LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Growing tension in Minnesota is the driving force behind protests in Mid-Michigan.
On Tuesday, a group of demonstrators gathered at the corner of Cedar Street and Edgewood Boulevard in Lansing, following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minnesota over the weekend.
Protestors stood on the sidewalk, covering a two-block stretch. Many brought handmade signs, covered in phrases like “Abolish ICE,” pushing back against both the actions of immigration officers in Minnesota, and their presence in Michigan.
As safety concerns grow among U.S.-born citizens and immigrants alike, experts in Michigan said enforcement efforts are ramping up across the state.
“With clients, there is fear and panic everywhere,” said Herman Dhade, an immigration attorney with Dhade & Associates.
Dhade told News 10 he’s being flooded with calls from clients across the U.S. being apprehended by federal immigration officials when they least expect it.
“A newlywed couple, attending their marriage interview and ICE came, two ICE officers, came and arrested the husband, right in front of the new bride,” he said.
Others are calling to voice their fears about being targeted by federal officers as immigration crackdowns continue nationwide, and that the same level of enforcement happening in Minnesota could come to Michigan.
Meanwhile, protests in Minneapolis stretch on for another day, as people express their outrage over the waves of immigration enforcement in the city, resulting in two fatal shootings.
White House officials early on claimed the victims were “domestic terrorists,” but President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wants to see an honest investigation into the most recent shooting.
“I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” Trump said.
Michigan sees dramatic increase in ICE arrests
While Michigan is not experiencing the same high-profile immigration crackdowns taking place in Minnesota, federal data reported by the “Deportation Data Project” shows the number of arrests tripled between 2024 and 2025.
More than 2,300 people in Michigan were taken into ICE custody between January and October last year.
“Enforcement activity is way up, but their style is to be more under the radar. So, they’re arresting out of the public view,” Dhade said.
Organizers from around the state are planning to protest again on Thursday at the Michigan State Capitol.
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