Detroit Cops Suspended After Coordinating with Immigration Officials

Two officers violated department policy by contacting U.S. Customs and Border Protection, putting two people on path to potential deportation.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison revealed that two Detroit police officers coordinated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on at least two occasions in the past two months, violating department policy. The officers have been suspended, and the police oversight board will determine whether to suspend them without pay.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing tensions around the role of local law enforcement in immigration enforcement, with some community members concerned about over-cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The Detroit Police Department has policies in place to avoid such coordination, but these violations raise questions about accountability and oversight.

The details

In one incident on Feb. 9, a Detroit police sergeant called Border Patrol after an officer requested translation services during a traffic stop of a person who did not speak English. Border Patrol responded, determined the individual was not a U.S. citizen, and took the person. In a separate incident on Dec. 16, a police officer investigating a felony warrant believed the individual was not a U.S. citizen and contacted Border Patrol, who then took the person.

  • On Feb. 9, the Feb. 9 incident occurred around 3:15 p.m.
  • Around 4 p.m. the same day, Feb. 9, Detroit police and Customs and Border Protection officers were seen downtown at Woodward Avenue and Witherell Street.
  • The Dec. 16 incident was discovered during a body-worn camera audit.

The players

Todd Bettison

Detroit Police Chief who revealed the policy violations and suspended the two officers.

Darryl Woods

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners member who was acting as chair during the meeting where the incidents were discussed.

Gabriela Santiago-Romero

Detroit City Councilmember who represents the southwest portion of the city where many Latino residents live and questioned Bettison about the department's cooperation with immigration authorities.

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What they’re saying

“'Of our officers, 98-99 percent do it the right way each and every day. But I do have one or two percent that decide to violate our rules, our policies and our procedures, and to those officers, I will hold them accountable.'”

— Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Chief (freep.com)

“'The extent of our cooperation with an entity such as ICE would be, when it comes to our Detroit detention center, they would have to issue a detainer requester that has been signed off by a judge ... At that point, we would honor that only after we have adjudicated the individual.'”

— Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Chief (freep.com)

“'We're constantly reminding our officers that that is not our lane, nor our focus.'”

— Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Chief (freep.com)

What’s next

The Detroit Board of Police Commissioners will determine whether to suspend the two officers without pay at their next meeting on Feb. 19.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges for local law enforcement in navigating the complex and politically charged issue of immigration enforcement, and the need for clear policies, training, and accountability measures to ensure officers do not overstep their bounds and violate department rules.