Nesbitt Promises Largest ICE Deployment in Michigan History for Gubernatorial Public Safety Plan

Republican gubernatorial candidate Aric Nesbitt unveils hardline immigration and law enforcement platform.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:51pm

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Senate Minority Leader and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Aric Nesbitt announced plans to launch the 'largest ICE deployment in Michigan history' if elected governor in November. Nesbitt's public safety platform also includes banning sanctuary cities, repealing red flag gun laws, and firing the state police director.

Why it matters

Nesbitt's hardline immigration and law enforcement proposals align him closely with President Trump's policies and represent a sharp rightward shift in Michigan's gubernatorial race. The plans could energize Nesbitt's conservative base but face pushback from immigrant advocates and moderates.

The details

Nesbitt's 'Operation Tuebor' would dramatically increase the presence of federal immigration agents across Michigan, mirroring controversial ICE deployments in other cities that have led to violence. He also wants to ban sanctuary cities, eliminate state funding for non-compliant local governments, repeal red flag gun laws, and fire the state police director.

  • Nesbitt unveiled his public safety platform at a town hall in Grand Rapids on Monday, March 11, 2026.
  • The Michigan gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2026.

The players

Aric Nesbitt

Senate Minority Leader and Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan.

James F. Grady II

Current Michigan State Police director who Nesbitt plans to fire if elected.

Chuck Heit

Berrien County Sheriff who expressed support for Nesbitt's plan to bring back state-run psychiatric hospitals.

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What they’re saying

“They're found to not be competent, they need treatment, but they're sent back to our jail for six months while there's not a bed. So that has been a huge issue for us, and for sheriffs across the state … It's a funding issue.”

— Chuck Heit, Berrien County Sheriff

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Nesbitt's hardline public safety platform represents a sharp rightward shift in Michigan's gubernatorial race, aligning him closely with President Trump's policies on immigration and law enforcement. While the plans may energize Nesbitt's conservative base, they face pushback from immigrant advocates and moderates and raise concerns about potential civil liberties violations and community relations with law enforcement.