Oakland County leaders and residents are protesting a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement administrative office in Southfield. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and State Senator Jeremy Moss were among dozens of protesters at the site Tuesday.  State Representative Jason Hoskins says residents are concerned about ICE having a larger presence in Southfield. 

 “Across the country, people have seen mass federal agents operating in ways that feel aggressive and intimidating and disconnected from the communities that they serve, and when communities of color see mass individuals exercising power, it says a historical weight that cannot be ignored.”   

The building owner, REDICO, said in a statement that the lease is with the General Services Administration, and not directly with ICE. 

Additional Headlines for February 18, 2026

 DTE Energy fined for clean air violations 

A federal judge has ordered DTE Energy to pay 100 million dollars for Clean Air Act violations in Metro Detroit. The infractions occurred at a subsidiary facility on Zug Island where coal is turned into coke for steel production. Sulfur dioxide is produced during the process. The gas can cause health problems when inhaled. The Environmental Protection Agency sued the coke plant in 2022. The judge also ordered the facility to come into compliance with clean air laws and to start a Community Quality Action Committee to work on air quality improvement projects. DTE Energy says it will appeal the ruling.  

Cardiac emergency plans for school stalls 

Michigan lawmakers required schools to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan for the current school year if the Legislature appropriated “sufficient funds.” But funding wasn’t dedicated in the education budget. A Senate proposal to include funding was removed by the House and was not included in the final budget. That means enforcement of the law is stalled. Bridge Michigan reports the state Department of Education says decisions on whether to implement emergency plans at the state’s estimated 5,000 public and nonpublic schools depend on local capacity and available resources. 

The holy month of Ramadan has begun 

Ramadan has begun. The Islamic holy month began Tuesday after sunset. Today is the first day of fasting. Muslim communities observe the event by praying intently, reading the Quran, giving to charity, and fasting from sunrise to sunset. Families gather in the evening to break their fast. Ramadan is the month when it is believed that the Quran was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. 

Ash Wednesday observed 

Today is Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the season of repentance, reflection and self-denial for Catholics and many other Christians. Worshippers attend church today and receive ashes, commonly spread in the shape of a cross on the forehead to remind them that life is short and that they should focus on things of the spirit. 

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If you live in southeast Michigan, chances are you have a DTE story — the kind where your food spoiled during an outage, your pipes froze while you waited for power, or the number on your energy bill last month spurred disbelief.

The data backs up that frustration. According to a report from the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, the state ranked last in 2023 for average time to restore power after an outage, taking roughly 12 hours per incident —more than double that of any neighboring state.

Energy rates, meanwhile, continue to climb. DTE Energy has filed four rate increase requests with the Michigan Public Service Commission in five years. In 2024, the company cut power to approximately 150,000 customers for nonpayment, according to a report from the Center for Biological Diversity. That same year, DTE paid more than $607 million in dividends to shareholders while its profits surged 41%.

Now, a grassroots effort in Ann Arbor is trying to change the equation.

The group Ann Arbor for Public Power has launched a petition drive to put a question on the November 2026 ballot: whether to establish a governing board for a future city-owned electric utility. The group needs approximately 6,500 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

What happens next

If approved by voters, the measure would not immediately purchase DTE’s infrastructure. Instead, it would create a nine-member public utility board to lay the groundwork for an eventual transition away from the investor-owned utility. A separate vote would be required in the future to authorize the actual acquisition of DTE’s poles and wires.

Michigan already has roughly 40 municipal utilities in cities like Lansing, Traverse City, Holland, and Wyandotte. But none of them were formed by acquiring infrastructure from a private utility. Ann Arbor would be the first city in the state to attempt it. Organizers believe success there could open the door for other Michigan cities, including Detroit, to follow.

Sean Higgins, president of Ann Arbor for Public Power, joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss why his group believes public ownership is the path to cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable energy for Ann Arbor residents.

DTE Energy has not responded to WDET’s request for comment about this effort.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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More stories from The Metro

Detroit residents forced out from the Leland apartment building remain in temporary housing as questions grow about what happens next.  

The downtown high-rise was evacuated in November after a power failure, just days after a court-approved payment agreement was reached on an overdue DTE Energy bill tied to the property’s ongoing bankruptcy case.  

The Detroit Fire Department issued a vacate order, and about 25 to 30 residents are staying in a city-paid hotel through mid-January. Many say they’ve received no clear timeline for returning home.  

Advocates say residents were not included in decisions about the building’s future and are now pushing for access to belongings and a right to return. 

Steven Rimmer is director of the Detroit Tenants Union, an advocacy group for renters. 

“I think this is just another situation where there’s been a lot of decisions made about our community without the voice of the community,” he says. “…residents have not been brought into the conversation once about what’s going on, the future of Leland, their future… I think this is just another example of why we need to organize across the country for better rights in our community,” Rimmer says. 

He says the Detroit Tenants Union plans to intervene in the building owner’s bankruptcy case to protect Leland residents’ rights.

Flu cases are on the rise across Michigan.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control say the state has a “very high” level of doctors’ visits for respiratory illnesses.  That’s the top category in the country.  

Doctors recommend children and adults over 65 get a flu vaccine to prevent serious illness and limit the risk of hospitalization.  Officials say only about a quarter of Michigan residents have received a flu vaccine this season.   

The state says 8% of emergency room visits last week were because of flu-related illnesses.

Additional headlines for Jan. 7, 2026

Homicides fall

The number of homicides in Detroit continues to fall.  

The city had 165 murders last year.  That’s the lowest number since 1964.

The police department says other crimes, such as non-fatal shootings and carjackings also fell last year. 

DTE introduces new fee 

DTE Energy will soon begin charging a fee for customers who pay their bills by credit or  debit card.  That’s according to the Detroit Free Press.  Residential customers will pay $2.99 per transaction.  Business customers will be charged $9.99 per transaction when they pay by debit or credit.  The Detroit utility says the fee will go directly to third party vendors who  process those payments.  The change is set to take effect on March 2^nd. 

Gas prices 

Gas prices have risen slightly in metro Detroit over the past week, but they remain below $3 per gallon.  Triple A Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $2.83.  That’s up about five cents from a week ago.  Last year at this time, Detroiters were paying an average of $3.!0 per gallon. 

Temperature rising

Detroiters can expect a bit of a weather warm-up in the next couple of days.  The National Weather Service says temperatures will rise into the upper 40s tomorrow and we might even break a record with a high forecast to be in the upper 50s on Friday.  

The reality of winter returns on Sunday and Monday though, with highs in the 30s. 

Morton fired

The Detroit Lions have fired offensive coordinator John Morton after a disappointing season.  The team failed to make the playoffs this year with a record of nine wins and eight losses.  

Morton called plays for the offense in the first 10 games of the year, but head coach Dan Campbell was not pleased with the team’s inconsistent performance.  Campbell took over offensive play-calling duties in game 11.  

Morton became offensive coordinator last year after the departure of Ben Johnson, who left the Lions to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears.  Chicago won the NFC north division this season and is headed to the playoffs.  The Lions finished last in the division this season. 

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