Over 225 Michigan Faith Leaders Condemn ICE Tactics, Demand Accountability

Clergy from diverse denominations call for transparency and systemic reform after recent civilian deaths

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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More than 225 faith leaders from across Michigan have signed a letter criticizing recent federal immigration crackdowns and tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The clergy, spanning multiple denominations, are calling for transparency, accountability, and systemic reform in the wake of recent civilian deaths involving ICE agents.

Why it matters

This letter from a large coalition of Michigan faith leaders represents a significant moral and spiritual rebuke of ICE's controversial enforcement practices, which have faced growing criticism from immigrant advocates and civil rights groups. The clergy's call for accountability and reform could increase pressure on federal authorities to re-evaluate their immigration policies and tactics.

The details

The faith leaders held a press conference to denounce ICE's actions, including the recent detention of an asylum-seeker in Detroit who was taken into custody while going about his daily business. The clergy argued that ICE's tactics betray core American and spiritual values of human dignity. They are demanding transparency from the agency and systemic changes to prevent further harm to vulnerable immigrant communities.

  • The letter was signed by over 225 Michigan faith leaders and released on February 17, 2026.
  • The press conference held by the clergy took place on the same day as the letter's release.

The players

Rev. Julie Brock

A clergy member from the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit who spoke about a congregant detained by ICE while shopping in the city.

Bishop Hurley J. Coleman Jr.

The leader of the World Outreach Campus Church in Saginaw who called for faith leaders to take action and support immigrants, saying "this is a time for us to not be silent, but to be aggressively in favor of supporting and doing what Jesus called us to do."

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What they’re saying

“He could not live safely in his body and love who he loved in the country that he was born in, so he sought a story of freedom and love and justice in ours. He came here seeking a place where he could go about his daily business without feeling his adrenal system in shock and fear constantly, but he didn't get that.”

— Rev. Julie Brock, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit (wwmt.com)

“Today's conversation and the 250 plus faith leaders is more than just a statement, it is a call to faith in action. This is a time for us to not be silent, but to be aggressively in favor of supporting and doing what Jesus called us to do, and that is to serve and to help and to fight against the affliction that is caused by this.”

— Bishop Hurley J. Coleman Jr., World Outreach Campus Church in Saginaw (wwmt.com)

What’s next

The faith leaders hope that by speaking out, they can affect change in ICE's policies and tactics. They concluded the press conference with a prayer seeking a blessing that people see strangers and transform them into neighbors.

The takeaway

This letter from over 225 Michigan faith leaders represents a powerful moral and spiritual rebuke of ICE's controversial immigration enforcement practices. The clergy's call for transparency, accountability, and systemic reform could increase pressure on federal authorities to re-evaluate their policies and tactics, which have faced growing criticism from immigrant advocates and civil rights groups.