The State of Michigan and the City of Romulus have sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to stop them from converting a warehouse into an ICE detention center.

This week on MichMash, Gongwer News Service’s Alethia Kasben talks with Attorney General Dana Nessel to discuss her concerns about the department’s actions and much more.

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

In this episode

• Why did the State of Michigan and the City of Romulus sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security?
• Attorney General Nessel’s take on Pres. Trump attending Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship.
• Data centers in Michigan
• What Attorney Nessel plans to do after leaving office this term. 

Nessel felt that the legality of the Romulus warehouse purchase was in question, and even pointed out the irony of the DHS operation.

“They are taking people who mostly have no criminal records of any kinds and [saying] that these people didn’t come into the state properly so we are going to detain you or deport. Well, DHS didn’t come in to Romulus properly. They are not abiding by the laws. So I think it’s a bit of hypocrisy by the federal government.” 

Nessel said they filed a preliminary injunction so that DHS could not proceed with the project while the legal battle evolves. 

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Michigan and city of Romulus file lawsuit to halt ICE detention center

• The Metro: Data centers, coming to a community near you

Thousands rallied against the actions of President Donald Trump across Michigan on Saturday.

In Ferndale, about three thousand people lined Woodward Avenue near 9 Mile Road to express their displeasure.

Barb Anness of Rochester Hills believes the protests can bring about change.

“I’m very heartened by the diversity of people that I see out here, and I think Americans are at their best when we come together and we speak with one voice when something is wrong, and we call it out and we work for change in a positive way,” Anness said.

Anness says her objections to the cuurent administration fall outside of partisan politics.

“For me, it’s not a left or right issue, it’s a right or wrong issue. We have authority in government that are not adhering to norms and laws, and it needs to change, and this November, we have an opportunity to speak with our voice through our ballot in the ballot booth,” Anness said.

Anness came to Ferndale to protest with a friend – Holly Haran of Royal Oak. Haran isn’t happy with much of what’s coming from the federal government right now.

“There’s so much material that we can make signs for because there’s so many things that are being targeted,” Haran said. “Our voter rights, education, health care, there’s so many things that are being taken away. So and when they’re gone, it’s going to be really hard to get them back.”

A retired schoolteacher, Haran says she’s not happy with the tactics Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are using—especially near classrooms.

“It’s a really bad position to put educators in, because our job is to help kids,” Haran said.

Romulus protests proposed ICE facility

ICE was the primary topic of discussion in Romulus, where protesters gathered in front of a proposed detention facility on Cogswell Street.

Maxwell Pizzurro made the trip to the city from Chesterfield Township.

“I just think it’s really gross with these new camps that are opening up and how they’re just treating regular people,” Pizzurro said.

“What’s the difference between me and my family who came here [from Sicily] and a new family from Ghana? Or a new family from Portugal or Brazil? There’s no difference between us. We’re all just looking to make a good life for us and our families,” Pizzurro said.

Terry Golden Davis is an Army vet and grew up in Romulus. He says things have gotten so bad he turned up for his first-ever protest.  

“Somebody’s got to stand up to this hypocrisy. This is so sad. I spent hours making  signs. Hours,” Davis said.

“Nobody wants this. The should use it [the warehouse] for something, but not this,” Davis said.

Clad in a Harley Davidson jacket, lifelong Romulus resident Ken Cullen is concerned about the mistreatment of detainees.

“I mean, this is a warehouse. There’s no showers. There’s no bathrooms. There’s nothing,” Cullen said. “You can’t just house people in a warehouse, and expect them to live.”

Gerod Funderburg does not want the facility in his city. and he doesn’t believe President Trump that the detainees are hardened criminals either.

“They are people who are looking for better place to stay, better place to live, better opportunities for themselves—and he’s not providing it. If this is going to be a jail, we don’t want a jail around the corner from our homes,” Funderburg said.

Romulus City Council unanimously passed a resolution to denounce the ICE detention facility, and more recently filed a lawsuit alongside Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to stop its establishment.

Department of Homeland Security agents guarded the warehouse during Saturday’s protest, and approached U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib to redirect her when she tried parking in the driveway. 

Representative Dylan Wegela represents Romulus in the state house. He says abolition is the only way.

“We do not want this detention center here. We want, instead, to defund ICE. We want to abolish ICE, and we want to prosecute ICE.”

Many detainees have died while in ICE custody over the past year, and three American citizens have been killed by federal agents during President Trump’s push for mass deportations.

What people see as priorities

Wegela says President Trump is focused on the wrong things.

“He’s entered us into a war with Iran that is costing $2 billion a day,” Wegela said. “Instead of our money going towards bombing, say, a girl’s school in Iran, we would rather it be spent here to make sure that we are investing in our roads and our schools.”

Steve Conn of Detroit says if the people don’t speak out about injustice happening towards immigrants then the situation will get worse.

“We got to make sure people understand. If you don’t stand up now for immigrants, you too will be in there,” Conn said.

White House dismisses protests

Estimates place 9 million people in the streets for the ‘No Kings’ protests. The White House is dismissive.

“The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

Ken Cullen is unmoved by that statement.

“Everything we hear is lies and propaganda. The truth is out here with all the people,” Cullen said. “They are showing we’re not that stupid.”

Daniel Estrin, NPR

TEL AVIV, Israel, WASHINGTON, D.C., and AMMAN, Jordan — Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Saturday against Iran as part of a major military campaign intended to topple the Islamic regime, President Trump said.

Trump said that other Iranian leaders were also killed.

“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added, “The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”

Khamenei was killed by an Israeli strike, a person briefed on the strike told NPR. The NPR source requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. Trump did not confirm that the strike was carried out by Israel.

Iran has not confirmed the death of Khamenei or other leaders.

The wave of airstrikes began after sunrise in Iran, with huge explosions ringing out in the capital Tehran. Videos showed large plumes of thick smoke.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the attack a “gross violation” of its national sovereignty. A statement said the airstrikes hit both military and civilian targets.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society relief group said more than 200 people were killed in strikes across Iran.

“They have hit many targets around me and we hear fighter jets and missiles exploding,” said a resident in western Tehran reached by phone before communications were cut in Iran. Like other Iranian residents interviewed by NPR, they did not want to use their names for fear of arrest. “People were panicking and trying to get to their homes. Children are running out of school.”

Iranian state media said one of the airstrikes hit a girls’ primary school in southern Iran, killing at least 85 children, according to the local prosecutors office. The prosecutors said more girls were still buried under the rubble. Saturday is the start of the Iranian school and work week. NPR is asking Israeli officials for comment on the report a school was hit.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, told NPR on Saturday it was aware of reports about civilians being harmed.

“We take these reports seriously and are looking into them,” Hawkins said. “The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm. Unlike Iran, we have never — and will never — target civilians.”

Iran responded with missile and drone launches of its own, spreading the conflict to the wider region. Air raid sirens wailed in Israel as it came under attack. Several countries in the Gulf also reported Iranian strikes, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. The Jordanian government, which also hosts major U.S. military bases, reported it downed 49 drones and ballistic missiles threatening its territory.

“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said in an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social.

Source: Donald J. Trump via Truth Social

Tense lead-up to the strikes

The joint U.S.-Israeli attack — called “Epic Fury” by the Pentagon and “Roaring Lion” by Israel — came after weeks of escalating tensions and a major U.S. military buildup in the region. The U.S. had said it was trying to negotiate a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear program, holding the most recent round of talks on Thursday in Geneva. But Trump said those efforts had failed.

In the run-up to the military strike, analysts speculated on whether Trump might choose a brief, limited attack — as he has done previously in Iran and many other cases over the past year — or if he would opt for a more expansive operation. The initial impression — and the president’s own words — pointed to a large-scale, open-ended bombardment.

“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated,” Trump said, adding, “We’re going to annihilate their navy.”

The president claims Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program ahead of the attack — Trump had often said the program was “totally obliterated” in the U.S. and Israeli attacks last June.

Trump also told the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to surrender: “Lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitored Iran’s program for years, as well as other nuclear experts, have said there’s no evidence that Iran has resumed the enrichment of uranium, the centerpiece of the program.

Prior to launching the attack, Trump said he preferred a negotiated deal, but would also welcome regime change. Otherwise, he offered little insight into his ultimate goal in Iran.

But in his video, he made clear that he wants Iran’s religious leadership, which has ruled for 47 years, to fall.

Speaking directly to the Iranian people, he told them to take shelter for now, while bombing is taking place. Then, he added, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.”

However, the Iranian security forces brutally suppressed mass street protests last month. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency says more than 7,000 people were killed. Trump has put the death toll at 32,000 without citing his source.

A Tehran resident reached by NPR said Saturday that internal security forces were flooding the streets in some residential neighborhoods.

“Many of them are on the streets on motorbikes, showing off their guns,” she said. “They want to create fear.”

There’s no sign the U.S. will send ground troops into Iran, and military analysts say it will be extremely difficult to topple the government with air power alone.

Therefore, it’s impossible to say whether Iran’s leadership might be vulnerable to a domestic uprising, or if it would be able to crush protests as it did earlier this year.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the strikes by the U.S. and Israel, as well as the retaliatory strikes by Iran. 

“We are witnessing a grave threat to international peace and security. Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world,” Guterres said during an emergency UN Security Council meeting. “Let me be clear: There is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes. Lasting peace can only be achieved through peaceful means, including genuine dialogue and negotiations.”

Hundreds of targets struck

Israel’s military said it completed its biggest air force operation in the country’s history, with about 200 fighter jets hitting about 500 targets in western and central Iran, including aerial defense systems and missile launchers, expanding Israel’s aerial superiority over Iran.

An Israeli military official told reporters that the U.S. and Israeli militaries spent months building up an extensive bank of targets in Iran and were looking for the right moment to strike when senior Iranian officials would meet. The official said three separate gatherings of senior officials were struck simultaneously Saturday morning. The official said several central government figures were killed, without identifying them.

Hours before Trump announced the supreme leader’s death, NPR was told by a person briefed on the strikes that Israel’s assessment was that Supreme Leader Khamenei was hit, and later, from another source with knowledge of the strikes, that he was killed by an Israeli strike.

That account conflicts with what Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier told NBC News — that Khamenei and Iran’s president were still alive “as far as I know,” as were other top officials.

The military said the operation was conducted with “full synchronization and coordination” between the Israeli and U.S. militaries.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said the goal of the joint U.S.-Israeli attack is to “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”

“Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” Netanyahu said in a video.

A person briefed on the operation told NPR it was expected to last a few days, with Israel’s military focusing on targeting Iran’s missile program.

Israel has closed its airspace to all passenger flights, and civil defense protocols have been activated. Regional military forces remain on high alert.

A 48-hour state of emergency was declared nationwide. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel, with authorities warning civilians to enter bomb shelters.

Trails of smoke streaked the sky above Tel Aviv as Israeli interception systems fired at incoming missiles. A hospital in central Israel began moving operations to an underground fortified compound.

In the Gulf, several countries offered details on Iranian attacks.

Bahrain’s government said an Iranian airstrike hit the U.S. naval base that is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

The United Arab Emirates, another U.S. ally, said it intercepted Iranian missiles. It said shrapnel from one of the missiles killed a national of an unspecified Asian country in Abu Dhabi.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday afternoon that the president has spoken with leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

NPR’s Michele Kelemen contributed to this report. Aya Batrawy contributed reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Rebecca Rosman contributed from Paris.

This is a developing story. Follow along for live updates from NPR. 

Last week President Trump threatened to block the Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening. In a rambling post on social media, Trump argued that Canada is treating the U.S. unfairly without making any specific demands.

That’s left politicians on the Michigan and Ontario sides of the new span scrambling. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says he is unaware of any attempts by the Trump Administration to contact Canadian officials over the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

Dilkens says that while Canada paid to build the span, ownership of the bridge is shared.

“Canada as a federal government and the state of Michigan as a state government jointly own the Gordie Howe Bridge,” says Dilkens. “We’re 50-50 owners and we will repay the cost of construction through the collection of tolls over a period of many years, after which we will split the proceeds of toll revenue moving forward.”

Meeting with Morouns

The Windsor mayor blames the Moroun family for the President’s sudden desire to halt the bridge opening. There are reports of a meeting between the wealthy Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hours before Trump threatened the Gordie Howe Bridge.

“You know I’m not sure what the billionaires are doing behind the scenes,” says Dilkens, “but we’re really interested in the families that are affected by this on both sides of the border.”

The U.S. House Oversight Committee has sent a letter to Lutnick requesting all documents related to his alleged meeting with Matthew Moroun.

Dilkens says retaliating by blocking the Ontario side of the Ambassador Bridge is not something Canada would consider, regardless of the White House’s stance on the Gordie Howe span. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority says the international span remains on track to open early this year.

In 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump promised mass deportations. Since his election, the president has largely delivered.

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security deported more than 620,000 people, with another 70,000 currently in custody.

Millions have taken to the streets in protest. But for places that have seen the greatest influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, protests and observation of ICE tactics is a new way of life.

Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Twin Cities have been inundated with federal agents. Residents are putting themselves between immigration officers and the people ICE is attempting to deport.

Protesters have been aggressive in letting agents know they’re not welcome. They’re following them around town, honking horns and blowing whistles. There has been no shortage of profanity.

Protests get bloody

White House Border Czar Tom Homan says those words are violence. “I begged for the last two months on TV for the rhetoric to stop,” says Homan. “I said in March, if the rhetoric didn’t stop, there’s going to be bloodshed, and there has been.”

In Minnesota, the blood that has been shed has come from U.S. citizens. Last month, federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In justifying Good’s killing, Trump Administration officials said she was armed with a car. In the moments leading up to his death, Pretti was exercising both his First and Second Amendment rights with a gun on his hip and a phone in his hand.

Steve Dulan is a professor at Cooley Law School in Lansing.  He’s also on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners. Dulan says Pretti’s actions that day were Constitutionally protected.

“Being a protester? That’s not justification to kill somebody,” Dulan said. “Filming the police? Not justification to kill somebody. Being armed? Certainly not justification to kill somebody.”

At Second Amendment rights demonstrations at the Michigan State Capitol Dulan has been armed – but also while doing business inside. After a series of armed protests during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Michigan Capitol Commission largely banned the possession of guns inside the Capitol building – something Dulan believes is likely unconstitutional.

Exercising two amendments at once

Dulan says he would defend the rights of people to carry firearms while protesting, though he wouldn’t put himself in a similar situation.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s responsible gun ownership, particularly when there’s a high likelihood that there could be some kind of a physical confrontation,” Dulan said. “You know, we’ve been teaching classes to gun owners for a long time at MCRGO. We teach that situational awareness is incredibly important, and the best way to solve most problems is by avoidance.”

Carrying a gun can also influence how other protesters see you.

Loren Khogali is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. She says demonstrating 2^nd Amendment rights may make others hesitant to exercise their right to peaceably assemble.

 “What we need right now in this country is as many people as possible to feel as comfortable possible exercising their 1st Amendment right to speech,” Khogali said.

Acting with impunity

The bigger issue to Khogali is the Trump Administration – and the armed agents enforcing his demands – attacking people with seeming impunity.

 “Right now we are watching the government engage suppressing people’s right to speech, suppressing people’s right to protest in the most violent of ways,” Khogali said. “We have watched the federal government murder two people in Minnesota, and so it is extremely important that when you go to a protest, you understand exactly what your rights are based on those state laws.”

 “Law enforcement should be adhering to the Constitution and should be protecting the right of protesters to protest within the law,”Khogali said.

In Minnesota, federal law enforcement has been largely unconcerned with the rights of protesters. Numerous judges have cited ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for violating court orders.

What is qualified immunity?

Steven Winter is the Walter S. Gibbs, Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law at Wayne State University. He’s litigated cases on qualified immunity – the rule that shields police and other governmental entities from civil liability. 

He says those who violate constitutional rights should face consequences, but that’s not the reality.

 “Well as a practical matter, very little,” Winter said. “In a theoretical matter, they should both be open to potential civil and criminal liability.”

But asked if he thinks the agents who killed Good and Pretti will face justice… “I think it’d be very unlikely,” Winter said.

Winter says U.S. Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of what can negate qualified immunity. “It’s only a violation–it’s only actionable–if it was clearly illegal, clearly unconstitutional. So that’s easy to muddy up, right?”

Knowing your rights regardless

Even if it’s unlikely you will receive justice if your rights are violated, it’s still best to know your rights and have a plan.

“You always have the right to remain silent and to ask to speak to an attorney. You also have the right to walk away from the police calmly,” Khogali said. “If an officer demands that you should turn over your phone, you should refuse and you should tell them that you would like to speak with an attorney.”

However, witnesses to the killing of Alex Pretti say their phones were confiscated anyway. Other witnesses were taken into custody.

Khogali recommends having emergency contact numbers memorized and to let loved ones know when you’re headed to a protest.

Steve Dulan says the on-going protests can serve as a teaching tool. “I am hopeful that people will take this opportunity to learn about their rights and I’m hoping that the rhetoric cools.”

This week, Homan announced that 700 ICE agents were being taken out of Minnesota. The protests and deportations continue.

The ACLU of Michigan has this handy pocket guide for your rights at protests, and what you should know before, during, and after ICE raids.

During President Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement has become more dangerous and more visible. 

Detention has expanded rapidly. Last year was the deadliest year in more than two decades. Federal records show people have continued to die in custody in the opening days of this year.

There have also been multiple fatal shootings at the hands of on-duty and off-duty ICE agents in recent months. 

In Minneapolis, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. That killing prompted lawsuits from Minnesota and its largest cities. There were also resignations inside the Justice Department after leadership declined to open a customary civil rights investigation.

Other people have also been killed by ICE agents, including Silverio Villegos González near Chicago and Keith Porter Jr. in California. Those deaths, though, did not trigger the same national response.

In Detroit, City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero is pushing the city to act. She represents Southwest Detroit and chairs the City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee. She’s asking whether Detroit can legally restrict ICE activity on city property and in sensitive areas, such as schools and hospitals. 

Santiago-Romero joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss how cities can respond when federal immigration enforcement becomes more aggressive, and how local governments weigh responsibility, risk, and trust.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

While President Trump was inside Motor City Casino on Tuesday, protesters outside were braving the elements and aggression by the Detroit Police Department.

A group of demonstrators marched from Cass Park in front of the Masonic Temple and to the sidewalk in front of the casino at the corner of Temple and Grand River Avenue.

After being allowed to peacefully assemble for a few minutes, Detroit Police forced protesters down Grand River to a less visible location on the casino’s west side at Trumbull Ave and Elm Street.

A Detroit Police officer – who would not give his name, only the numbers 168 – threatened protesters and members of the press with arrest if they did not move. At least two protesters were arrested.

What the protesters have to say

Sarah Reed of Farmington Hills carried an inverted American flag – a symbol of distress. She stood in front of the advancing officers in an act of defiance.

Reed was surprised by their aggression. “It’s a public sidewalk, and if you and I were there this evening, this morning, before any of this, they’d have no issue with us being on the sidewalk,” Reed said.

Reed, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, said she wants the president to resign. But she had a message for Democrats too. “Get off your asses and fight,” Reed said.

Troy resident Jake Malacos used his lunch hour to protest. He says he was happy to be around protesters because a show of solidarity is good for the community.

As for why he was picketing: “Well, the corruption from the Trump administration. The brutality. The murder of Renee Good. Most of the policies that he’s putting out are pretty rough for me,” Malacos said.

Once DPD had pushed the protesters to the designated 1st Amendment area on Trumbull, about 1,000 protesters marched to Detroit Public Safety.

Officially, Detroit Police do not work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but they do share office space.

For more than half a century, the American environmental movement has struck a familiar rhythm: alarm, action, and industry backlash.

The first Earth Day in 1970 helped launch the modern movement, and by the end of that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was born. It was a promise that government had a crucial role to play, that it could protect our air and water from industry polluters.

Over the decades, that promise has ebbed and flowed: environmental rules were expanded under presidents from both parties, then pared back under others, only to be reinforced again as new science and public pressure emerged.

Critics — including historian Douglas Brinkley and former EPA administrators from both parties — argue the rollback push is an attempt to turn back decades of federal environmental protections.

Meanwhile, a striking silence is showing up in a place with massive moral reach. A new large-scale study of more than 700,000 Catholic parish sermons finds that climate change is rarely mentioned, even after the late Pope Francis issued some of the strongest language on climate change written by a religious leader.

Harvard historian of science Naomi Oreskes led that research. She joined The Metro’s Robyn Vincent to discuss the price of that silence.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The Trump administration recently announced $12 billion in bailout money in an effort to prop up the farming industry. That comes as farmers around the country have complained about trade wars and general economic conditions making it tough for them to do business.

What that money looks like by the time it makes its way to local farmers remains to be seen. Michigan Farmers Union president, Bob Thompson, says there are still questions surrounding the distribution.

“The Administration,” says Thompson, “still has to decide how much money is going to corn, versus wheat, versus soy beans, versus 15 different row crops.”

Thompson says about $11 billion of the $12 billion in the bailout will be dedicated to row crops. That means farmers growing specialty crops, like apples and cherries, will share the remaining funds.

Thompson warns the funding may not be enough to offset the challenges facing Michigan’s farms.

“The financial problems that a lot of farmers, particularly our smaller family farmers are experiencing, is a direct result of a lot of policies of the new administration,” Thompson explains, “ Particularly the tariff policies.”

He says the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration has also hurt farmers in the state. About three-quarters of the seasonal workforce on farms comes from immigrant labor programs.

The Michigan Farmers Union says it may take a new long-term farm bill to stabilize the industry.

The Trump administration issued an executive order reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III controlled substance. This change doesn’t legalize the drug on the federal level but could mean significant tax savings for Michigan cannabis businesses.

Cannabis businesses are currently taxed on gross income and cannot deduct operating expenses like other companies ordinarily do. Changing the classification could help smaller businesses that operate without a lot of resources.

There are concerns from leaders in the cannabis industry about federal regulations that might follow this move — including taxes. The Trump administration announced that this move was to recognize legitimate medical use and expand medical marijuana and cannabis research for the medical community.

Additional headlines for Dec. 19, 2025

Food vouchers expire Dec. 31

Shoppers have until Wednesday, Dec. 31 to use their Double Up Food Bonus Bucks vouchers. The statewide program expanded during the government shutdown when SNAP benefit recipients were under threat and families didn’t know if they would lose their ability to purchase food.

Run through the Fair Food Network, the program matches SNAP benefits used to buy up to $40 in fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at partnering farmer markets and grocery stores. It has been operating for more than a decade and is continuing into 2026. Frozen foods will be added to the list of eligible foods as well as unlimited earning and spending options.

If you have questions about the program, call the hotline at 866-586-2796 or visit doubleupfoodbucks.org.

Detroit sports updates

NFL: The Detroit Lions face the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Sunday night match up. Lions fans probably have a Detroit win on their Christmas list because they currently have a 25% chance of making it to the playoffs, according to ESPN reports. If they win the last three games of the season including the game against the Steelers, their chances rise to 95%. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. at Ford Field.

NBA: The Pistons fell to the Dallas Mavericks yesterday in a tight overtime matchup. The loss doesn’t change up too much because they are still number one in the eastern conference with a 21-6 record. The next game is tomorrow, Dec. 20 against the Charlotte Hornets at Little Caesars Arena. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m.

NHL: The Red Wings, currently on top of the Atlantic Division, go against the Washington Capitals tomorrow at the Captial One Arena. The game starts at 12:30 p.m.

Detroit Sandwich Week

Detroit Sandwich Week is going down right after Christmas. Sandwiched in between Christmas and the New Year, this annual event celebrates different local sandwich shops each day to support community and small businesses.

This year’s featured shops are Mudgie’s, Vesper and Ayiti Spaghetti, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Roccos, Tall Trees Cade and Batch Brewing Company. For more information, visit detroitsandwichparty.square.site.

Perfume popup

Artisan perfumer and “scent docent” Terees Western will host a popup at Source Booksellers on Saturday for her business FragranTed. Visitors will have a chance to create their own holiday scents and learn about using scent to celebrate and make memories. The event runs from 2–4 p.m. at 4240 Cass Avenue.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.