebrate traditions

The Detroit Association of Chinese Americans is hosting their 2025 Lunar New Year Community Fair at Eastern Market’s Shed 5 on Sunday, Feb. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests will welcome the Year of the Snake with cultural performances representing diverse Asian traditions, authentic foods, traditional crafts and fun for all ages. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

Detroit Shipping Company is hosting a Bollywood-inspired “afternoon and high tea” event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. This happy hour alternative will be hosted by food blogger Alina Alam, featuring stories from South Asian culture and traditional high tea refreshments like karak chai, Kashmiri pink tea, cookies and samosas. To register and learn more, visit @foodiesnapper on Instagram.

Get outside

From Friday, Jan. 31 through Sunday, Feb. 2, Winter Blast Royal Oak returns to Royal Oak City Center. This free community event features live music, ice skating, ice sculptures, a medieval village, a zip line, food trucks, family-friendly activities and more. To see the full lineup of events and get more information, visit winterblast.com.

On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Shiver on the River Eco Fair returns to Belle Isle. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be indoor and outdoor activities across the park including free caricature drawings, a magic show, ice carvings, winter birding and more. This event is free and open to all ages. Concessions will be available to purchase with cash. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required to enter Belle Isle. For more information, visit detroitriver.org.

See a show

This winter, Emagine Entertainment will be hosting their annual Winter Kids Film Series at all of their locations. This series features a different family-friendly film each week from Friday, Jan. 31 to Thursday, March 20, including ‘The Flintstones,’ ‘Cat in the Hat,’ ‘Babe’ and more. Tickets are $3 per person and concession packages are available for $5 each. For more information, visit emagine-entertainment.com.

Detroit Public Theatre’s next production is ‘Confederates,’ a story of two Black women living in America 160 years apart — Sara, an enslaved woman preparing herself to fight for the Union during the Civil War, and Sandra, a political science professor at an esteemed university fighting institutional racism. This searing and acclaimed play by Dominique Morisseau leaps back and forth in time to hold an unyielding lens to the racism and gender biases that plague America’s institutions to this day. Performances start on Thursday, Feb. 6 with two “pick your price” previews, after which general admission is $49. The show closes on March 16. For more information, visit detroitpublictheatre.org.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, legendary funk collective George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic will be performing at Sound Board at MotorCity Casino Hotel. Tickets start at $61 and all guests must be at least 21 years of age with valid photo ID. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. For more information, visit 313presents.com.

Get moving

On Friday Jan. 31, Spot Lite Detroit is transforming into a rave paradise for D.A.R.E. TO R.A.V.E. Guests are invited to come in your boldest, brightest rave/techno attire and lose yourself in the music, the energy and the movement. The only rule: Respect the dance floor and your fellow ravers. The party goes from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. featuring unforgettable beats from 2Lanes, Duck Trash, Huey Mnemonic, Miguel Cisne, Nick Dagher and Rebecca Goldberg. Tickets are $22. For more information, visit ra.co.

Also on Friday, Jan. 31, Job Stoppers Inc is putting on a fundraiser for The Future of Detroit Punk at UFO Bar in Detroit. There will be karaoke, vendors, raffles and more from 3-9 p.m., followed by a rave dance party until 2 a.m. For more information, visit @ufobardetroit on Instagram.

Learn about legacy

On Friday, Jan. 31, Spot Lite Detroit is hosting a Fireside Chat with John “Jammin” Collins and Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale as they discuss the rich history and profound impact of dance music in Detroit. This event is free to attend and goes from 6-9 p.m. Guests must be 21+. For more information, visit @spotlitedetroit on Instagram.

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said Thursday.

The search was ongoing for other casualties, but officials did not believe there were any other survivors, which would make it the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years.

“We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.“ We don’t believe there are any survivors.”

The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found.

“This morning we all share a profound sense of grief,” Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser said

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. There were multiple fatalities, according to a person familiar with the matter, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews hunted for any survivors.

Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the Wednesday collision, but all takeoffs and landings from the airport were halted as dive teams scoured the site and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in a methodical search for bodies.

Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane’s fuselage.

“We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a somber news conference at the airport in which she declined to say how many bodies had been recovered.

The person who told The Associated Press that there had been multiple deaths was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”

President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”

Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.

Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics. The Skating Club of Boston lists them as coaches and their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred before 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while on approach to an airport runway. It occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.

Investigators will try to piece together the aircrafts’ final moments before their collision, including contact with air traffic controllers as well as a loss of altitude by the passenger jet.

American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder. The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, manufactured in 2004, can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers.

A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National and the pilots said they were able. Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.

Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.

“I know that flight. I’ve flown it several times myself,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas. He said he expected that many people in Wichita would know people who were on the flight.

“This is a very personal circumstance,” he said.

The collision occurred on a warm winter evening in Washington, with temperatures registering as high as 60 degrees Fahrenheit, following a stretch days earlier of intense cold and ice. On Wednesday, the Potomac River was 36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts of up to 25 mph were possible in the area throughout the evening.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” for the crash and said the company was focused on the needs of passengers, crew, first responders and families and loved ones of those involved.

Some 300 first responders were on scene. Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River from a point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport, and first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the collision site. At least a half-dozen boats were scanning the water using searchlights.

“It’s a highly complex operation,” said D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. “The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders.”

The U.S. Army described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The helicopter was on a training flight. Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily-restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarization and continuity of government planning.

The crash is serving as a major test for two of the Trump administration’s newest agency leaders. Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the Army and the Defense Department. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said at a somber news conference at the airport early Thursday that his agency would provide all possible resources to the investigation.

The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo.

Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. The FAA has previously said it would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday.

Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city. Reagan National is a popular choice because it’s much closer than the larger Dulles International Airport, which is deeper in Virginia.

Depending on the runway being used, flights into Reagan can offer passengers spectacular views of landmarks like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. It’s a postcard-worthy welcome for tourists visiting the city.

The collision recalled the crash of an Air Florida flight that plummeted into the Potomac on January 13, 1982, that killed 78 people. That crash was attributed to bad weather.

Reporting by Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp and Eric Tucker, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Meg Kinnard, Chris Megerian and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.

In his first week in office, President Donald Trump issued executive orders aimed to reduce diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He and many other conservative voices have been critical of the programs. Some have even called them racist. 

Supporters of DEI initiatives argue the programming creates environments where all people regardless of their background can thrive. 

Today on The Metro, we’re taking a look at the future of DEI initiatives in the U.S. 

Guests: 

• Ella F. Washington: Organizational psychologist, professor of practice at Georgetown University, and the author of the book “Necessary Journey: Making Real Progress on Equity and Inclusion.”
• Rachael Allen: Co-founder of Centric Place, a co-working space and incubator for local entrepreneurs. 

We also asked listeners:

“Should diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives be shut down? Have they been effective?”

Adella in Detroit said: “So DEI in my perspective was needed due to exclusions of African Americans in corporate jobs. Hiring based on merit was not working.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Tomorrow’s question: What are you doing to reduce waste?

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app.

More stories from The Metro on Jan. 29, 2025: 

• Michigan’s gubernatorial race isn’t until November 2026, but several prominent politicians have already declared their candidacy. Bridge Michigan Reporter Simon Schuster returns to the show to help us breakdown Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s time in office and who could be Michigan’s next governor. 

• Legal scholar and University of Michigan law professor Michelle Adams joined the show discuss her new book, “The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North.” 

• Egg prices have soared across the country in recent months, with the average price of a dozen eggs in Michigan hovering at $5. Kevin Cotter, professor and chair of Wayne State University’s Department of Economics, joined the show to discuss what’s affecting the price of eggs, groceries and inflation more broadly. 

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a contentious confirmation hearing to become the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid, programs that affect tens of millions of Americans, or to provide details about how he would work to drive down health care costs.

Kennedy had faced a well-funded opposition campaign from Republicans and Democrats who highlighted his anti-vaccine rhetoric and support of abortion access. Democrats questioned his past remarks, while Republicans praised him for his ideas to reduce food additives and hopes to research a rise in diseases.

As President Donald Trump’s choice to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, he seemed to walk away with strong support from Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee to lead the department responsible for $1.7 trillion in federal spending.

Kennedy needs backing from most Republicans to land the job. And after the three-hour hearing Wednesday, the vote of Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who heads up the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee that Kennedy will sit before Thursday, seemed to be uncertain.

Kennedy had no answer for Cassidy, who asked the nominee to share plans for Medicaid reform, a multibillion-dollar taxpayer-funded program that covers health care for about 80 million people, including children. Republicans have said they might need to make deep cuts to Medicaid to fund Trump’s proposals.

After Cassidy pressed him several times, Kennedy finally replied, “I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program.”

He went on to misstate how the biggest programs at the agency work, eliciting corrections from senators throughout the hearing. Medicaid, he wrongly said, is fully paid for by the federal government — it’s not; states and federal taxpayers fund it. Later, he talked about Medicaid’s “high premiums and high deductibles,” although the virtually-free program has neither. He appeared confused about questions on the hundreds of community health clinics the agency funds in cities across the country or the role it plays in a federal law that mandates emergency rooms to stabilize anyone who presents at their facility.

And on some of the most controversial questions — like his plans for abortion — he deferred to Trump. Kennedy, a longtime Democrat, had previously said during his failed presidential bid that he supported access to abortion but on Wednesday he said that every abortion is a “tragedy.”

Views on vaccines still the biggest issue for Democrats

Kennedy tried to assure senators that he supports childhood vaccines, pointing out that his children are vaccinated. “I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care,” Kennedy told the committee.

Republicans didn’t ask about Kennedy’s views on vaccines. Democrats, though, repeatedly brought up previous remarks or evidence that Kennedy has discouraged their use. The accusations often led to a terse back-and-forth and outbursts from the audience.

Democrats also pointed to Kennedy’s writings, podcast appearances and other comments to show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories and unproven alternative remedies, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado pressed Kennedy over controversial and false claims he’s made about COVID-19, pesticides and AIDS. Kennedy acknowledged some of the statements and denied others.

Bennet retorted, “This is a job where it is life and death for the kids that I used to work with in Denver public schools and for families all over this country that are suffering.”

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, said he endorsed Kennedy’s slogan, “Make America Healthy Again” but the comity stopped there. He accused Kennedy of being hypocritical over his vaccine views. To prove his point, Sanders displayed a photo of baby onesies that say “Unvaxxed Unafraid” selling on the website of the Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy group that Kennedy headed up until recently.

Kennedy said he had nothing to do with the product, and pointed out he is no longer with the group.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., repeatedly asked Kennedy if he would agree to not collect money off lawsuits against drugmakers after disclosing in ethics filings that he would continue to collect legal fees from a lawsuit against Merck, over Gardasil, its human papillomavirus vaccine that prevents cervical cancer. He made $850,000 from the arrangement last year. If approved as health secretary, Warren raised several changes Kennedy could make that might enrich profits off such lawsuits, including appointing anti-vaccine advocates to vaccine advisory panels, removing vaccines from recommendations or changing the way the vaccine injury compensation program works.

He would not commit to Warren’s ask.

“No one should be fooled here, as Secretary of HHS Robert Kennedy will have the power to undercut vaccines and vaccine manufacturing across our country,” Warren charged.

Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, meanwhile, asked Kennedy to explain his unfounded suggestions that a dramatic increase in school shootings in recent decades could be linked to an increase in antidepressant use.

“These statements you’ve made linking antidepressants to school shootings reinforce the stigma that people who experience mental health face every single day,” said Smith, who shared she benefitted from using the drugs as a young woman.

Republicans saw little cause for concern, much appetite for support

Some Republicans said Kennedy emerged unscathed after what they viewed as a pile-on of attacks by Democratic senators. If Democrats vote in a block against Kennedy, he can only lose four Republican votes and still win confirmation.

There had been some opposition to his nomination from conservatives, notably former Vice President Mike Pence, over Kennedy’s support for abortion rights. Under close watch was Republican Sen. James Lankford, a Republican of Oklahoma who opposes abortion.

He and Kennedy have had “some disagreement on the issue of life,” Lankford said, but Kennedy assured him repeatedly he would follow Trump’s lead on the issue.

Abortion was a flashpoint for Democrats, however, who zeroed in on his plans around the abortion pill. Kennedy said Trump has asked him to study the safety of the medication, which anti-abortion advocates have lobbied to be further restricted. Democrats countered that the drug has been studied for a quarter-century.

Kennedy said he wants to use the National Institutes of Health to conduct more research on food additives, and he would work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take a look at the federally-funded school lunch program as well as food assistance for the poor.

But he promised not to ban certain foods. His boss, after all, would be unhappy if he did.

“I don’t want to take food away from anybody,” he said. “If you like a cheeseburger — a McDonald’s cheeseburger and a diet Coke like my boss — you should be able to get them.”

Reporting by Amanda Seitz, Associated Press. Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Matthew Perrone contributed.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover local activist groups’ efforts to share resources for immigrants amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation effort; U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’ announcement that he won’t seek reelection next year and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Immigrants urged to ‘know your rights’

Immigrant activists and nonprofit groups in Detroit are reminding undocumented migrants that they still have rights. 

Community leaders, including Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero, held a news conference in Detroit on Wednesday to make sure residents know that fact. Federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement – or ICE – have been rounding up undocumented migrants in locations around the country.  Activists are advising those sought by ICE – not to open their doors without proof of a warrant signed by a judge.   

Peters to retire from U.S. Senate

Michigan’s senior U.S. Senator says he’s not running for reelection next year.

Sen. Gary Peters told The Detroit News he’s looking forward to some new activities.  Peters was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Before that he served three terms in the U.S. House.  His decision means a U.S. Senate seat, the Michigan governor’s office and several other key state positions will all be up for grabs in the same year. Many potential candidates are expected to express their interest in the Senate seat in the months ahead.   

Detroit reminds residents of available tax credits

The city of Detroit is advising residents to make sure they claim the tax credits they’re entitled to. Officials held a news conference Wednesday morning to get the message out. Key credits include the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.  Both can be used to reduce the taxes residents owe if they qualify. 

Mary Sheffield to hold District 5 meeting

City Council President Mary Sheffield is holding a District 5 meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, at the Joseph Walker Recreation Center, 8531 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit.  The gathering will give residents an opportunity to meet district representatives and discuss key plans and budget priorities for the year.  

Detroit continues police chief search

The Detroit Police Department will continue the process of finding a new police chief this week. The Board of Police Commissioners is scheduled to hold public interviews of five candidates on Thursday. Only one of those candidates is currently working in the Detroit Police Department. BridgeDetroit reports that three of the candidates have faced lawsuits or internal investigations into misconduct. The Board of Police Commissioners meeting takes place at 3 p.m Thursday at Laborers’ International Union Local 1191, 2161 West Grand Blvd., Detroit.  Residents can also watch the meeting via Zoom. 

GM reports loss in fourth quarter

General Motors says it lost nearly$3 billion in the last three months of 2024.  The Detroit automaker blames much of that loss on the Chinese auto market – where competition from Chinese companies has stiffened. Despite the quarterly loss – GM beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations.  The company brought in $47.7 billion in revenue in the October to December period. 

Detroit Lions hire John Morton 

The NFL Network is reporting that John Morton has been hired as the Detroit Lions new offensive coordinator. He’s been with the Denver Broncos for the past two seasons — but did work with the Lions in 2022 as a senior offensive assistant. Morton will replace Ben Johnson who was touted as one of the major forces behind the Lions’ powerful offense this season. Johnson has been hired as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Today, we’re shining a spotlight on two of Detroit’s most underrated musical innovators — Paul Hill and Mike ‘Agent X’ Clark. 

Hill, a member of the legendary Parliament-Funkadelic collective and a collaborator with Mahogani Music, is renowned in funk and soul circles for his dynamic vocal artistry. Meanwhile, Clark has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s underground electronic music scene, celebrated for his masterful production and deep connection to the city’s house and techno heritage.

Together, they’ve fused their unique talents to create a track that’s pure magic. “I Don’t Know Why” seamlessly combines Clark’s atmospheric, syncopated four-on-the-floor beats with Hill’s soulful and emotive vocal hooks. The result? A deep, soulful house anthem that’s guaranteed to fill dance floors and move your spirit.

If soulful house grooves like this speak to you, make sure to lock in with The Progressive Underground every Saturday at 6 p.m., right here on 101.9 WDET and streaming worldwide at wdet.org. We explore a world of electronica, future soul, deep house, nu-jazz, b-sides, and rare grooves you won’t hear anywhere else.

For The Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell. Until next time, stay soulful, stay curious, and keep vibing.

Read more from The Progressive Underground:

• The mystique and mastery of D’Angelo’s ‘Voodoo’
• The sonic odyssey of Ideeyah
• The Progressive Underground Pick of the Week (Jan. 20): ‘Why (The King of Love is Dead)’ by Nina Simone

An advocacy group says immigrants in Michigan can take steps to keep themselves from being deported if they plan for the possibility ahead of time.

The Trump administration is conducting a series of raids nationwide, following the president’s campaign pledge to launch a massive effort to deport undocumented immigrants.

That concerns the head of the metro Detroit-based Arab-American Civil Rights League, Nabih Ayad.

He tells WDET that the speed with which federal agents are carrying out the deportations stacks the odds against even immigrants who are in the process of becoming U.S. citizens.

Listen: Nabih Ayad of Arab American Civil Rights League urges immigrants to be proactive, ‘know your rights’

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Nabih Ayad: What protection they have is very little, because the section of the law that the government is using most likely is going to be the expedited removal statute. Basically, they can arrest you, detain you, put you on a plane and get you out of here literally within days. And that’s very dangerous because the officer that’s arresting these individuals does not know the background, does not know the law to a certain degree, does not know if that person has a pending application of some kind of relief. There may be an asylum claim that he or she may be eligible to apply for.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: What do you suggest a person in those kinds of situations should try to do?

NA: They should call our hotline, possibly even before something is happening. Just to know what their rights are, to make sure that they understand they have certain protections under our U.S. Constitution. They may have relief, for instance, if they came to this country and like a lot of individuals, they are afraid to return because they’ll be persecuted or tortured because of their political opinion, background, religion. They can have protections there. They can go ahead and stop the expedited removal and send them through normal removal proceedings where they can adjudicate their application.

Another one is maybe they’re married to a United States citizen, or their wife is about to get citizenship, say, next month, maybe she can apply for them. That could protect them. Maybe they have some litigation pending that could actually allow them to stay here under the expedited removal statute. There’s a number of different forms that possibly are available to them.

QK: It sounds as if things would be happening at such a rapid speed. Is it possible for somebody to take some of the steps you’re talking about while, perhaps, an agent is trying to hustle them out of the country?

NA: That’s the thing, once they arrest you, it’s going to be pretty hard for you to exercise those rights if you don’t know where to call, or the family is not aware who to call. Because it happens so fast, that’s the danger of it. If we step into federal court, it’s going to take us as attorneys a couple days to draw up the complaint for an injunction to stop the government from removing this individual. So it’s always better to act proactive as opposed to post-active.

QK: You are also suggesting that people should carry around with them some identification and other documents?

NA: Absolutely, especially in these circumstances. If you’re not a green card holder, a United States citizen, absolutely have every type of documentation you have to show that you have roots in this community for a number of years. I would ask something that shows at least two to three years, the more years, the better.

QK: Why would that matter that they have roots here?

NA: Because the expedite removal statute, technically, is only to be applied for individuals that just recently came in. Now, if I arrest you as an immigration custom enforcement officer and I don’t know you, I just see that you have no documentation, I can just say you came in last week or two weeks ago. And I can arrest you and put you on a plane, get rid of you. But if I see documentation showing that you’ve been here for a number of years, then the laws are different. Then they have to put you through normal removal process with an immigration court in charge. Which allows you to remain here for a number of years while you litigate that process.

English speaking media are not the only news sources fighting the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation infiltrating American politics. Spanish language outlets have also been targets.

Journalist Martina Guzman has reported on news and events affecting Detroit’s Hispanic community for many years. She also directs the Race and Justice Reporting Initiative at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights. It’s part of Wayne State University’s Law School.

Guzman says a credible source gave her a tip that Russian agents were buying airtime on Spanish language radio stations across the U.S. before the 2024 election.

“I was alarmed that it was happening, and more alarmed at how pervasive it was,” she said.

So, she decided to investigate. She discovered that a small handful of people knew what was happening because they were listening. She was, too, and wanted to make other journalists aware of it.

“I was convinced there was a tool that would allow you to listen, and that would make it easy for journalists to find out what was happening,” Guzman said.

To her surprise, there wasn’t. So, she set out to create one. Working with Public Data Works, Guzman and design engineers built “VERDAD,” which means “truth” in Spanish.

VERDAD “listens” to Spanish language broadcasts and begins recording as soon as it “hears” certain words that Guzman and the designers entered into the system. Then it transcribes the broadcast and translates it into English.

“American journalists who don’t speak Spanish now have an entire way of monitoring disinformation so they can see it in English,” she said.

Guzman added that journalists are monitoring Arabic, French, Creole, and Vietnamese broadcasts for misinformation, as well as Russia’s Sputnik propaganda channel.

“Once the tool is built, it can be applied to multiple languages at the same time,” she said.

The Michigan Public Service Commission has approved a $217 million rate hike for DTE Energy.

One condition of the increase by the MPSC order includes allocating $87 million for the utility’s tree trimming program.

MPSC Chair Dan Scripps says improving service reliability is the commission’s main goal.

“We’re supportive of a number of investments specifically tied to improving reliability performance, including $87 million in additional funding for the tree trim surge program, which brings the five-year total that we’ve approved under this program to just under $500 million.”

DTE Spokesperson Rachel Steudle says the utility trims about a million trees every year.

“We have 31,000 overhead line miles and by the end of this year we will have trimmed every one of those miles to our enhanced specification,” Steudle said. “We’ve been executing this work since about 2019. So this year in particular, we’re touching over 6000 miles.”

Steudle says the utility has amplified its efforts to clear away overgrown trees in the last six years.

The rate hike is offset by a power supply cost adjustment made at DTE in November. Residents should not see an increase in their monthly bill. Steudle says customers experience a 40% increase in service reliability after trees are trimmed in an area.

The utility rate hikes are set to take effect on Feb. 6.

A judge spent nearly four hours Monday listening and sorting through arguments on the future of the state’s effort to shut down a 4.5-mile segment of an Enbridge petroleum pipeline that runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac.

Ingham County Circuit Judge James Jamo’s first decision is whether it is his job to make a decision. If the answer is yes, then Jamo will decide whether the state has the authority to revoke an easement that allows Enbridge to operate Line 5 on the bottom of the Great Lakes.

The case in Ingham County is a jumble of state and federal lawsuits over the continued operation of the pipeline in the environmentally sensitive juncture of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, even as Enbridge moves ahead with plans to encase it in a tunnel under the lakebed.  

“This is about public safety under the common law public trust doctrine,” argued Assistant Attorney General Dan Bock during the online arguments before Ingham County Circuit Judge James Jamo.

This six-year-long challenge is part of the hodgepodge of legal actions surrounding Line 5 and Enbridge’s efforts to allay concerns with a project to encase the line in a concrete tunnel.

Enbridge has been trying to move the arguments to federal courts, where its chances are arguably better than state courts presided over by judges selected by Michigan voters.

“Enbridge has deliberately caused years of delay through procedural tactics, attempting to block Michigan courts from deciding a critical issue that directly impacts its residents,” Nessel said in a statement released by her office following the arguments.

But Enbridge argues the case has national and international implications that are bigger than one state’s parochial interests. Enbridge runs a sweeping network of energy pipelines. Line 5 runs through Michigan and Wisconsin on the U.S. side of an international border and into Ontario and Quebec on the Canadian side. Portions of the pipeline go through tribal lands.

“We believe these are federal issues that take precedence, and this has become really an international controversy at this point,” said Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy. Enbridge’s attorney also argued the state has no standing since it is only arguing prospective future harm.

Enbridge’s pipeline network could be part of the solution to resolve moving petroleum products without using a line that in a worst-case scenario would spill hundreds of thousands of gallons of petroleum product into the Great Lakes, said Andrew Buchsbaum, an attorney who filed an amicus brief on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation and the Great Lakes Business Network.

But, he said, first the court would have to agree the state has shown the potential for an environmental catastrophe is enough to establish standing to sue.

“Once a court makes that finding, then procedurally, the next phase of the case is, what’s the remedy?” said Buchsbaum. “That is, is it an immediate shutdown? Is it a shutdown over time to allow Enbridge to try to find some other way of rerouting the oil and gas around the straits or around Michigan?”

Judge Jamo said he will issue a written opinion soon, but did not give a specific timeline. Whatever Jamo decides can be appealed to a higher court.

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a push from President Donald Trump to pause federal funding while his administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review to uproot progressive initiatives.

The Trump administration plan plunged the U.S. government into panic and confusion and set the stage for a constitutional clash over control of taxpayer money.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The order from U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan came minutes before the funding freeze was scheduled to go into effect. The administrative stay lasts until Monday afternoon and applies only to existing programs.

Administration officials said the decision to halt loans and grants — a financial lifeline for local governments, schools and nonprofit organizations around the country — was necessary to ensure that spending complies with Trump’s recent blitz of executive orders. The Republican president wants to increase fossil fuel production, remove protections for transgender people and end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

But a vaguely worded memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget, combined with incomplete answers from the White House throughout the day, left lawmakers, public officials and average Americans struggling to figure out what programs would be affected by the pause. Even temporary interruptions in funding could cause layoffs or delays in public services.

AliKhan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, said in halting the freeze, “It seems like the federal government currently doesn’t actually know the full extent of the programs that are going to be subject to the pause.”

Jessica Morton, an attorney for the National Council of Nonprofits which brought the suit, said the group has tens of thousands of members around the country that could be affected.

New York Attorney General Letitia James planned to ask a Manhattan federal court to block the funding pause. Separately, a group of nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit in Washington saying that the funding pause is “devoid of any legal basis or the barest rationale.”

Reporting by Chris Megerian, Associated Press.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025:

• The Arab American Civil Rights League is warning immigrants in metro Detroit to keep papers with them showing how long they have been in the U.S.
• The Justice Department has shut down a program that helped local immigrants navigate the U.S. legal system, the Detroit Free Press reports.
• The owners of the Detroit concert hall Harpo’s are apologizing for hosting a show with ties to fascism and white supremacy, The Metro Times reports.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Each week, MI Local throws together a zesty salad of sounds and a smorgasbord of genres, all coming from musicians and songwriters based here in metro Detroit and all across the state of Michigan. This week, we start off with electro-pop, dip into some lo-fi instrumental hip-hop, get a little folky and orchestral before sampling some bluegrass, and then circle back to end on electronic, again.

This week’s newest tracks came from artists like the Plymouth-based songwriter Mark Jewett, who released a melodic ode to Michigan winters. You can see Jewett performing at the Ferndale Library on April 13. We heard a new sweet yet haunting song from Chloe Drallos (formerly known as Zilched). We also checked in with local electronic music producers like Jay Sound and Dial81, along with Jo Rad Silver, who hosts a monthly showcase at UFO Bar. 

I was also in a bit of a sentimental mood this week, so I spun some “older” tracks by local artists, particularly marking a couple of 10- and 5-year anniversaries: We heard from Kalamazoo-based indie-rockers The Go Rounds and Ypsilanti folk ensemble Matt Jones & the Reconstruction.

Tune in next week when Detroit-based indie-pop quirk-poet Danny VanZandt stops by for an in-studio chat and an exclusive premiere of a new song from his forthcoming album, “Proust in the Kitchen with the Wooden Spoon.”

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for Jan. 28, 2024

• “Shock n Awe” – The Go Rounds
• “Shoreline” – Chloe Moriondo
• “Grass Boulevard” – Jo Rad Silver
• “Bittersweet Memories” – Jay Sound
• “Air Pockets” – Dial81
• “The Good Life” – Matt Jones & the Reconstruction
• “Trade Coyote” – John Salvage
• “Angel Song” – Chloe Drallos
• “What’s Your Name” – Sari Brown
• “Stretcher at 5 a.m.” – MAS
• “Dream of  You” – David Turel
• “Dust to Gold” – The Sad Hour
• “Snow Song” – Mark Jewett
• “I Did Not Win” – Brawny Lad
• “Serene Days” – Automatic Android

It’s been roughly a week since President Donald Trump officially took office.

And a Michigan Congresswoman is outlining how the new administration could affect her constituents.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell delivered her annual address on the state of her 6^th Congressional District, which includes all of Washtenaw County, part of Wayne County and communities in Monroe and Oakland Counties.

Dingell told WDET there are numerous concerns in the area, and she believes she can work across the political aisle to address them.

Listen: Debbie Dingell on reaching across the aisle, priorities for her district

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell: I think there are very important issues that matter to Downriver communities. Trying to lower prices for everyday families, trying to bring jobs back, protect jobs, keep the auto industry and the steel industry strong. We have to do a lot to rebuild the steel industry. We’re working with the Environmental Protection Agency, the state and the county on clean-up projects. I think that Downriver communities are hidden jewels of the state of Michigan. There is no place more beautiful. I’m very proud of the fact that one of the last actions of the Biden administration was to bring $73 million to Trenton for a railroad project. You know that railroads are critical for transporting the supplies and the materials that are used in the plants that provide jobs Downriver. But those trains can block intersections for a very long time. This particular intersection that is going to be fixed with an overpass is a main thoroughfare to hospitals, a main thoroughfare if there is some kind of emergency. (The late former Michigan Congressman) John Dingell started trying to get this fixed.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: It’s only been the first week of the new administration. But what effect do you think the Trump administration is going to have on your district or on all of metro Detroit, for that matter?

DD: I have made it very clear when it will help the people of my district and the people of the state of Michigan. I’m going to reach across the aisle. I’m going to work to protect jobs, bring down prices, bring supply chains back home, keep a strong auto industry and diversify our industries, But if he’s going to do something that hurts the people of my district or Michigan, I am prepared to stand up and be strong against it. There were a lot of things happening last week. And I think many people’s heads are spinning as we try to understand all of the executive orders that he signed. What disappointed me the most, though, was the fact that there were people that attacked law enforcement officers, that law enforcement officers died on Jan. 6, that they were tasered, that they were almost shot, they were brutally bashed in the head, and that the men who did this were forgiven. That sets a tone for this country that I don’t think is OK. So I hope that we can all work together to tone it down, that we will not say that violence is OK in any circumstance. And I hope that’s not a message that we’re sending across the country.

QK: You were in the Capitol on Jan. 6, correct?

DD: I was. I remember that day very, very clearly. People came that day to kill the Vice President of the United States. They came to do harm to our Speaker of the House. It was so important that I attend President Trump’s inaugural. It shows people that in a democracy the majority speaks, we elect a new president and there’s a peaceful transfer of power between one administration and the next. It is the backbone of our democracy. We have to protect our democracy. What happened on Jan. 6 is that people came to do harm to our democracy, people that were sentenced and convicted of extreme violence. It bothers me that they were pardoned.

QK: Among the flurry of the executive orders that President Trump enacted are some that would help make good on his vow to deport undocumented immigrants. And Congress has passed the Laken Riley Act now, where undocumented people can be detained or deported if they committed theft, as well as some other offenses. What’s your view of what the president’s been doing in this area, and how do you see it impacting immigrants in the metro region?

DD: First of all, we need comprehensive immigration reform. We’ve needed it through Republican presidents and Democratic presidents. And quite frankly, there was a bill that Republicans and Democrats worked together on in the U.S. Senate last year that got stopped simply because Republicans didn’t want there to be a “win” on immigration. Nobody wants to keep anyone in the U.S. that’s a danger to our national security, someone who’s responsible for criminal activities. But we also need to protect due process, that’s one of the fundamental principles in our U.S. Constitution, too. So as we navigate our way through some of the things that are being done, I’ve had prosecutors call and warn me that people who are actually victims of domestic abuse can have their abuser use these laws against them. I just want due process. One of the fundamental principles of our Constitution is due process and that we protect the rights of people.

QK: There’s been some questions about just how well congressional Democrats could work with the new GOP leadership. You’ve already been involved in a couple of bipartisan pieces of legislation, relaunching the house cancer caucus and reintroducing the Take It Down Act concerning deep fake sexual images. It’s only been a week, but how’s the working relationship been with your Republican colleagues?

DD: I have a lot of friends on the other side of the aisle. We’re going to see where all this goes. The first major test is going to be when the budget expires on March 14. The four corners of the appropriation committees, the chairs and the ranking minorities in the House and Senate, have met to begin to discuss potential numbers and potential solutions. I am not going to give billionaires tax cuts. I will not support it and at the same time cut Medicare, Social Security or Medicaid for so many people, for my seniors, for the disabled, for those that need health care. So we’re going to have to see what the next few weeks bring. But there are a lot of issues where there is common ground. I respect my colleagues in the Michigan Congressional delegation. We have a good working relationship, so we’ll see what the next few weeks bring.

QK: You think Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security truly could be at risk this time?

DD: We have seen the memos with plans to significantly cut these programs.

American politics has long had too many lobbyists and too much money fueling campaigns. But Donald Trump’s administration breaks records. The total net worth of billionaires involved with it amounts to over $382 billion, which is more than the GDP of 172 different countries.

Today on The Metro, we discussed how wealthy individuals are now influencing our politics, and how much of a change that is from past administrations.

Guests:

• Graeme Robertson – Professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and director of the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies. His work focuses on political protest and regime support in authoritarian regimes.
• Bilal Baydoun – Director of Democratic Institutions at Roosevelt Forward, an advocacy affiliate of the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank. 

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

We also asked listeners:

“Should the government be run like a business?”

Christian in Grosse Pointe Park said: “I don’t think it’s black and white. I think we need to look at each individual situation and realize if we make it primarily like that we’re going to be opposing each other as opposed to working together to find tenable solutions to issues.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Tomorrow’s question: Should the U.S. government get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion? 

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app. 

More stories from The Metro on Jan. 28, 2024:

• Black Bottom Archives is a community archive that’s committed to preserving Black Detroit stories, and the organization is celebrating its 10th year. 

• Being from Detroit has created a strong foundation for Emmy-award winning journalist and Fresh Air co-host Tonya Mosley. She joined the show to talk about her hometown and career.

• Detroit’s Adopt-A-Park program is asking groups like block clubs, churches, and nonprofits to become stewards of a city park. Executive Director of the Detroit Parks Coalition Sigal Hemy joined the show to discuss the magic of Detroit’s parks and what it means to adopt one.

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

Michigan’s top elections official is facing a campaign finance complaint from the state Republican Party.

Republicans argue Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson should be fined for taking questions from reporters about her gubernatorial campaign in a state office building when she first filed to run.

Tyler Henningsen, political director of the Michigan Republican Party, said the complaint merits action.

“We call on the Bureau of Elections to take this complaint seriously and to hold Jocelyn Benson accountable for her flagrant abuses of the public’s trust. We also request that the Bureau of Elections enjoin Secretary Benson and her campaign from future violations and fine them the maximum amount permitted by law,” Henningsen said in a press release. “The integrity of our public office holders must be maintained, and the misuse of taxpayer-funded resources for personal political gain will not be tolerated.”

Michigan election law bans the use of public resources, including state offices, for political causes.

“A public body or a person acting for a public body shall not use or authorize the use of funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources to make a contribution or expenditure or provide volunteer personal services that are excluded from the definition of contribution,” the statute reads.

But the law does make an exception for public facilities, “if any candidate or committee has an equal opportunity to use the public facility.”

When asked earlier this month about why she was speaking inside the Richard H. Austin Building when other candidates typically address reporters outside when filing their paperwork, Benson noted the single digit weather.

Benson said it’s never come to her attention if other candidates have been unable to do the same, replying, “Of course,” when asked if others would have the same opportunity.

On Monday, after the MIGOP complaint had been filed, Benson’s campaign defended the location of her address.

Alyssa Bradley is a campaign spokesperson.

“The lobby space used is a public space where First Amendment activity can occur as long as it doesn’t interfere with the operation of the building,” Bradley said in a written statement.

 A spokesperson with the Michigan Department of State confirmed Monday that the Bureau of Elections had received a complaint from Henningsen and noted that, since the complaint deals with Secretary Benson, who heads that department, it will automatically go to the Michigan Department of Attorney General for consideration, as required by law.

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a nearly $80 million expansion of funding for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Michigan; upcoming financial literacy workshops in Detroit and Dearborn, and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Whitmer announces small business credit 2.0

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an expansion of funding for small businesses via the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0, a federal program designed to increase the availability of capital for small business owners through lending or investment. The funding will provide over $79 million toward historically underserved communities, and entrepreneurs who need support to pursue their business ideas.  

ACCESS to host financial literacy workshops

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is teaming up with JPMorgan Chase to host financial literacy workshops in Detroit and Dearborn. 

The eight-week workshops will provide attendees with lessons and resources for financial success. Topics include an introduction to banking, building credit, budget and saving, managing debt, avoiding scams and an introduction to investing. 

Workshops in both Detroit and Dearborn will be held every Thursday beginning Jan. 30. The Detroit workshop will take place from 1-2 p.m. at West Warren Career Center, 16427 W. Warren Ave. Workshops in Dearborn will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the One-Stop Employment & Human Services Center, 6451 Schaefer Rd. This location will also have Arabic translations available. Space is limited and attendees must register in advance on the ACCESS website.

White House Spanish-language page shut down

The White House took down its Spanish-language website, hours after Trump’s inauguration last week. The site now shows a 404 error message. The Associated Press reports that Hispanic groups say this is a step in the wrong direction. Many Spanish-speaking voters helped reelect Trump. The White House’s Spanish X profile was also taken down.  

The Trump administration took down the Spanish resources from the White House website during his last term. The Census Bureau reports that over 43 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish at home.  

Wayne County seeking nominations for residents to ‘highlight’

Wayne County is looking to highlight residents who have had a positive impact on the community. Residents can nominate people they know through the county’s Instagram page. 

Nominees can be individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses. Submissions can be made via a Google Form in the county’s Instagram bio or by emailing waynecountycommunications@gmail.com. 

Hamtramck vs Dearborn Charity Basketball Game

Hamtramck and Dearborn residents will once again compete against each other for a charity basketball game at 6 p.m. Feb. 7, at Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn. OZ Media is hosting the 4th annual charity game, with donations going toward charities in Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen. Many city leaders will be a part of the game, including Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn Superintendent Glen Maleyko, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin, Hamtramck Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri, Hamtramck influencer Dulla Mulla, and many others. 

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.  

Bollywood High Tea at Detroit Shipping Co.

Detroit Shipping Company will host a Bollywood-inspired “afternoon and high tea” event from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. The event will be hosted by food blogger Alina Alam, known by her handle @foodiesnapper, and feature stories from South Asian culture, karak chai, Kashmiri pink tea, cookies and samosas.  

WDET’s Zahra Hassan contributed to this report.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

President Donald Trump is making good on a campaign promise to take swift action against undocumented immigrants.

With a slew of executive actions and the passage of the bipartisan Laken Riley Act, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are conducting raids in immigrant communities.

Though, some of those raids are subjecting American citizens and documented immigrants to harassment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) has been a fierce critic of President Trump’s policies going back to his first term.

“Our immigrant neighbors, no matter their status in the United States are under attack right now and being vilified and seen as violent,” Tlaib said. “It’s incredibly hateful and divisive.”

Legal and illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border has been characterized as an “invasion” by conservatives.

Undocumented immigration is characterized as a drain on the economy — though migrants generate nearly $100 Billion in taxes.

The Laken Riley Act allows for the deportation of non-citizens for low-level crimes like shoplifting.

Tlaib abstained from voting on the bill.

“It sounds like this is, that it’s going to make us safer. It’s not,” Tlaib said. “It literally would target people — merely accuse them of a crime, no conviction. Just accuse them of a crime, and they would be in mandatory detention.”

All of Michigan’s Republican Congressional delegation voted for it — as well as two Democrats in the House (U.S. Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Hillary Scholten) and both U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin.

Tlaib says fearmongering about immigrants while refusing to address income inequality isn’t an accident.

“It’s the corporations, the big tax breaks and all of the things that we see in policy that make it easier for the wealthy to continue to make money off of these broken systems,” Tlaib said.

She says it’s important for her constituents to know their rights.

“Don’t open the door if an immigration agent comes knocking. ICE has no right to enter your home without a valid warrant. Don’t answer any questions from immigration agent if they try to talk to you. You have a right to remain silent. You don’t have to sign anything or hand anything over. You can ask for a lawyer…” she said.

Trump has expressed interest in using the U.S. Department of Justice to go after political opponents. Former President Biden issued blanket pardons to much of his family and political allies because of it.

WDET asked Tlaib if the possibility she might be targeted concerned her at all.

“I don’t think he knew both of my sittys, my grandmothers, if he met them, he’d know I’d be ready for them,” she said.

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, our guest is Amythyst Kiah, who picked up a Grammy nomination on her last album, and now returns with the record Still + Bright. Amythyst is also a member of Our Native Daughters with Rhiannon Giddens, Allison Russell and Leyla McCalla.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for Jan. 26, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Strawberry Woman” – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
• “Pawnshop” – Kara Jackson
• “Forbidden Road” – Robbie Williams
• “Coming Home” – Beabadoobee
• “Nobody” – The Doobie Brothers (in-studio performance, 2011)
• “Are You Ready For The Country” – Willie Nelson
• “Empire Of Love” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio guest, recorded at Leon Loft)
• “Silk & Petals” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio guest, recorded at Leon Loft)
• “Biggest Fan” – Frances Whitney
• “Old Life” – Mustafa
• “Heart Of The Woods” – Kacey Musgraves
• “Time Stands” – Nathaniel Rateliff (in-studio performance, 2020)
• “One And Only” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “As Good As It Gets” – Katie Gavin
• “They’re Not There” – Mon Rovia
• “That’s Not The Issue” – Wilco
• “Give It To Me” – Peter Wolf (in-studio performance, 1996)
• “All My Tears” – Buddy & Julie Miller  (in-studio performance, 2000)
• “Devil’s Spoke” – Laura Marling
• “Looking Back” – Laura Marling
• “Avalon” – Elmiene
• “Play God…” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio guest, recorded at Leon Loft)
• “I Will Not Go Down” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio guest, recorded at Leon Loft)
• “S P A C E” – Amythyst Kiah (in-studio guest, recorded at Leon Loft)

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 students across the nation have been missing more school.

The percentage of chronically absent students — referring to those who miss more than 10% of school days — nearly doubled from 2018 to 2022, according to The Brookings Institution.

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

Last school year, Michigan recorded one of the highest rates of chronically absent students compared to other states, according to data from the state Department of Education. The rate among Detroit students was more than double that.  

Now through March, Detroit Public Schools Community District is giving high school students $200 gift cards every time they have perfect attendance for 10 school days in a row. That’s just one approach of many that schools are experimenting with to get kids back into the classroom.

We’ve addressed this topic before on the show. Today on The Metro, we took a deeper dive into the different approaches for combating chronic absenteeism with Nat Malkus, senior fellow and deputy director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute; and Sarah Lenhoff, associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Wayne State University.

Malkus noted how being chronically absent from school can cause a ripple effect in a student’s life that can affect them well into adulthood. 

“We know that kids who are chronically absent are less likely to read at the critical grade three, they’re more likely to struggle in middle school academically, they’re really less likely than their peers who attend regularly to graduate from high school, and the effects go into the future in the labor force as well,” he said.  

Lenhoff,  who also serves as the director of the Detroit Partnership for Education Equity & Research, led a study on chronic absenteeism and says solutions to the issue can’t only come from the schools. She suggested that one way to curb it could be creating a stronger school-to-neighborhood social connection in communities. 

“If a parent, you know, has something come up and they can’t get their child to school then they have people to rely on in their neighborhood, they have a neighbor, they have maybe a senior who lives across the street, maybe a friend who’s going to the same school,” Lenhoff said. 

482 Forward Communications Lead Imani Foster also joined the conversation. She is one of the community members who helped in the research project. Monitoring attendance and school engagement is mainly left up to teachers, but she says this wasn’t always the case.

“I think most of the schools fired their attendance agents because they cut a lot of different positions,” Foster said. “And so the teachers are now asked to be attendance agents. Attendance agents were normally the ones that kept up with families, right, that made the calls home, that maybe even made house visits to check on if everything was OK. Now that’s a gap that teachers are trying to fill.”

We also asked our listeners:

“Should we pay students to go to school?”

Nick in St. Clair Shores said: “Personally, I missed a lot of high school my final year, and I skipped a lot to go work at Red Robin. I would pick up a lunch shift instead of going to math class. And I feel like if I was paid to be in school, I wouldn’t have done that.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation, and other stories from “The Metro.”

More headlines from The Metro on Jan. 27, 2024: 

• Since 1958, the Jim Dandy Ski Club has been working to lower barriers for Black kids and adults to get involved in skiing, and to bring them deeper into connection with a broader community. This Friday, the club is hosting its annual “Black Out” ski event, which is open to anyone, not just members. Miles Maxey, former president, vice president, and board member of the Jim Dandy Ski Club, joined the show to discuss the event and how the club has made snow sports more accessible.
• “Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music” is a new exhibit set to open at the MSU Museum on Feb. 4, that aims to explore Detroit’s role as the birthplace of Techno music and its connection to Afrofuturism.  The exhibition’s curator. Julian Chambliss, joined the show to discuss the project. We also spoke with John Collins, an important figure in Detroit’s techno culture, member of Underground Resistance and exhibition community curator.
• In President Donald Trump’s first term in office he made good on a campaign promise to cut taxes. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2017. The Biden administration did not roll back the tax cuts, so they are still intact. But a significant part of those tax cuts are set to expire at the end of this year unless Trump and Congress act to extend them. The Metro producer David Leins spoke with Bharat Ramamurti, senior advisor for economic strategy at the American Economic Liberties Project and former economic communications advisor for the Biden-Harris administration.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.