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.

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.

For decades the Detroit Lions were one of the worst teams in pro football, part of a handful that have never even appeared in a Super Bowl.

This year many experts predict the Lions will win the big game.

And the possibility the long-suffering Lions could actually hoist the championship trophy is driving many in the Motor City to celebrate “restoring the roar” of their favorite team.

Cake and camaraderie    

A line of several hundred people curled around the edges of the Home Bakery in the Detroit suburb of Rochester for several days this week.

They were there to see a huge cake in the Bakery’s window — a life-sized replica of Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown doing a headstand touchdown celebration — and for a chance to win scarce playoff tickets donated by the player.

But Rob Dolton and his wife said they took the day off work and drove over an hour from Lansing to the shop mainly to be around others celebrating the once-dismal football franchise.

“For somebody that’s been a Lions fans for 40 years and has lived with what we’ve lived with, it’s more than just watching ‘em win,” he said. “It’s watching all of our fans just be so giddy about what’s going on with our team. High-fiving strangers, yelling ‘Go Lions,’ just walking around. Been a long time since we had a team that looked like it could contend and now we’re the favorites. And I don’t even know if we know how to take it right now, ha!”

Nearby, Keena Benning-Dehnke purses her blue lips in the steadily falling snow.

Blue as in Honolulu blue lipstick — one of the Lions team colors.

Related: Why do the Detroit Lions wear ‘Honolulu’ blue?

Benning-Dehnke says she and her husband are 38-year season ticket holders, so it took something more to draw them here than just a cake and the chance to win passes to a game.

“We’re here ’cause it’s fun! The whole atmosphere and the buzz around the team winning. It’s an exciting time to be a Lions fan. We waited so long for it. I think it means more to us as fans of losers for so long, we deserve it after all those years,” she said.

As soon as someone makes it inside the bakery another fan arrives to take their place.

Owner Heather Tocco says her football player cake is just one slice of the millions of dollars in economic impact the Lions playoff run is bringing to metro Detroit.

“We were looking to drive some revenue for January sales because typically I have to lay off people and cut their hours,” Tocco said. “I would not have imagined in a million years that I would have a two-hour wait to get into this building to purchase a baked good. I didn’t think it would touch people like that.”

Age is just a number on a jersey

Lions’ fever has reached even senior citizen homes in the region.

At a recent pep rally at the Jewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit’s Fleischman Residence in West Bloomfield, about a half-dozen burly, goateed men dressed to look like Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell led the seniors’ cries of “Go Lions!”

Resident Mike Schlussel, 81, says he’s been a devout fan since 1948, and has even helped drown the sorrows of some Lions players following yet-another defeat at a bar he frequented in the 1960s.

“They came in right after the game and it was fantastic because they were willing to talk to you even though they lost. All you could say to ‘em was ‘We’ll get it, we’ll get it.’ And now we got it. But God help us because this city will go crazy if the Lions win the Super Bowl. And we deserve it. It’s been a long time coming,” Schlussel said.

That’s especially true for resident Steve Meyers, who was born roughly a decade before the Lions first came to Detroit in 1934.

He first watched the team from the snow-covered upper bleachers of an outdoor stadium.

Meyers says some things, like re-selling tickets, still remain the same as back then.

Other things, like ticket prices — not so much.

“We’d go get a car load, four guys and go downtown. And we used to buy the tickets off of people that had too many. They charged $3, $4. Those were the days,” he said.

The coach who always goes for it

These days the Lions capture fans’ hearts with a steady string of wins and the presence of colorful Coach Dan Campbell.

He preaches grit and determination during games, an aggressive style that’s had the Lions go for it on fourth down more than any other NFL team during his four-year tenure.

Campbell’s even used his signature go-for-broke style to become a sought-after pitchman for companies.

In just one TV advertisement example, Campbell intones, “Fourth and inches, fourth and 10 nor fourth and a fighting chance. At Henry Ford Health, we go for it. We don’t back down.”

Now the Lions face the equally aggressive Washington Commanders in Detroit’s first playoff game this year, one that could possibly lead to players hoisting the championship Lombardi trophy.

And Campbell says the Lion’s recent rise from league doormats has the team ready for whatever happens on the football field.

“We’re in the middle of the circus, man. And it’s about time to perform.” 

–Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell

“We’ve been so good, we’ve been so bad. We’re a laughing stock, now we’re great,” he said. “It’s just been this roller coaster of ups and downs. This is nothing new that we’re in. We’re in the middle of the circus, man. And it’s about time to perform.”

Now Campbell and the Lions are just a few wins away from what once seemed almost impossible: An elusive Super Bowl victory.

The Lions will face the No. 6 seed Commanders at Ford Field on Saturday night with an 8 p.m. kick off.

Many members of Congress are now working with colleagues they tried to help defeat in the recent election.

That includes Michigan’s senior U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, who led the effort to defend Democratic candidates in the Senate.

Peters recently supported GOP-sponsored legislation to expand detaining undocumented immigrants to those convicted of theft, what’s known as the Laken Riley Act. He also met with President-elect Trump’s nominee for U.S. Commerce Secretary.

In an interview with WDET, Peters discussed his efforts to reach across the aisle, as well as his legislative priorities around building a more resilient and self-sufficient U.S. supply chain.

Listen: Gary Peters discusses supply chain goals, finding common ground

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET: Do you get a sense that the incoming Trump administration will veer far away from the CHIPS Act and some of the other things the Biden administration was doing as it relates to manufacturing?

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters: I talked a fair amount about the CHIPS Act and understanding that you have to have secure supply chains. That it’s not just about final production in the United States, it’s the entire supply chain. We saw what happens when we are overly dependent on foreign chips. Every automobile is basically a computer on four wheels with a massive number of chips. When we had the shortage and disruptions in the supply chain during the pandemic, we saw parking lots filled with automobiles and pickup trucks and other vehicles that couldn’t be delivered because they were missing a few chips. We cannot be dependent on foreign manufacturers for vital components. That’s important. I stressed how the investments that are being made in the CHIPS Act is leading to greater self-sufficiency and resilience in the supply chain. He seemed to be open to that, but I think we have to continue to pressure the Trump administration to understand how important the entire supply chain is.

QK: As you know as well as anybody, one of the issues President-elect Trump was pushing on the campaign trail was trying to deport undocumented workers. They had the recent bill come up about the Laken Riley Act and you indicated you support that legislation. Why is that?

GP: We need to make sure our borders are secure and we have to protect Americans. Bottom line. And I think that’s a bill that we can find some common agreement on, that if people are committing crimes, they certainly should face consequences.

QK: Do you have any concerns that there should be a line drawn somewhere in terms of what they’ve talked about as a massive deportation effort?

GP: Certainly there are lines, there’s no question, but I think there are areas where we can find common ground. And undocumented people who are criminals certainly should not have any protections, they’ve committed a crime. But it is obviously different if we start looking at mass deportations. I’ll have to wait to see what that proposal is. But I think it’s important for us to find common agreement when we can. And when we can’t, certainly draw a very bright line.

QK: You talk about common ground. That’s not seemed to be easy to find politically for a while now. It seems to be so divided. From your interactions at the moment, how well do you think you can work with either the incoming congressional leadership from the GOP or with the people from the Trump administration?

GP: I’m always hopeful I can do that. Certainly in my past history, I’ve always been ranked as one of the most bipartisan senators. In fact, Georgetown University ranks bipartisanship and in the last Congress, I was the most bipartisan Democrat. The new majority leader, Sen. John Thune, is actually someone who I’ve worked with for many years on auto issues, particularly self-driving automobiles. Both Sen. Thune and I have been partners working to promote that technology and working closely with the auto industry. And I would expect that to continue.

QK: The Postmaster General had mentioned again the possibility of privatizing the U.S. Postal Service. Do you have any views about that, since you’ve been one of those that have been overseeing the agency for a while?

GP: Absolutely not. We’re not going to privatize the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS is actually written into the U.S. Constitution, that’s how important the Postal Service is. It’s the only place that delivers to every single address in the country. It’s absolutely vital to bind our country together and it needs to continue to exist as it is.

Read more:

• Pete Hegseth vows to bring ‘warrior culture’ if confirmed as Trump’s defense secretary pick
• The Metro: Is owning a home still part of the American dream?
• Michigan faces rosier revenue, budget picture with new projections

The Detroit Auto Show kicks off its 10-day run on Saturday, but it’s not the same car showcase many past visitors might remember.

No longer is it known as the North American International Auto Show. Now it’s simply the Detroit Auto Show. Yet the event’s co-executive director, Sam Klemet, says the auto show does retain many of its signature elements.

In an interview with WDET, he said that includes a return to its original January timeframe after several years.

Listen: What to expect from the 2025 Detroit Auto Show

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Sam Klemet: January is a pretty natural fit for the Detroit Auto Show. This is a time of year right after the holiday, right after the New Year, which traditionally is slower for businesses in downtown Detroit, for the restaurants and the hotels. It’s a time of year when they need that injection of something large, economically. And our show brings international media from more than 15 different countries and hundreds of thousands of people to downtown. It’s a chance for us to be a good steward of the community and inject some life right at the start of the new year, set some momentum for the city moving forward. So it felt like the right time to come back and hopefully we can do this every year.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: It’s a new day for auto shows in general. So much stuff is shown on social media now. How do you make the Detroit Auto Show stand out?

SK: How people engage with unveils and getting information about cars has absolutely changed over the last number of years. You can get all the specs and information about vehicles, you can see all the pictures online. But there’s still something truly unique about seeing them in-person and, more importantly for us, experiencing these vehicles. Actually getting in them, riding in them, seeing the technology that’s on the dashboard and around the entirety of the vehicle. As we put this show together, we did it intentional to make sure that when consumers come down here, they’re going to be able to engage with these vehicles. The technology in cars and SUVs and trucks is changing rapidly. And for the consumer, it might feel overwhelming. So to be able to see all these various brands under one roof and get a better understanding of what’s out there on the market and how it’s moving is, I think, a real special opportunity. So we’re putting consumers first and foremost. And we think that this is a chance for them to actually get in a vehicle and engage with them in a truly unique way.

QK: It sounds like quite a hands-on experience. No more of the glitzy, showy herds of cattle running through to help reveal new models. None of that anymore?

SK: I don’t think that’s true. I think there’s still tons of glitz and a lot of glamor. You see that at our charity preview. That’s a huge event for us not only to kick off the show, but also to support six local charities. Now, you may not see the displays and the manufacturers like in years past, where you have elevators as part of their displays. But what they have is still outstanding. You’ll see screens everywhere, you’ll see lights everywhere, you’ll see activations everywhere. Of course, there’s going to be kind of the nostalgia of, ‘oh, this isn’t what it once was.’ But the world is changing in a lot of ways. And how we consume content, how we engage with conventions and shows, has changed a little bit. I still think there’s a lot of glitz, a lot of glamor, a lot of excitement. It’s just in a new way where technology is first and foremost and getting involved with that technology as a consumer is first and foremost.

QK: You mentioned some of the experiences people can have. Are there some activities you’re particularly proud of, things that you think people really should be looking forward to if they go to the show?

SK: There’s a number of them. We have four ride and drive test tracks and more than 40 different vehicles where people can actually get inside of them and ride them. So you don’t have to go to individual dealerships over the course of a number of weeks to see that amount of vehicles. You can do it all in one spot. We also have a number of new partners, one of them being the Detroit Grand Prix. They’ll have a lot of activations and that’s another great institution here in Detroit. To have a partnership with them to move each other forward as organizations here in Detroit is great. We have the Michigan Science Center. We’re the Motor City, so we’re hoping to drive the conversations forward about what’s to come in the automotive industry. A big part of that is how do you get a new workforce involved. So by bringing the Michigan Science Center, we get young people involved with STEM activities, where hopefully we can ignite a passion for them to get involved with engineering or design and be a part of our automotive future. You’ll see simulators everywhere. We’ll have more than 500 different vehicles on the show floor around Huntington Place. Even if you just want something a little more simple and just want to walk around and see really cool cars, we have that as well. We have 700,000-plus square feet of showroom here at Huntington Place and every corner of it is packed.

QK: One of the big attractions in the past for consumers was the chance to go through all that space and see all kinds of different vehicles under one roof. Then, maybe, they could test one out or actually purchase it. Is that still a thing, can they still buy the vehicles right at the Auto Show?

SK: Not at the show. But this is a place where you can get all the information, so when you go home, you know exactly what you’re looking for. You can’t actually purchase the vehicles on the show floor. But given the wide range of models, with more than 34 brands and about 500 cars, you’ll have a pretty good understanding of what you’re looking for and what fits best for you. So it’s a good tool for you, after you leave the show, to go to your local dealer and buy the car that stands out to you. I think that this show is evolving. And I think that’s really exciting because we’re bringing in all kinds of new partners. We’re really diving into the spirit of Detroit and Detroit’s automotive history and Detroit’s renaissance that we’ve seen over the last number of years.

This is a very important show for the city economically, with hundreds of millions of dollars of economic impact. We’re building on the momentum that started over the last number of years and hit its apex with the NFL Draft last April. To start the beginning of this year with bringing people together, connecting around the industry that is the foundation of the city is exceptional. And we’re also going to do things like coat drives for Detroit Public School kids to help them feel comfortable when they’re in the classroom. We’re going to have conversations around Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. We have some special surprises with the Detroit Lions. So there’s going to be something for everyone. It’s really a good time for the city to come together, at a time when I think we’re all really proud of what’s happening here in Detroit.

The 2025 Detroit Auto Show will take place Jan. 10-20 at Huntington Place, Detroit. For more information, visit detroitautoshow.com.

This summer, after more than five years, Russia finally released Michigan native Paul Whelan in one of the largest prisoner exchanges since the height of the Cold War.

Whelan was serving time in a Russian labor camp on bogus espionage charges.

President Biden personally greeted Whelan on the tarmac when his flight arrived back in the U.S. And Congress is working to adopt new laws to help those like him who are wrongfully detained by foreign nations.

But Whelan says his return to American soil is proving much more difficult than he anticipated.

I spoke with Whelan about his time in Russia and experience with reintegrating to life back in the U.S. for over an hour at WDET Studios.

Use the media player above to listen to the full interview, or hear highlights from the interview — which aired in two segments on WDET — below.

Listen: Paul Whelan on his struggles since arriving home from Russian labor camp

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Paul Whelan: Once you’re home, you’re actually on your own. The attention turns to the next guy that’s still locked up somewhere abroad. The state and federal benefits and programs generally don’t apply to people that came back from a hostage situation. Even getting a driver’s license or professional licenses, renewing things that should just be pro forma, it’s a problem any time you’re asked about an arrest or a criminal record on an application. In my case, I was arrested and convicted and imprisoned, but it was wrongful. So one of the provisions actually in the new law is a certificate from the president that explains that the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of a former hostage were invalid. On a few occasions I had to ask people to put my name in Google and read the media to understand the situation completely, because I was arrested and convicted and imprisoned for a fake espionage case. As soon as you get into that sort of thing, people just don’t get it. They start thinking this can’t be real.

On dealing with customs officials:

I applied for a renewal of my global entry card, which comes from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, I had a hard time with them because they kept focusing on the fact that I was arrested and imprisoned overseas. And I said, “Yeah, and look at the pictures of President Biden meeting me at Andrews Air Force Base when I came back.” It took a little while for them to process the fact that my case wasn’t real and that there was some notoriety around it.

On his struggles obtaining state unemployment or insurance benefits:

I don’t qualify for unemployment. Because the laws are written so specifically that my situation falls outside the cookie cutter that they use. You have to have worked for, I think, 20 weeks before you apply. Well, I was working, but I was working in a Russian labor camp. And that apparently doesn’t count.

I had applied for medical care [through Medicaid] and I had a letter back saying that I didn’t qualify because I wasn’t a U.S. citizen. This is a letter that’s gone all over the Michigan and federal congresses. It makes you scratch your head, to be quite honest. I called and I said this is a mistake. And they said I could appeal. In six to eight weeks, maybe there might be a determination for you. And I said, “You could just Google my name right now and understand the story.” But they said once you’ve applied and you’ve been denied, you have to go through the appeal process.

You get stuck in this bureaucratic quagmire. That’s the unfortunate thing because it should be quite easy, especially for someone in my case, and I’m finding that it just isn’t.

“Especially in my situation — where I was only held because I was an American citizen — the American government needs to have more in place so when people like me come home, there’s more lined up to help with the reintegration.”

– Paul Whelan

On how he’s living now and support he’s received:

There are some private people that are helping me. I have a GoFundMe account. The Detroit area auto dealers provided a leased vehicle for me, which was really great. There are some private practitioners that are supporting me with medical and dental care and whatnot. Really it’s the kindness of strangers and the support from the community at this point that’s helping me out. And I really appreciate that. But I also think that, especially in my situation, where I was only held because I was an American citizen, that the American government needs to have more in place so when people like me come home, there’s more lined up to help with the reintegration.

On losing his employment while held in Russia:

I was quite disappointed with my employer. I was the director of global security for BorgWarner. As soon as I was abducted by the Russians, they lawyered up. They didn’t want to cooperate with the State Department or the FBI. They didn’t want to cooperate with my family. They did pay me for the first year that I was gone, but they cut my medical insurance at a crucial time. I had a hernia that needed surgery. Because they took that option of insurance away and I was unemployed, I didn’t have the means to pay for a private operation. I basically had to wait because the Russians wouldn’t pay for it either, until the hernia became an emergency situation. One of the most disturbing aspects is that while I was sitting in prison, they were still doing business in Russia and they brought in a lot of money while I was incarcerated. Since I’ve been home I haven’t heard anything from them. Friends and supporters of mine have reached out to them and they’re just not, they’re not talking.

Whelan said the horrid conditions of the Russian labor camp where he was imprisoned remains burned into his mind. His frustration grew in prison as Russia traded other Americans while he remained incarcerated.

The U.S. Attorney General, for one, argued against doing any prisoner swaps.

But Whelan, a citizen of four different countries because of his parents and where they lived, says he was aware the U.S. government was still trying to craft a deal to get him home.

Listen: Whelan describes conditions in Russian labor camp

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Paul Whelan: I knew there were negotiations underway to get me home. I had several calls with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken from prison. I spoke to Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens on a fairly regular basis and his staff as well. We had illegal burner phones. We would use cigarettes to bribe the guards and buy burner phones. And I would call people in the governments in London and Ottawa as well. So I was fairly up to date on what was happening — not the details — but the fact that there were negotiations. There were conversations happening.

“In Russian prison there is no medical care. It’s up to you as an individual to take care of yourself.”

– Paul Whelan

On the poor conditions in the Russian labor camp:

In Russian prison there is no medical care. It’s up to you as an individual to take care of yourself. Your family, friends, people like that, can supply over-the-counter medications. So my consulates were sending that sort of thing in to me. My parents were actually ordering a lot of it on Amazon and it would go through the diplomatic pouch in D.C. to Moscow, and then from the consulates to me. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, TheraFlu, even Band Aids, all sorts of things. At first my family sent a small amount just for me. But it became apparent that my friends in the camp needed the same sort of thing. So my parents just started sending more. After a while I had a bit of a pharmacy we were able to stay in pretty good shape. It’s an odd environment, because it’s extremely dirty. It’s unsanitary. When we had water, it was cold water. It’s not conducive to what we think of as proper hygiene, having clean surfaces, disinfecting wipes. The Russians just don’t believe in those sorts of things. Since Soviet times, the Russian outlook on imprisonment is work. I was at a labor camp for the last four years and it was just like the gulags of the old days, the salt mines and factories.

On maintaining a positive outlook while imprisoned:

It’s tough. From Day One, I sung the four national anthems of my countries when I got up in the morning. And then at the labor camp, some of my friends would sing theirs as well. So it was kind of comical. We’d always say that every day is a new day. And when things weren’t going right, we’d say every hour is a new hour. I did 30 days in solitary confinement. The warden wasn’t happy with me, and I wasn’t happy with him. It stemmed from the fact that there’s no medical care in the camps and I was arguing with the warden about that. So he threw me in solitary for 30 days. When I was there I said, okay, I’m here for however long, this is my home until I get out. So instead of kicking the doors and trying to break windows and yelling and screaming and causing problems, I cleaned it up. I made it, as best I could, a situation I could deal with, and rode it out. Just after getting out of solitary, we were able to have that warden arrested and put in jail himself, as well as the deputy warden, because of the fraud and corruption in the prison.

On remaining in contact with the inmates still held by Russia:

I’m in contact with people from the camps as well as their families. The corruption in the Russian camp is just part of their society, so having burner phones available is fairly normal there. On one hand, you’d have a warden putting people in solitary for disobeying the rules. But on the other hand, the deputy warden is handing out cell phones to people that can pay for them. The guards too. One guard is selling cell phones and another guard is running around the barracks trying to collect the phones. With the inmates, we discuss world events, what’s happening with the war in Ukraine. That touches on everyone’s lives in the Russian prison because the Russian army has been taking prisoners to prop up their losing venture. People speak about coming to America, coming to Canada, how they could emigrate. We practice speaking English. And, keeping the sanctions in mind, which do make things difficult, I have family and friends in other countries that are helping to send medications and things into Russia now to go to my friends in the camps. That’s helping, especially during this winter season, keeping them healthy.

On sleep deprivation in the labor camp:

The last four years, every night, the guards would come and every two hours they’d wake me up. They’d shine a light in my face, take my photo, to prove that I hadn’t escaped. The Russians said that I was high value and that I was an escape risk. The camp that I was in, I used to call it Camp Lost in the Woods because it was way out in the middle of nowhere. If I had gotten out, which wouldn’t have been hard to do actually, I would have been in the in forests. There are bears and wolves and things running around. If I had survived them, the area of the country is just all prison camps and everyone who lives around there works in some manner for the prison service. So anybody I would have run into would have known that they were looking for an escaped prisoner, and I wouldn’t have gotten very far.

Listen to the full conversation with Whelan at the top of this article.

The U.S. House approved the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, with provisions designed to help Americans wrongfully detained by other countries. That includes Michigan native Paul Whelan, who was held by Russia for more than five years before his release this summer in a massive prisoner exchange.

Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens co-chairs a House task force on hostages and wrongful detainees. She says the new defense act should help both detainees like Whelan and their families.

Listen: Congress moves to help wrongful detainees

The following interview was edited for clarity.

Rep. Haley Stevens: While we’re delighted to see Paul Whelan return home, we also have ongoing wrongful detainee situations and hostage situations all across the world. One that’s really visceral is the ongoing hostage taking in the Middle East, in Gaza. And what we want to do is make it harder for adversaries of this country to take Americans. We want to put our full weight into deterrence. We want to make sure that we have a sound strategy. We want to make sure we have the resources. And I am absolutely thrilled that after a lot of work, we got into the defense bill several key provisions around deterrence, around passport applications, to cut through some of the steps. If you are taken, God forbid, you will immediately have resources if you choose to select that on your passport application.

And we also are saying that we mean business. So one of the key things that we did is improve already existing legislation, the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. No later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this legislation, relevant agencies will be coordinated from the White House through multiple government agencies when a citizen is detained. Because one of the things that we found is, no surprise with a big federal government, the left hand is not talking to the right hand a lot of times. So we’re opening up communication strategies. That is absolutely critical for what we call emergency hostage or wrongful detention situations.

Another provision will authorize $2 million to the Departments of State and Treasury to carry out sanction authorities. Sometimes people engage in illegal activity abroad and that’s another matter. But on other occasions, they are taken and wrongfully detained, wrongfully held. That’s exactly what happened to Paul Whelan, to Trevor Reed, to Brittney Griner to a certain extent. We’ve got other state actors, like Iran, that disappear people. And we don’t have diplomacy with that state around the hostage. What Putin did in Russia is he wanted to swap prisoners.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: When you talk about the Levinson Act, another portion of that is supposed to help those that are wrongfully detained when they return. Provide them with five years of medical coverage, mental health and other support, et cetera. Congress has never funded that provision. Of the $2 million that you mention, will any of it fund that portion of the Levinson Act that would help wrongful detainees when they return?

HS: We need to do that. That’s the next phase, to get those appropriations. And there’s more to do around the Levinson Act, frankly. Someone like Paul Whelan had five-and-a-half years taken from him. If he was wrongfully in prison in the United States, he’d arguably get a compensation fund. Paul Whelan right now is living off of a GoFundMe. It’s unacceptable and it’s wrong. I’m certainly in some respects disappointed in his former employer for not keeping him on their payroll. Paul’s lived experience is very elucidating. So we need to think about compensation.

The advocacy piece that we got done in the NDAA at the end of 2023 created a fund that allows families to receive lodging when they’re advocating on behalf of their loved one. We’re amending that in this year’s NDAA. It is really important. Elizabeth Whelan, Paul’s sister, spent over $100,000 over six years with endless hours of traveling and coordinating with the government. She was just in my office for two-and-a-half hours the other day. These are ways in which we need to make Americans and American families whole. People are being targeted because they’re American. In Paul’s case and in Trevor Reed’s case, they were former U.S. Marines as well.

QK: No one has a crystal ball. But when you talk about adding extra funding into the Levinson Act, or any other funding that would aid this cause, it would all be coming when the Trump administration would be in effect with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress. They have talked often about not wanting to fund certain areas and cutting back on spending. Do you have any concerns that funding for wrongful detainees is going to fall prey to that view by the incoming administration and Congress?

HS: I feel more optimistic than not that we will continue to move forward. People from all political stripes are very passionate about these hostages and wrongful detainees and their return home. It’s really personal.

My colleague, Texas Republican Congressman Michael Cloud, had a wrongful detainee, a political prisoner in China, who was released a handful of weeks ago. He said that this individual did not know what a QR code is because of all the years that they had been detained. There’s just support that is needed.

We are authorizing and appropriating funds year after year as a Congress. I remain very confident that we will continue to do good legislation. We will continue to work towards making people like Paul Whelan whole. I am not stopping. And every step of the way, this legislation has been bipartisan, helping hostages fight for their return and make their return as easy as possible. There’s absolutely more to do. But this year’s NDAA is, in my opinion, a sign of more to come.

A metro Detroit cancer specialist is applauding a foundation’s efforts to address the long-standing need for increasing the number of people of color who participate in clinical trials.

The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation has offered a new round of scholarships and internships for medical students to help recruit people from underrepresented or disadvantaged communities to join the trials.

Wayne State University Professor of Oncology Hayley Thompson directs outreach and engagement for the Karmanos Cancer Institute.

She says patients sometimes respond much more positively when they talk with a doctor who shares their same background.

Listen: WSU oncology professor on importance of including people of color in clinical trials

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Hayley Thompson: When we decrease that social distance between a health care provider and a patient, we know that communication is stronger. There’s more relationship building. Patients ask more questions. We see that definitely in data. So it would stand to reason that when a Black physician might approach a Black patient around participating in a clinical trial, which is basically research, they might be more open and willing to participate in that work because they’re being asked by someone who is similar to them in terms of group membership and culture and experiences. It may also be the case that those physicians may be communicating more effectively with those patients as well. However, I think that’s only one piece of the puzzle.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: What would you say are some of the other parts? Does it seem that people of color are often more reluctant than others to join in these clinical trials?

HT: I think there are multiple reasons. You have to look at the patient level. And a lot of times it’s just a lack of knowledge about what a clinical trial is. I was recently talking with some of my community partners and colleagues about the fact that it has the word “trial” in it, right? Trials don’t necessarily have great connotations for many groups and for many people. And there’s not necessarily a lot of public awareness about the role that clinical trials and research play in disease prevention and innovative treatment or quality of life when you’re coping with disease or illness. I work in a cancer center, so cancer clinical trials are a huge part of what we do. But you have to be treated on site. So we have to really think about whether people of color have equal access to the settings where clinical trials are being offered. Any barriers to access to health care are similar to the barriers to accessing clinical trials. Think about transportation, child care, food insecurity, all the things that are going to come into play and potentially be barriers to participating in a clinical trial as well.

There’s a lot of research that shows oftentimes African Americans and other people of color are not even asked to join clinical trials. And that has to do, to some degree, with biases within our health care systems. Providers may be making assumptions that some people may not be interested in trials. Or it may be too difficult to explain what a trial is or persuade them to participate in it. So that’s a piece of it too. Because when people understand what clinical trials are about, when it’s explained well and they are asked in an appropriate way, people are interested. I think it’s a little bit of a myth to say that people just don’t trust trials. There are a lot of factors that influence people’s interest. Another factor that is also really key here, that is not talked about as often, are the eligibility criteria depending on who is sponsoring the trials. And sometimes people are not eligible because of co-morbidities or other chronic conditions or diseases they may have that might disqualify them. And sometimes those disqualifying conditions really would not necessarily affect the outcomes of the trial.

QK: I’ve talked with some people who will still bring up those infamous Tuskegee experiments, where they had 400 Black men with syphilis who were never treated or even told what the experiment was about. That still seems to resonate with some people. They really either have a fear or a suspicion about any kind of clinical trials. Have you found that is a factor as well?

HT: I think that certainly is something that is part of a collective memory and influences the decision of some around trials. And it’s important that we remember that. But I think people also look to current day racism in health care and their own experiences or those of their friends and family members. Negative experiences in health care settings or negative experiences with research today have just as much of an influence as Tuskegee. And that’s something we can do something about right now in 2024. How do we make clinical trials more easily understood by the general population? How do we make it easier for them to participate? And how do we help people understand the protections that are in place? Those are things that we can tackle today that don’t have anything to do with Tuskegee.

QK: On the other side of it, when you look at what is currently happening with clinical trials, it sounds like most of the participants are white. How much does that throw off the results or affect whatever comes from these trials and what they could do for the total population?

HT: It’s a huge issue. If we don’t have diversity in our clinical trials then we don’t have a complete picture about the impact of the interventions that we’re testing. Trials are supportive care. And whether it be due to ancestry or genetic factors or because of cultural reasons, different groups of people are different. And we need to have that representation in our trials to really understand how certain strategies work across different groups of people. There really is a significant limitation when we don’t have that diversity in our samples for our trials.

There’s ongoing work here in Detroit at Karmanos and across the country addressing this issue. I oversee the Karmanos Office of Cancer Health Equity and Community Engagement. With our community partners and just regular people who want to participate in our work around cancer prevention and control, we’ve created a video about clinical trials. It has diverse physicians and scientists talking about the trials. It has cancer survivors who talk about their experiences on cancer clinical trials. And we’ve seen increases in people’s knowledge about trials and a shift in their attitudes where people are much more interested in participating in clinical trials. We see increases also in their belief that people of color should be a part of clinical trials. And that’s just from our community information video. That’s a strategy that we want to disseminate throughout our hospital and even to other parts of the country. I have a colleague at Wake Forest University where they have a whole program targeting health care providers. It’s called “Just Ask.” It tries to break down the barriers for health care providers, making sure that they consistently offer clinical trials to all their patients, regardless of race, ethnicity or other demographics.

In 1934 the Detroit Lions played the first pro football game ever held on Thanksgiving. They lost to the Chicago Bears.

Nearly a century later, the Lions face the Bears again on Thanksgiving.

But this time Detroit takes the field as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.

Detroit Football Network founder Justin Rogers has reported on the Lions for more than a dozen years.

He told WDET the team is primed to win its first Turkey Day game since 2016.

“They’re well coached, they’re aggressive, they’re mentally strong. It just doesn’t seem like anything fazes this team, physically or mentally.”

—Justin Rogers, Founder of the Detroit Football Network

Listen: Justin Rogers

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Justin Rogers, Detroit Football Network: This Lions team under Head Coach Dan Campbell is kind of about ending streaks, they’ve ended several negative streaks under him, So it only makes sense that they knock another one off here on this holiday.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: They’re heading into this game with a bit of a banged-up roster, especially on defense And this is a short week with only four days between games. How do you think that’s going to impact the Turkey Day contest?

JR: Every time they get an injury you wonder if the attrition is going to catch up to this team. They’ve suffered so many this year and so many big names, obviously, with star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson being at the top of that list. But remarkably, they just seem to continue to get better. They currently rank second in the NFL in points allowed, despite all these different guys that they’ve lost. And so, it’s going to be another puzzle for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to figure out. But I don’t know what more to say about the job that he’s done this year. He’s put himself firmly on the head coaching track. He was on it anyway but really needed the results to accentuate his resume. With overcoming these injuries, it’s a no-brainer for some team to give him that shot.

QK: The Lions defense is facing a quarterback who’s had a little bit of an up-and-down year so far, which you would expect for a rookie, even a No. 1 overall pick like Caleb Williams. But he seems to have been really pulling it together the last couple of games, since they got a new offensive coordinator for him with the Bears. Do you think he can take another step in this particular game against the lions?

JR: That’s the thing with rookies, right? It’s all about finding the level, finding consistency. And the good signs for Williams is that the last five games, he hasn’t thrown at interception. Turnovers are often a problem that plague young quarterbacks. He’s got quite a bit of weapons around him. They put him in a very good position to succeed as a rookie and it seems like he is taking to his new offensive coordinator. They’ve only been together for two games. It’s a very small sample size. It’s tough to judge exactly what that means. But we saw what happened when Detroit’s rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold was out this week and they had to go to a backup. It was probably the only weak point on the defense. If they have to go back to that, it could be problematic. But development isn’t linear for young players. Williams could have another good game or he could absolutely tank. And neither one would be surprising. This is going to be his first taste of a short week in the NFL, his first taste of Thanksgiving and the national exposure that comes with that. It’s going to be a storyline, how he handles these variables that he’s not experienced before.

QK: On the other side of the ball, Detroit’s offense has seemed almost unstoppable sometimes, running up huge scores. But they are facing a Bears defense that seems to have one of the better, if not best, secondaries in the entire league at the moment. That might make it a bit of a tough challenge for quarterback Jared Goff and his various receivers. How do you see that shaping up?

JR: I think it’s the matchup that’s going to dictate how this game goes. Detroit’s offense is probably the best in franchise history at this point, certainly the best of three really good years under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. They’re averaging over 30 points a game, we’ve seen them put up at least 40 four times this season, and 50 twice. They are incredibly explosive and incredibly versatile. The beauty of their offense is they can do everything. They can run the smash mouth game and pound it on the ground or they can play the finesse game. They have players that are really good in speed and space and so, you never know what you’re going to get when you’re game planning for this Detroit offense. As good as Chicago’s defense has been, and it’s been very good, they’ve got a lot of continuity there, they’re getting a lot out of talent at all levels, Detroit will have an answer. It’s just a matter of whether they’ll be able to execute. We saw two weeks ago in Jacksonville, that everything Detroit drew up worked to perfection. We saw last week in Indy they looked a little bit clunkier, some good drives, some bad drives. But they still walk away with 24 points. I think if you can score in that ballpark, in the upper 20 points, it’s going to be enough to beat a Chicago offense that just isn’t clicking it near that level this season.

QK: You’ve been covering the team now for a long time. Some Lions fans still have this fear in the back of their minds once in a while that Detroit will get close and then they’re going to just find a way to not have it work. Yet over this last three, four years, suddenly the Lions seem to be one of the best teams in the NFC. In fact, they are maybe the best at the moment, by a lot of experts predictions, as well as the only NFC team that’s never been to the Super Bowl. People talk about “grit” and stuff like that, but to you, what’s really been the change between the Lions being league doormats not that long ago and now maybe favorites for the Super Bowl?

JR: It starts with talent. If you’re not talented enough, you’re going to really struggle. Because in the NFL, the way it’s set up, all the teams are relatively equal in talent. So the margin for error for the Lions was always so small. Every time something minimal went against them, a bad call from an official, a bad bounce, a dropped pass, it was enough to tip the scales in an otherwise balanced game and cause them to lose. Now they’re in the upper echelon of talent and so when they have these things that go against them, which inevitably happens in the course of football, human error is part of the game — whether it’s officiating or other players. You have a game where Jared Goff throws five interceptions and the Lions still win. That’s not enough to derail you? It’s unbelievable.

They’re well coached, they’re aggressive, they’re mentally strong. It just doesn’t seem like anything fazes this team, physically or mentally. They’re very comfortable facing adversity, staring it down and running it over. I understand that mentality of some Lions fans and why it’s lingered for so long. Because this team has hurt you, I don’t know if there’s a better way to put it. But right now is not a mirage.

Last year it became very apparent that this was a good football team. The 2024 Detroit Lions are a better football team. They have more confidence. They know even more what it takes. They went a little bit harder this off-season, added a few more veteran pieces. And they are every bit the Super Bowl contender people think they are. I think you could even call them the Super Bowl favorites. And I know that’s a weird thing to hear, but it is an appropriate and accurate description.

This week brought an end to a bitter conflict between General Motors, a famous racing name and the world’s most prestigious form of auto racing.

Formula 1 approved GM’s bid to enter the globe-spanning series under its Cadillac brand in time for the 2026 season.

The effort and the infrastructure to build the cars came from race team owner Michael Andretti. But F1’s ownership rejected Andretti’s proposed team, leading the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into whether Formula 1 had violated anti-trust laws.

Now Andretti’s father, legendary racer Mario Andretti, will serve on the Cadillac team’s board of directors.

Mario Andretti told WDET it’s a role he’s become familiar with during the long journey to joining Formula 1.

Listen: Mario Andretti discusses his role with Cadillac Formula 1 team

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Mario Andretti: Nothing is really changing a great deal from the moment that Michael and his partner started this venture. I always was part of it to some degree as far as a sounding board. And that will continue to be so, which is great and it’s very exciting moments for us. We’ve been on this project for quite some time now and, finally, to be given the green light puts a whole new energy into the team. So it was great news.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: What will you be doing as a part of the board of directors?

MA: I’m available to be involved in some decisions where I think I have experience, such as driver choices and some technical issues and so on. Wherever it seems like I could be contributing, I’m there. That’s as simple and as complicated as that.

QK: Your son Michael’s made such an investment in the infrastructure and all the facilities that will be used for the team. Is that going to be the base of where the cars are built?

MA: The objective is to be an all-American team. So the basic car I’m hoping will be built in America. But all of the operational side, once the season starts, will be out of England. But they have a design team in England right now. A lot of the specific details are not really for us to divulge yet, to be honest with you.

QK: Michael put so much into this project. Apart from yourself, is there going to be any mention of the Andretti name in regards to the project?

MA: I don’t know. Probably, if I get arrested, I’m sure my name will be mentioned.

QK: Ha! Apart from that, though?

MA: We’re still involved, whether it’s up front or whatever, it’s still a project that’s very much close to our heart and we’re not going anywhere.

QK: Did it surprise you, the length of time and the seeming contentiousness about getting this whole bid put together?

MA: Well, I really don’t care to go there now. I think, for me, it’s all full steam forward. That’s the objective now. I don’t want to waste any time looking back. It’s all good now and that’s the important part.

QK: I’m talking to you from Detroit, which is the home of General Motors headquarters. It’s going to be the all-American team that you had talked about. But it wasn’t exactly all-American, but Penske Racing had some troubles years ago in Formula 1. The American-owned Haas team now has had periodic difficulties. What do you think sets the Cadillac effort apart from those others?

MA: It’s huge. It’s historic. I think it’s the first time ever that General Motors and the Cadillac brand will be officially involved in Formula 1, which is fabulous for the sport. Fabulous for Formula 1, and it also gives you a lot of confidence about the effort. So this is all good stuff.

QK: It might be a little bit early right now, but do you have your eye at the moment on any drivers you think would fit the team, either experienced or any young Americans?

MA: The driver situation is all-important, as we all know. So a lot of things have been considered. This project started about three years ago, ultimately, so there were a lot of other things that were in place then. And now it’s not going to be on track until 2026. So you have all of 2025 to mull things over and make decisions. But the team is going to field teams in Formula 3 and Formula 2. And that’s going to be where some of the opportunities for, hopefully, some American talents to go there and hone their skills to progress to Formula 1.

QK: What do you think of the series itself right now, Formula One? It’s obviously gotten very popular now in the U.S. But it seems like a single manufacturer has been dominating for a while, whether it be Red Bull or Mercedes or whatever. Do you see a more competitive series coming with the new rule changes in 2026?

MA: I think we have seen that it’s gradually going in that direction. I think the competition has closed up as this season was progressing. And when you’re looking at 2026, it’s going to be a clean sheet of paper with new chassis and power units. So that could probably close the field. But going back to single team domination, that’s nothing new for Formula 1. Historically it’s been there from the beginning, from 1950 on. But the chances of three teams, and maybe even more, potentially being able to win races during a season is real and it’s unprecedented.

QK: How about for yourself? Growing up and watching Formula 1 and winning the world championship in 1978, as well as making such a name in U.S. racing, obviously. Is it almost like a full circle thing to come now to where you’re going to be part of a team that’s there?

MA: I guess you can call it that way, full circle. Being part of a team was never my ultimate ambition. My ambition was always driving. But I think Michael has shown me something different. When he stepped out of the cockpit he wanted to continue in ownership. Now, actual, real ownership was something that never really appealed to me. But to be part of it, something that started with Michael being involved, I welcome that opportunity and I’ve been invited to stay on, and I will.

A Michigan Congressman is proposing legislation to end normal trade relations with China.

U.S Rep. John Moolenaar chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Moolenaar says fighting the security threat posed by the U.S. adversary is one of the few issues that bring Democrats and Republicans together in Congress.

Listen: U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar discusses concerns about the CCP

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar: We’re going to work to prevent the CCP from stealing our technology, co-opting businesses, harassing the American people, and pressuring us into compliance. President Trump has made some important appointments. Michael Waltz, who is the new national security advisor for the president, is very serious about addressing the threats China presents. And we look forward to closely collaborating.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: The president-elect has talked a lot about putting tariffs on various products. China officials have said that they are rushing, it seems, to get semi-conductor production up and going even more in their country. The Biden administration had pushed to make a domestic supply chain for that. What do you think the U.S. policy should be in regards to that? And do you have any fears if there are tariffs being applied that a kind of a trade war erupts between China and the U.S.?

JM: In a sense, China has been initiating a trade war with the United States for many years. They’ve been violating various trade rules and I believe it’s time that we revoked the permanent normal trade relationship status that China has enjoyed for the last two and a half decades. And because of the violations that they’ve incurred, I do believe tariffs are a very reasonable approach, specifically targeted at addressing E-sectors and areas of technology where we need to rebuild our supply chain resilience. And make sure that we are not furthering our dependence on China.

QK: One of the concerns some people have had is the use of TikTok. It also seems that now President-elect Trump seems to be kind of a fan of TikTok, which you had not seemed to be in in the past. When you look at views that you and the President have regarding that, do you see that those will be able to mesh?

JM: I do. And I think President Trump has had long standing concerns about the CCP’s control of TikTok. And in our legislation we did not ban TikTok. What we said is that TikTok needs to be severed from its owner ByteDance, which is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, and to divest from TikTok. And my hope is that President Trump will use the fact that we have a law in place now that requires that divestiture as a way to negotiate in a way that an American company may have the opportunity to take TikTok over and provide this forum in a way that would be safer for the American people and free from adversarial control.

QK: Have you had any discussions with Trump or some of his people in regards to TikTok or any of the other Chinese matters?

JM: That will be an ongoing discussion. Right now there are some issues that are being resolved in the courts. And there is a deadline of Jan. 19 where TikTok must be sold. There also is a provision where the president can delay that if negotiations are occurring in a productive way. So it gives the president a lot of flexibility to work on this and hopefully find an American buyer or at least a friendly nation — one that’s not China, Russia, North Korea or Iran.

QK: When the leader of China, President Xi Jinping, met a while back with Biden, he outlined what he was calling “red lines” in the relationship between the U.S. and China. Issues like the status with Taiwan, democracy or human rights, China’s own system and what he called China’s rights to development. When you look at those red lines, what’s your view of how he sets that out?

JM: It’s interesting how he frames things. He will talk about Taiwan as something where he feels they have a legitimate right to take over Taiwan by force if necessary. We view that very differently. Taiwan is a free island nation, a Democratic free island that is a huge part of the world economy. And the idea that Xi Jinping thinks he can just take it over to me is a very dangerous provocation on his part. They have promised in the past things like in Hong Kong, that they would have one China but two systems. But political dissenters have been thrown into prison; Jimmy Lai, who is someone from the media who spoke out for democracy, is in prison. So they are putting their political adversaries in prison. It’s very difficult to view what Xi Jinping says as having integrity. So my goal would be to do everything we can to deter aggression with respect to Taiwan. And also make sure that we keep the rule of law, the status quo, in the South China Sea and other areas where China is threatening our allies like the Philippines and Japan. Make sure that they don’t continue to instigate further destruction.

QK: Trump has said in regards to Taiwan that he thinks the country should pay the U.S. for helping provide its defense. What’s your view of that?

JM: Well, again, President Trump is a strong negotiator. I think there’s very strong agreement that Taiwan needs to strengthen its force, its defenses, and its posture to help protect itself from aggression from mainland China. President Reagan talked about “Peace through strength,” and I believe we must display American strength when it comes to our relationship with China. A big part of that is arming Taiwan so that they can defend themselves and that Xi Jinping realizes it is a very unattractive option for him to try and take Taiwan by force. I think what President Trump is doing, similar to what he did with NATO allies, is encourage them to participate more in funding their own defense. And we can be part of that by selling them arms, by helping them equip themselves. But they really need to step up their game. And they are. I’m encouraged by the progress they’re making.