Editor’s Note: This story has been updated per REDICO’s statement
This month, the City of Southfield reported that the General Services Administration (GSA) had leased space for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office from REDICO in a tenant building at the One Town Square commercial center. Elected officials and community members, who gathered to protest the lease decision on Feb. 17, see it as a broader move to expand immigration enforcement into the city.
REDICO stated that it had not entered into an agreement with ICE, but with the United States of America through the GSA, with which it has had a longstanding relationship.
Although the city confirmed that ICE would not be operating on the building premises nor be permitted to make arrests, many share the belief that an administrative presence—the arm/cornerstone of ICE’s operations—is dangerous alone. It doesn’t serve a detached administrative and legal function, but in the view of Rabbi Nate DeGroot, it is a command center for “a presidential paramilitary force,” relying on legal research to find loopholes and invoke the articles of law to support aggressive enforcement.
Hidden agreements for leases through GSA enable ICE’s expansion throughout the country, WIRED reports.
The General Services Administration is responsible for constructing, managing and preserving federal buildings in addition to securing leased spaces for government agencies and the military.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which works with the GSA to acquire administrative offices, asked it to disregard a typical procedure for government lease procurements and hide lease listings for tenant space.
The purpose of these secret leases is evident: they help ICE establish a presence in certain locales before opposition can take root. This isn’t the first time, though, that a sensitive area became the grounds for a lease agreement—nor will it be the last. Similar agreements have taken effect in California, Texas and New York near the cornerstones of communal life: medical offices, schools, places of worship and administrative centers.
During a protest held outside of Towne Square on Tuesday, Feb.17, leaders echoed their constituents’ fears of ICE expansion, speaking out against its presence in Southeast Michigan.
Jason Hoskins, state representative of District 18, acknowledged an administrative intent for the lease approved by REDICO. However, he expressed that beyond its purpose, ICE’s expansion is a potent symbol of intimidation and control, particularly for historically marginalized communities.
Other speakers like Rev. Chris Yaw of St. David’s Episcopal Church and Representative Rashida Tlaib of District 12 referenced the trauma evoked for many Americans by images of masked ICE agents policing communities, and the sense of uncertainty overshadowing Southfield residents—most of whom are individuals of color. These fears are heightened amid the federal government’s increased delegation of powers to agents, enabling them to question individuals on the premises of their accent, spoken language, race or other characteristics that they believe may warrant an immigration stop.
ACLU of Minnesota, in January, sued the federal government to end these racially profiled arrests and “warrantless stops” made by CBP and ICE agents, stating that these were without probable cause.
Senator Jeremy Moss, who described the version of ICE under Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem as irreparable, denounced the lowered hiring standards for ICE that put communities at risk.
Tlaib spoke of the concerns around a potential legal administrative space for ICE. She described a visit to an office building near the Ambassador Bridge that contained adult and child-sized cots and other evidence of preparation for holding. Although REDICO has stated that the office would not be used for these purposes, community members at the protest expressed unease.
Southfield officials said the city lacks the jurisdiction to prevent the lease between GSA and the landlord company, REDICO, due to zoning restrictions. These do not give local governments the power to instate or reject certain tenants in private commercial deals. At a recent meeting, the city council of Southfield approved legislation to affirm “local control, community safety, and the protection of civil rights” while acknowledging that a direct intervention in the lease agreement is outside of its jurisdiction.
The most intense immigration operations have taken place in major U.S. cities: Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul and California. Recently, counties in Michigan and the city of Detroit have received more attention from federal immigration operations due to the North Lake Baldwin detention center, student walkouts in Detroit, and another planned conversion of a warehouse in Romulus into an ICE facility.
As efforts ramp up, one may wonder, what’s next for Metro Detroit residents?
At the Feb. 23 Southfield City Council meeting, a 15-year-old stepped up to the podium during the public comment section with a candid statement.
He asked: “Are we going to keep waiting for the grand finale to happen, until families are actually being taken off the streets, until your votes don’t count anymore?”
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist, then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist, then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not Jewish—then they came for me and there was no one to speak for me.”
The young speaker’s comment echoed a grievance among many of those who attend local government meetings: that the few minutes allotted to each speaker means that officials merely get to hear their demands, but cannot fully redress them.
Other community members arrived with their own action items for the council. Two urged it to write a letter to REDICO to terminate the lease agreement and pass ordinances to regulate immigration enforcement within city limits.
REDICO, in a media statement, addressed these concerns, maintaining a commitment to transparency and constructive dialogue as talks continue with community representatives.
“REDICO has been part of the Southfield community since 1967. Our employees live and work here. Our families are part of this community and we remain deeply invested in its safety, stability, and long-term success. The safety and security of our tenants, employees and neighbors remain our top priority,” the company said.
The City of Southfield, in a press release issued the same day as the meeting, stated its commitment to transparency, factual communication and helping citizens understand the limits of municipal authority.
However, community members want more than a bureaucratic statement, but seek the draft of a clear, implementable response to ICE’s expansion — one that elected officials would fully involve their voices in.
