Detroit Faith Leaders Call for Defunding ICE, Urging Community Action

Clergy gather at Cathedral Church of St. Paul to demand accountability and reduced funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:07pm

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Faith leaders in Detroit gathered at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on Wednesday, calling for more accountability and reduced funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The speakers criticized ICE's enforcement practices, saying they are not beneficial and are instead breaking apart families. The clergy urged community members to take action, such as contacting senators to demand no funding for ICE and attending demonstrations against the agency.

Why it matters

The event comes as lawmakers face a February 13 deadline to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. Faith leaders see this as an opportunity to push for defunding the agency, arguing that the money could be better used to support the community through healthcare, childcare, and other social services.

The details

The altar was filled with clergy from multiple faiths, many wearing red stoles, as speakers criticized ICE enforcement practices that they said weren't beneficial to anyone. They called for an end to federal immigration agents 'roaming our neighborhoods' and demanded 'no more money for ICE.' The faith leaders urged community members to take action, such as urging local governments to stop cooperating with ICE, forming ICE Watch groups, contacting senators, and attending or organizing demonstrations against the agency.

  • The event took place on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
  • Lawmakers face a February 13, 2026 deadline to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

The players

Pastor Ben Adams

Pastor of All Together Campus Ministry, who said he was motivated to attend the event because a student in his ministry recently had a parent detained and deported by ICE.

Rep. Lisa McClain

U.S. Representative who argued that defunding ICE would let 'murderers, child molesters, and rapists roam freely' and that it is the Democrats' policies that put these people in the country in the first place.

Rep. John James

U.S. Representative who stated that every family deserves to feel safe and that law enforcement should have the resources to remove 'violent criminal illegal aliens' from the streets.

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What they’re saying

“The funding for ICE should be revoked. I think that money could support the community in so many different ways if it was redistributed to healthcare, childcare.”

— Pastor Ben Adams, Pastor of All Together Campus Ministry (clickondetroit.com)

“To realize families are being split apart, this isn't supporting family life in this country. This is breaking families apart.”

— Pastor Ben Adams, Pastor of All Together Campus Ministry (clickondetroit.com)

“Democrats are offering an ultimatum. It is either let murderers, child molesters, and rapists roam freely or they'll shut down FEMA and TSA. They're pushing to defund and abolish ICE, and doing so would let these violent, illegal criminals roam our streets. It's the Democrats' policies that put these people here in the first place, and I'm not going to hamstring ICE's ability to protect our communities from dangerous criminals.”

— Rep. Lisa McClain (clickondetroit.com)

“Every family deserves to feel safe, and every officer deserves the support to do their job and make it home safely. No one is above the law. We will protect peaceful protest while ensuring law enforcement has the resources to remove violent criminal illegal aliens from our streets.”

— Rep. John James (clickondetroit.com)

What’s next

The faith leaders will have a virtual town hall on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to further discuss their calls for defunding ICE and community action.

The takeaway

This event highlights the growing movement among faith leaders and community activists to demand accountability and reduced funding for ICE, arguing that the money could be better used to support social services and strengthen families rather than break them apart through aggressive immigration enforcement.