The two major political parties held their conventions last weekend. On the Democratic side, former state Senator Curtis Hertel will lead the Michigan Democratic Party. He ran unopposed.

The Republican side was a bit more contentious. Former Michigan GOP Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock had gotten the coveted Donald Trump endorsement, but after a couple rounds of voting, it was current state Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) that got the nod for chair.

Runestad has been in the Michigan Legislature since 2015. Before that, the White Lake resident was on the Oakland County Commission.

He tells WDET there’s still some work to be done building bridges between the various factions of the GOP.

“This internal fighting is not helpful to the ultimate goal that we’re all here, and that is winning elections for Republicans,” Runestad says.

2024 started with Kristina Karamo the MIGOP chair, but her abrasive style saw donors bail. An insurrection within the party followed and former Congressman Peter Hoekstra took over. Last year’s elections saw Republicans win back the state House, pick up a Congressional seat and Donald Trump win Michigan.

For that, Hoesktra was rewarded with an Ambassadorship to Canada by Trump.

With 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods set to go into effect on Tuesday, relations between the two countries are at a low point. Trump has complained that Canada isn’t doing enough to stop Fentanyl from coming into the U.S.

Runestad believes the potential economic havoc on the state’s economy is worth it.

“What we’re asking [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau is simply stop bringing over Fentanyl, stop bringing over criminal cartels, stop bringing over people that should not be here to obey our laws,” Runestad says. “Why would you not do that?”

Last year, U.S. Customs agents seized 43 pounds of Fentanyl at the Canadian border. Most drugs are brought across the border by Americans at lawful ports of entry.

2026 is going to be a wide open election cycle — with Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State and the state Legislature all up for grabs. That’s on top of a federal midterm election and an open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan.

Typically, the party in power in Washington D.C. loses control of the U.S. House during midterms.

In Michigan, Runestad is hoping to buck that trend by following a different pattern.

“It is almost completely consistent that after eight years of one party, they want a different party in the Governor’s Mansion,” Runestad says. “I mean, it almost every time goes eight years Democrat, eight years Republican.”

Like Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Runestad is term limited. Big wins for Republicans in 2026 means Runestad likely won’t have to worry about leading his side gig of leading the MIGOP.

Hear the full conversation with Sen. Runestad using the audio player above.

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President Donald Trump has put Elon Musk in charge of getting government workers to leave their posts and jobs. Already, the Office of Personnel Management has said that 75,000 federal employees accepted a deferred resignation proposal. 

There are pending freezes for funding to government agencies, including money that funds critical research and money that would otherwise fund programs and services related to food, housing, healthcare and infrastructure. 

Today on The Metro, we’re looking at whether Trump’s actions are good-old fashioned conservative values in action or if there’s something fundamentally different and dangerous. 

Guests: 

• Denise Elias:The executive director of the Oakland County Republican Party. 
• Tom Wraight: A lecturer in Political Economy at Queen Mary University of London.
• Lucan Way: A distinguished professor of Democracy at the University of Toronto.

Hear the conversation using the media player above.

More headlines from The Metro on Feb. 26:

• Under the leadership of Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency is slashing jobs across more than a dozen agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ten year Marine Corps veteran Andrew Lennox joins the show. He was working as an administrative officer in the primary care department in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, and is now without a job due to DOGE cuts. 

• Court-ordered minimum wage and sick leave laws were set to take effect Friday, but Michigan lawmakers struck a deal changing the laws again. The President of One Fair Wage Saru Jayaraman joins the show to discuss how supporters of the court-ordered laws are feeling. The organization is advocating for a 15 dollar minimum wage for workers nationally. 

• NASA scientists determined that Asteroid 2024 YR4 had little to no chance of hitting Earth, but the moon should watch out. Recently, the news of a possible asteroid impact on Earth in 2032 sent folks into a frenzy. Michigan Science Center CEO Dr. Christian Greer joins the show to let us know what’s up with asteroids and our solar system. 

Tomorrow’s question: What’s your neighborhood connection spot? 

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

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.

Donald Trump’s presidency has been marked by confusion and chaos for tens of thousands of federal workers across the country.

Federal departments are under scrutiny by Trump and Elon Musk, under the guise of making the government more efficient. Although Musk wasn’t elected by anyone, he’s been making sweeping changes and massive cuts to federal agencies — many of which regulate his companies.

His so-called Department of Government Efficiency, approved by Trump, has fired 1,000 National Parks Service employees; 3,400 U.S. Forest Service workers and 2,400 people at the Veterans Affairs department. 

These moves have frustrated many people and sparked some heated moments across the country. In town halls held this past weekend, Republican lawmakers were confronted by angry voters demanding answers. 

Doug Collins, the Trump-appointed Veterans Affairs Secretary, has said the department isn’t cutting critical health care or benefits. 

To discuss these massive cuts to federal agencies, Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell joined The Metro. She represents Michigan’s 6th Congressional District and she’s been sounding the alarm about cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

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

Editor’s Note: Soon after the recording of this segment, Corewell Health reversed their previous announcement and will resume their previous policies on offering gender affirming care to minors. 

Corewell Health reversed its recent decision to stop providing gender-affirming care to minors, which had made it the first healthcare system the first in Michigan to limit care to transgender youth. 

Corewell Health said in a statement last week that they will not begin any new hormone therapy regimens nor perform gender affirming surgeries for minors. 

That statement came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that threatens to eliminate funding to hospitals who do such treatments for patients younger than 19 years of age. 

In 2023, approximately 3% of high school students identify as transgender according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Trump’s executive order is being challenged in federal court. 

Corewell Health hospitals will resume offering hormone therapy and other gender-affirming care for minors that has been approved by physicians and family members.

Detroit Fire Department advises caution when using alternative heat sources

As a winter storm passes through and frigid temperatures are expected this weekend, The Detroit Fire Department is advising residents to exercise caution when heating their homes to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Residents should not use their ovens to heat their homes and need to check that their heating source is not designed for outdoor use prior to turning them on inside.

Fire Chief Dennis Hunter says improper use of alternative heating sources like generators are the biggest danger.  

“Generators are great to use, if used properly. They need to be at least 10 feet away from your home, that exhaust needs to be pointed away from the windows, and do not ever put a generator in your home or in your garage. For that matter, that carbon monoxide is so strong from generators, it can even seep from the garage into the house.” 

Hunter says kerosene heaters meant for indoors are OK to use, but only for short periods of time, as they emit a lot of carbon monoxide.  

He says residents should also ensure their fireplaced are properly vented.  

Department of Natural Resources shares avian flu precautions 

More than 300 birds were found dead from bird flu in Michigan since the start of the new year, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

Six samples tested positive for the bird flu as of January 30th. Birds that died from the virus have been found in Allegan, Shiawassee, Ingham, Eaton, and Washtenaw counties. The DNR says the risk of infection in humans is still low, but the virus can infect people who come in contact with infected animals or materials.

The DNR says if someone finds dead birds in their yard, they should double bag the carcasses and dispose of them in the trash for normal trash pickup. Be sure to wear shoes that can be disinfected and disposable or rubber gloves. Residents should protect their eyes and face with masks and eye wear to avoid accidental exposure to fluids that may contain the virus. If handling multiple birds, wear rain bibs, or a waterproof apron to protect clothing. 

Data shows the impact of red flag gun laws

New state data shows nearly three in every four red flag law gun requests in Michigan over the last year resulted in a confiscated gun. The Extreme Risk Protection Order Act was enacted last year. The law allows individuals to ask a judge to remove guns form a person who is deemed to be a risk to themselves or others. The State Court Administrative Offices reports that out of 391 requests, 287 were granted.

No petitioners were charged of filing false information and no respondents were charged with refusing or failing to comply with the order. 

Dearborn Public Schools awarded Meritorious Budget Award

Dearborn Public Schools was awarded the Meritorious Budget Award for the seventh year in a row. The award highlights the districts excellence for how they present their budgets. The district has a combined annual budget of 445 million dollars and 19,500 students. The award was presented by the Association of School Business Officials International. The groups MBA and Pathway to the MBA promote and recognize the best budget presentations practices in school districts.  

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

On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to make the federal government more efficient. So far that effort has led to attempts to shut down diversity programs.

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Now, the president is reportedly weighing an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

State Superintendent Michael Rice says the president’s actions are attempts to marginalize certain segments of the population.

“The president isn’t trying to return control of schools to states and local districts, which have always been in charge of education. He’s trying to exercise control over who is served and how what gets taught and what does not,” Rice said.

Michigan schools get over $2 billion from the federal government per year. Most of Trump’s efforts to shut down federal agencies have been stopped by lawsuits.  

Other headlines for Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025:

• The Detroit Public Library is inviting patrons to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Bridgerton-style afternoon ball from 2-4 p.m. this Sunday at the Main Library. 
• The Michigan Science Center’s planetarium is getting an upgrade thanks to a $2.5 million grant from the Ballmer Group. 
• The Center for Success Network and the Oak Park Public Library are partnering to host a party celebrating the life and work of Langston Hughes. The event, also celebrating the start of Black Children’s Book Week, is set for 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, and will take place at the Oak Park Library.
• The Station at Michigan Central is hosting “Great Migrations at the Station” this Black History Month. The series explores the stories of Black Americans who arrived in Detroit between 1910 and 1970 and helped shape the city. 

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

A group that fought against the Biden administration’s support for Israel is pushing back against President Trump’s recent assertion that the U.S. could take control of Gaza.

Organizers credit the Abandon Biden and Abandon Harris efforts with helping swing the Arab-American vote to Trump.

The chair of the Michigan chapter of the group is Farah Khan. She says Trump’s latest remarks on Gaza are not what he was promoting during the presidential campaign.

Listen: Abandon Harris campaign chair vows to fight Trump plan to take over Gaza

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Farah Khan: When I heard that press conference I was just like, “Oh, my God, I knew that it’s bad, but I didn’t know that it’s going to be this bad this soon.” He should have at least thought it through before saying it. Because he actually won the election by getting all the Muslim votes from the Muslim bloc who voted for him. And then there was a bloc who voted for him out of revenge against Democrats, because they were so disappointed with the Biden-Harris administration. They said, “We don’t want to vote for Biden and we don’t want to vote for Trump. But we will vote for Trump because we want Biden to lose, because we want Harris to lose this bad.” And now it’s like oh, my God, you made all these promises and you are going back on them this soon. You’re showing your true colors right right away.

I knew this was gonna happen. How long and how much more do we have to spend on other people’s wars? I am just disgusted. He said we are going to take over the Gaza Strip and displace those 2 million people to go where? None of the countries want them to begin with. They have been fighting for the past 16 months against this genocide because they don’t want to leave their land. And now we are going to force them out of their land because we want to take ownership of it? This is wrong.

He called the land a symbol of death and destruction. Yes, it is, because we made it into that. I know the Israelis did it but they had the full support of America. Trump always said “America first.” Where is America first in all this? We need to help people uphold their freedom, their right to exist, not destroy them. This is not what America stands for.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: You said you knew that this was going to happen?

FK: Honestly, I did not support Trump. We were going full force against Harris. I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t think that Trump would actually go against his own words. He said he’s going to end war. He’s going to end it by taking the people out of their land? This is absurd. He’s like, “Oh, don’t fight. I’m just going to take them out of their house and you can have the house.” Really? Is this how you end the conflict? My God. We fully reject any notion of ethnic cleansing in Gaza from Trump. Just as powerfully as we organized to defeat Harris, we will do the same to the MAGA Right who decide to foolishly promote ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

QK: You were Chair of the Michigan chapter of the Abandon Harris campaign. As you say, the group said it was leery of the Democratic administration because of its support for Israel. But now you have the Trump administration pushing this move in Gaza which would force out Palestinians, at least it seems on the surface. Do you have any second thoughts now about having pushed the Abandon Harris effort?

FK: Absolutely not. They are the trend-setters, this is their legacy. I have not 1% of regret for that. I would do it again if I had to. And we are going to organize powerfully against the Trump administration if they continue on this path. We told them the Muslim voting bloc actually made sure of your victory. Now you are betraying them, just as the Biden and Harris administration betrayed them, just like the Democrats have been betraying them. You know, who do we go to? We were pushing the third-party concept during the election as well. Why can we not promote good people who are not morally bankrupt to be our leaders?

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

On Tuesday, President Trump’s order to place 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports went into effect. And China was apparently ready, placing retaliatory tariffs of 15 percent on U.S. goods. 

Meanwhile, the proposed tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico are temporarily paused after both countries agreed to send troops to their respective borders with the U.S. It’s a deal that President Trump says will help stop migrants from entering the U.S. and slow the illegal flow of fentanyl. 

Bharat Ramamurti is the senior advisor for economic strategy at the American Economic Liberties Project and a former economic communications advisor for the Biden-Harris administration. He spoke with senior producer David Leins about Trump’s tariffs, both paused and in effect.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2025.

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

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.

President Donald Trump ran on promises to shrink the federal workforce, impose tariffs, harden America’s borders and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the federal government. They are promises Trump appears to be making good on now.

While the country is split on Trump’s actions and policies, we’re all taking in a lot of new information. There has been a lot of confusion and fast-changing court decisions on Trump’s executive orders. 

Today on The Metro, we explore how people are navigating the news and seeking valuable information.  

Guests: 

Michael Seltzer: Franklin Village Trustee who voted for Trump. 

Emily Sydnor: Senior researcher at the Institute for Democracy, Journalism, Citizenship and teaches communications at Syracuse University.

Jihii Jolly: Freelance journalist, writer and someone who thinks a lot about media literacy.

We also asked listeners:

“How has your media diet changed over time?”

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

Monday’s question: Do you watch women’s sports? 

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

More headlines from The Metro on Feb. 6, 2025: 

• Now at the Detroit Public Theatre, the stage play “Confederates” explores how history is in conversation with the present. Professor of Hip Hop Theatre Goldie E. Patrick and Philadelphia-based theatre artist Will Street joined the show to discuss. 

• The Downtown Detroit Partnership is developing a project to cap the I-75 freeway, connecting the downtown and midtown districts. The project has been in the planning stages for a while, but it recently received additional federal funding in January. DDP CEO Eric Larson joined the show to provide an update on the project.

• Bharat Ramamurti is the senior advisor for economic strategy at the American Economic Liberties Project and a former economic communications advisor for the Biden-Harris administration. He spoke with senior producer David Leins about Trump’s tariffs, both paused and in effect.

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

Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we cover immigration updates under the Trump Administration, overdose prevention training, free community events and more.

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

Immigration raids stunt Detroit nonprofit

The Trump Administration’s promise to deport immigrants is indirectly affecting attempts to feed people in Detroit. An organization called Hey Y’all Detroit has stopped delivering fresh produce to its nearly 300 families after a farm in Texas was shut down due to immigration raids.

Charmane Neal is the nonprofit’s founder. She says she was informed the farm will have to stop production.

“I think when they initially told me, I kind of was in shock, because it’s not just that we’re not going to be getting the supply,” Neal said. “It kind of dawned on me, and it put me into a reality check of what’s going on with this current administration.”

Since the farm shut down, Hey Y’all will only be able to help up to 100 families.

Immigrant legal services restored

The Justice Department has restored funding for nonprofit programs that provide legal services to immigrants. The agency ordered four groups to stop work immediately after President Trump signed executive orders targeting migrants. The nonprofits sued, saying the decree would prevent them from educating people about immigration court, detention centers and the legal system. The edict temporarily shut down a help desk at the immigration court in Detroit.

Overdose prevention training

ACCESS and the ASAP Community Coalition are hosting a Community Opioid Overdose Prevention Naloxone Training next Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Henry Ford Centennial Library in Dearborn. Attendees will learn about a variety of overdose prevention strategies and learn how to administer Naloxone (also known as NARCAN). Free Naloxone kits will be provided to those who complete the training. To learn more, visit bit.ly/narcancommunity.

Sphinx summer program registration opens

The Sphinx Organization has opened registration for its full-scholarship summer program. The Detroit-based nonprofit works to support Black and Latino classical musicians with training, mentorship and financial assistance.

The Sphinx Performance Academy is for string players between the ages of 11 and 17 years old. Students will attend programs in one of three locations: Boston Conservatory, Colorado University Boulder or Juilliard. Applications are due Sunday, Feb. 16.

The organization is also accepting applications for its MPower Artist Grant up until Feb. 16. These grants provide up to $15,000 for musicians to use toward career advancement or professional development. For information about either opportunity, visit sphinxmusic.org or email info@sphinxmusic.org.

Free sit-and-stitch gathering

Parker Avenue Knits is hosting a full day of free community sit-and-stitch next week on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The store will open early at 11 a.m. to welcome the community for crafting and fellowship. Parker Avenue Knits is located at 1578 Franklin Street. For more information, visit parkeravenueknits.com.

Free Family Day at MOCAD

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is hosting a free Family Day on Saturday, Feb. 8. Exhibits geared toward all ages and hands-on art making will be open to the public from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. MOCAD is at 4454 Woodward Avenue. For more information, visit mocadetroit.org.

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

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

President Donald Trump’s administration is making fast and far reaching changes to immigration in the U.S, during his first week in office, Trump signed 10 executive orders and proclamations centered on immigration. 

These policies have sent shockwaves through immigrant communities in Michigan, especially in Southwest Detroit, where a high concentration of Latino and Hispanic immigrants live.

WDET reporter Bre’Anna Tinsley spent some time in Southwest Detroit during a recent immigrant rights rally. 

Hear more stories from The Metro from Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.

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

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.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order revoking a goal that ensured that half of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were to be battery-powered by 2030. 

The project of moving America away from Electric Vehicles may not be that simple. It’s also a directional change of where the country was going less than a year ago, with auto companies spending millions on new electric vehicles and technology. 

Wall Street Journal’s Detroit Bureau Chief Mike Colias joins The Metro. He just published the book, “Inevitable,” which is about how the transition to electric vehicles is happening, despite it being a messy project.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.

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

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

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump sparked a trade war with the United States’ two closest trading partners — Canada and Mexico — by threatening to lobby 25% tariffs on goods crossing the border.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded in kind.

Trump has already backed down on the tariff with Mexico following a conversation with Sheinbaum. The tariff was put on hold for a month to allow for negotiations.

Trump claims the tariffs were needed to stop the flow of deadly Fentanyl from going across the border.

Sheinbaum committed to sending National Guard troops to help, while getting Trump to concede that the U.S. needs to do a better job of preventing guns to cross the border into Mexico.

It’s unclear how much the border troops will stop the flow of Fentanyl, since most of the drug comes into the U.S. via personal cars driven by Americans.

Sheinbaum has also taken a harder line on Fentanyl-making cartels than her predecessor — and along with changes in strategy by the Biden administration — the number of overdose deaths in the U.S. has been dropping.

Even if you believe Fentanyl smuggling is the main reasons for Trump’s tariffs, that doesn’t explain the levy on Canada. Just 1% of the Fentanyl brought into the U.S. comes across the Canadian border.

Many economists are trying to figure out the endgame. That includes Jim Stanford, the director of the Centre for Future Work.

Canada doesn’t supply a lot of finished products to the U.S. so it’s not like American consumers can just avoid buying Canadian products.

“It’s actually American businesses that are going to feel the pinch first,” Stanford said. That’s what makes it so puzzling that the U.S. government would do this.”

For the auto industry, Michigan and Ontario are tightly linked, with auto parts often crossing the border several times before a car is fully built.

Right now, it remains unclear just how the tariffs will be implemented.

“You could pay a 25% tariff on the steel, and then a 25% tariff when the steel comes back in a semi finished product, and then another 25% tariff when it’s fashioned into a transmission or something, and then another 25% tariff when the finished vehicle crosses the border,” Stanford said.

“Add all that up, and it’s going to be a catastrophe for the auto industry.”

It’s possible — maybe even likely — that Trump will back off the tariffs like he did with Mexico.

However, the chaos these tariffs are causing might be the point.

“It would still be a permanent change in the outlook of business of any nationality towards where they’re going to locate their facilities,” Stanford said.

And if the tariffs are fully implemented?

“From groceries to energy to vehicles — get ready for higher prices.”

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

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

Immigrants urged to ‘know your rights’

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

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

Peters to retire from U.S. Senate

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

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

Detroit reminds residents of available tax credits

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

Mary Sheffield to hold District 5 meeting

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

Detroit continues police chief search

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

GM reports loss in fourth quarter

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

Detroit Lions hire John Morton 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reporting by Chris Megerian, Associated Press.

Other headlines for Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025:

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tlaib abstained from voting on the bill.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

President Donald Trump’s first day in office was a flurry of activity. 

It included dozens of executive orders, as well as pardons for 1,500 people convicted or charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021 — with a number of those pardoned from Michigan.

Trump signed more executive orders on his first day in office than any president before him, and today on The Metro, we dig into some of these orders and discuss the boundaries of presidential power.

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

Former Republican candidate for Michigan governor Ryan Kelley was among the individuals who received a pardon for their role in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Riot. Kelley pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the incident and served two months in prison.

The Metro producer Sam Corey spoke with Kelley about how it felt to be pardoned by the president.

“I have already served 60 days in a federal prison, paid the fine, went through all the stuff they wanted me to,” Kelley said. “So you can’t get any of that back, but it feels good to have received the pardon from the president.” 

Executive orders signed by Trump are already facing challenges in court, Legal expert Barb McQuade said. 

“You can’t change the constitution or a statute with an executive order, and some of these executive orders appear, at least to me, to cross those lines,” McQuade said.

We asked our listeners:

“What do you make of President Trump’s first few days in office?”

Anthony in Westland said: “It’s extremely disheartening, in a sense. [Trump] promised a number of these different things, and sure enough, he is proving to be extremely competent in doing those things, much to the dismay of people like myself and a number of others.”

More headlines from The Metro on Jan. 24, 2024:

• On Thursday, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily struck down Trump’s new order that would end birthright citizenship. It would mean people born in the U.S. to parents who aren’t U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents would no longer have citizenship. It’s now the subject of multiple lawsuits — including one filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel — along with attorneys general in 21 other states. Christine Sauve of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. joined the show to discuss what all this means for local residents.
• Michigan Public Radio Network capitol reporter Colin Jackson joined the show to share the latest news coming out of Lansing.
• The Detroit Land Bank was created in 2008. According to the Land Bank, 90,000 properties went into the bank and about 60,000 are left. Detroit City Council would like to change their contract with the Land Bank, but Detroit Documenter Ben Haddix and Coordinator Lynelle Herndon joined the show to explain.

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

With ample support from Michigan’s congressional delegation, the Laken Riley Act is the first bill on the way to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature — though opponents called the bill anti-immigrant and said it threatens civil liberties.

The bill is named after Laken Riley, a University of Georgia student who was murdered by a man who authorities say unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022 and had been previously charged with shoplifting.

The U.S. House vote Wednesday was 263-156, with 46 Democrats, including Michigan’s Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI 8) and Hillary Scholten (MI 3) joining all Republicans in support of the bill. In the Senate, the vote on the bill was 64-35 with 12 Democratic votes, including both Michigan senators.

The measure requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain those without legal status who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, and shoplifting. It also includes assault of a law enforcement officer and acts causing death or bodily harm to the offenses that would trigger federal detention.

Those provisions have sparked concern among civil rights groups, who argue they could lead to people being jailed and deported based on decades-old accusations, without facing trial or being convicted of a crime.

The bill would also give states the permission to sue the federal government for decisions related to immigration enforcement.

This marks the second time the legislation has been considered by Congress. The bill was first introduced last March, a few weeks after Riley was killed. At the time the bill failed to get enough votes in the Senate.

Scholten, a Democrat from Grand Rapids and a former immigration attorney, voted in favor of the bill when it came up in the last Congress. Scholten declined an interview but sent the following statement referencing the story of Ruby Garcia. Garcia was found dead on the side of a Grand Rapids highway in March of last year after her boyfriend, who did not have legal status, shot her four times.

“Just last year, our community was devastated by the tragic death of Ruby Garcia, a young woman who lost her life to domestic violence at the hands of someone who had illegally entered our country,” Scholten wrote. “I have heard from countless West Michiganders who sent me to Washington to work towards humane immigration solutions; that means growing our workforce and helping those who have contributed to our community step out of the shadows — but it also means ensuring that individuals who commit crimes are held accountable.”

This isn’t the first time politicians use Garcia’s story to talk about their their stances on immigration. At a rally in Grand Rapids last year, President Trump said the murder was an example of former President Joe Biden’s “bloodbath”.

Garcia’s family have since called Trump’s comments shocking. In an interview with NBC affiliate, Wood TV, Ruby’s sister Mavi Garcia said, she doesn’t believe her sister died because of illegal immigration.

“It’s always been about illegal immigrants,” she explained. “Nobody really speaks about when Americans do heinous crimes, and it’s kind of shocking why he would just bring up illegals. What about Americans who do heinous crimes like that?”

Like Scholten, Michigan U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin also voted for the bill the first time around. In a statement earlier this month she wrote that she was in support of the bill even when it doesn’t provide “all solutions to immigration concerns.”

“But no matter what, this bill certainly doesn’t address the root causes of our broken immigration system, which we need to do to ever truly deal with immigration issues writ large in this country,” Slotkin wrote.

But not everyone in Michigan’s congressional delegation supported the bill. Representative Rashida Tlaib (MI 12), whose district is in southeast Michigan, voted against the measure. She said in an interview with Michigan Public that the legislation will put a target on the back of immigrants and increase militarization of local neighborhoods.

“It’s going to fuel hate for their communities,” Tlaib told Michigan Public. “It’s profiling our immigrant neighbors as somehow violent when we know we’ve all been living next to each other, within community together and feeling safe.”

Immigrant rights advocates questioned the bill’s constitutionality.

Ruby Robinson, a managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, said this change would be a dramatic departure from the current state of play in immigration courts.

“In the United States, people arrested or charged of a crime or an offense are innocent until proven guilty, and this law turns that on its head,” Robinson said.

“A child who goes to a gas station and takes a candy bar by mistake, regardless of their age, if they are cited for that offense, that child will be subject to mandatory detention and taken away from their parent” if they’re in the country without documentation, said Robinson.

Michiganders should remain protected from unreasonable searches under the Fourth Amendment, Robinson said, and individuals can still request that enforcement agents show proper legal authority for searches to enter private areas like homes or schools.

Others who oppose the bill, like the American Civil Liberties Union, have called the bill a threat to civil liberties and constitutional principles because of the broad authority it grants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Even when an immigrant without legal status is arrested for shoplifting, the bill would keep them from being released from jail on bond or from arguing their case in front of an immigration judge. Under this bill, a parent of a U.S. citizen child who has been accused of stealing would be placed in mandatory detention without a bond hearing and separated from her child, wrote the ACLU’s National Director for Policy and Government Affairs Mike Zamore in a letter to Congress.

Zamore also called the bill “unprecedented” and “likely unconstitutional” in his letter.

The bill “would result in a significant spike of racial profiling of longtime residents,” Zamore said.

As President Trump prepares to sign the bill, concerns remain about how it would be implemented. Earlier this month ICE sent a memo to lawmakers stating the bill would be “impossible to execute with existing resources,” citing $26 billion dollars in costs needed in the first year in order to be able to implement it.

That doesn’t worry Michigan Republican Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-7). He said he views the bill as an opportunity to keep America safe and that he’s expecting funds for implementation to be figured out during the budget reconciliation process.

“If the federal government is providing extravagant benefits for individuals that have crossed the country illegally, I think it would be wise to shift those enforcement mechanisms and things that we need to prevent people from coming and ultimately lead to the removal of those that are here without our permission as a country,” Barrett said.

Immigrants without legal status are not eligible to receive most federal public benefits. Programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), non emergency Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income are reserved for U.S. citizens.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer congratulated President Donald Trump on his inauguration Monday, saying that she wants to work on “shared priorities” with the President as well as Republicans in the Legislature.

Whitmer’s office released the statement after Trump took the oath of office and as he was delivering his inaugural address.

In the speech, Trump thanked auto workers and pledged to roll back EPA vehicle emissions standards, which he labeled “the EV mandate,” although the emissions rules do not require consumers to purchase any particular types of vehicles. Trump said new energy regulations would help save the auto industry and workers’ jobs.

Whitmer has expressed concern about how Trump’s tariff proposals could affect the state’s manufacturing sector.

“Here in Michigan, we are focused on creating good-paying, local jobs, fixing the damn roads, fighting for our advanced manufacturing industries including autos, defense, maritime, and aerospace, and working with our partners in Canada to keep costs low for working families and small businesses,” she said in Monday’s statement.

Whitmer has tempered her criticism of Trump since the election. She was a top advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Trump won Michigan last year after losing the battleground state in 2020.

Whitmer will share more on her priorities next month in her State of the State address. Whitmer said she delayed delivering the speech to the Legislature this month in order to avoid conflicting with the presidential inauguration.

It is no surprise Michigan Republicans were pleased with Trump’s early actions and inauguration.

“Today is a monumental day in American history and the beginning of a much stronger and successful time for our nation,” said House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) in an e-mailed statement. “The American people have spoken asking for real change, and now President Trump is taking bold, decisive action to immediately deliver on his promises to secure our borders, assert American energy dominance, and bolster Michigan’s auto industry.”