Page 12 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

Standing for what you believe in — Your voice matters

By Sarah Shurge ity,” said Wayne County Commis-
If you remember events that tran- sioner Allen Wilson in the Spring
spired (and still are) in Minnesota 2026 District 11 Community Update.
and think that couldn’t happen in With the uncertainty of how ICE
Michigan or even the City of Wayne, will proceed and the possibility of
you may need to think again. more protests becoming common in
Romulus Mayor Robert Mc- our community — a protest was al-
Craight and State Sen. Darrin Camil- ready hosted in Wayne in March —
leri confirmed to FOX 2 that the it’s important to remember that your
Department of Homeland Security voice matters, while also staying safe
(DHS) has purchased a warehouse and protected.
in Romulus at 7525 Cogswell with Wayne resident, Dru Steeby, was-
the intent of being converted into an n’t so lucky while he was participat-
Immigration and Customs Enforce- ing in a protest in Detroit and ended
ment (ICE) detention center approx- up in handcuffs and detained.
imately 1.3 miles away from the City Steeby has lived in Wayne since
of Wayne. 2018 and currently works for Pico
The plans for the detention cen- MES, a start-up that sells software
ter would have up to 500 beds. for quickly setting up assembly lines.
Despite the cold on Monday, Feb- Pico MES does work with Ford’s
ruary 24th, hundreds came out to suppliers, and Steeby’s previous
Romulus City Hall to protest this stop was at Atlas Copco, where his
proposal and keep ICE out of the final project was software that as-
community. sists the assembly line at the Ford
The Romulus City Council unani- Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP) in
mously approved a resolution that Wayne, assembling the Broncos.
opposes the operation of an ICE fa- “When I heard that Trump [US
cility within the city limits. President] was speaking at the Ford
Michigan Attorney General Dana Dearborn Truck Plant (DTP), a plant Wayne resident, Dru Steeby, was detained and ended up in handcuffs at a protest
Nessel asked U.S. Immigration and I’ve done work in, it felt personal to in Detroit.
Customs Enforcement to halt its me,” said Steeby. going to let me by, but I know my “I don’t feel ashamed or regret
plans to use the warehouse in Romu- On Tuesday, January 13th, rights. I had no reason to leave,” said when I didn't do anything wrong,”
lus as a detention center. Steeby drove to DTP early in the Steeby. said Steeby. “We have to stay vigi-
The State of Michigan and the morning to participate in a self- A line of officers blocked protest- lant.”
City of Romulus filed a lawsuit Tues- protest at an entrance he had previ- ers and warned them to back up. Protesting is legal in the United
day, March 24th against DHS and ously entered for work. Steeby stood his ground – phone in States and is a fundamental right
ICE. Steeby knew that President one hand and flag in the other – protected by the First Amendment —
Michigan Attorney General Nessel Trump was also speaking to the De- silently staring at the police. which guarantees freedom of speech
stated that DHS purchased the ware- troit Economic Club inside Mo- Police warned the protesters mul- and peaceful assembly.
house in February without any notice torCity Casino in Detroit that day tiple times that they were “loitering” While you have the right to
to the State, to the City, or to the gen- and that there was a protest planned and if they did not leave, they would protest, police may legally ask you to
eral public, and that ICE outbid an for noon at Cass Park. So Steeby be arrested. Steeby did not leave. move for safety reasons or to allow
automotive supplier that had already protested outside Ford for a few And Steeby was put in handcuffs. others to pass, but they cannot stop
submitted renovation plans to the hours and arrived in Detroit by 10 Shortly after Steeby was taken a protest without just cause (i.e.
city. a.m. into custody, a second protester (a clear and present danger of riot, dis-
The complaint, filed in the U.S. Steeby recalls there were about woman) was also handcuffed by po- order, interference with traffic, or
District Court for the Eastern Dis- 150 people at the protest, and the lice. other immediate threat to public
trict of Michigan, alleges that the plan was to march from Cass Park MLive and the Detroit Free Press safety).
warehouse is not an appropriate down towards MotorCity Casino. published articles regarding the two If you’re attending a protest soon,
place of detention because it is lo- As they marched closer to the protesters' arrest, and CBS posted make sure you know your rights.
cated within a mile of an elementary casino, security had ramped up and footage of Steeby interacting with the You can visit websites such as:
school and a middle school, it bor- the street Steeby needed to walk officers at the protest. a c l u . o r g / k n o w - y o u r- r i g h t s / -
ders residential neighborhoods, and down to return to his parked truck Steeby was left handcuffed in the protesters-rights to educate yourself
it lies within a floodplain that has ex- was blocked off. police vehicle for about two hours and be prepared.
perienced flooding as recently as last Steeby was walking down the until they were driven to the Third If you’d like to keep up with the
year. Also, it lacks adequate infra- sidewalk - the protest following him Precinct, written a ticket, and re- latest updates regarding the U.S. De-
structure to support 500 detainees - when a Detroit Police Officer ap- leased. partment of Homeland Security’s in-
and staff, including the number of proached him. Steeby informed the Steeby obtained a lawyer and is tent to use the property in Romulus
bathrooms and sewer system. officer that this was a public side- currently going through the legal as an ICE detention center, visit: ro-
“As the Commissioner who repre- walk, tried to keep walking to his process to fight the ticket: his first mulusgov.com/587/DHS-Facility-
sents the City of Romulus, and as a truck, and was physically pushed by court date was Thursday, February Updates
longtime resident, I am personally the officer. 12th, and his latest court date was Remember that your voice mat-
opposed to this proposed ICE facil- “I realized he [the officer] wasn’t Monday, April 20th. ters.
12 · May 2026 · The Wayne Dispatch