Michigan’s US Senate race exposes divide over ICE accountability

After two American citizens were killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, Michigan’s US Senate candidates are offering different visions for the future of ICE.

MICHIGAN—What began as federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis has escalated into two deadly shootings of American citizens and a broader national debate over the use of force.

And now, Michigan’s US Senate candidates are split over whether the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is fixable, must be overhauled, or should be dismantled entirely.

At one end of the Democratic primary field, Abdul El-Sayed is calling for ICE to be abolished outright, arguing the federal agency and the 12,000 officers and agents hired within the last year have become irredeemable and now pose a direct threat to Michiganders’ constitutional rights.

Other Democrats in the race told The ‘Gander that ICE must be aggressively reined in, defunded, or overhauled—but stopped short of endorsing abolition—while Republican candidate Mike Rogers did not respond to several questions about the shootings or ICE’s conduct.

The debate comes amid heightened national scrutiny of ICE after three shootings involving federal immigration officers in three weeks, two of which proved fatal. Video footage from Minneapolis and other cities has fueled protests and renewed concerns about masked agents, warrantless actions, and the agency’s growing use of force far from the southern border.

Abdul El-Sayed

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director and the only candidate in the race openly calling to abolish ICE, traveled to Minneapolis after the shootings to see conditions on the ground for himself. In an interview this month with The ‘Gander, El-Sayed described a city gripped by fear, where residents rely on whistles to warn neighbors of impending ICE raids.

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US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed visited Minneapolis after recent shootings by ICE and Border Patrol.He says what he saw should alarm Americans nationwide.

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El-Sayed said the Minnesotans he spoke with were “frustrated, scared, and sad,” grappling with grief while questioning why aggressive federal enforcement was happening in American cities at all. He maintains ICE’s actions are not only violent, but also misaligned with public priorities.

“Instead of funding healthcare access, instead of funding the VA, they’re literally shooting a VA nurse,” he told The ‘Gander. “This is a guy who worked for the federal government, taking care of people who served their country—and they shot him in cold blood on the street.”

El-Sayed said his latest call to abolish ICE is not new. It’s a position he first took in 2018. He maintains the agency—which was created in 2003 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks—has had an increasingly violent trajectory, which has made for a predictable outcome.

“This is lawlessness in the name of the law,” El-Sayed said. 

He also likened ICE’s institutional culture to black mold—something that cannot be safely remediated. Under El-Sayed’s vision, ICE would be dismantled and replaced with a more limited civil immigration enforcement structure, similar to the pre-2003 Immigration and Naturalization Service, while criminal activity would be handled through existing law enforcement systems.

“They tell us they’re going after the worst of the worst,” El-Sayed said. “But I don’t understand why the worst of the worst hang out in Home Depot parking lots or preschools. … This is not about immigration anymore. This is about normalizing a paramilitary force on our streets.”

Haley Stevens

US Rep. Haley Stevens, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination, did not directly answer a series of emailed questions about whether she supports dismantling ICE. Instead, her campaign provided a statement condemning ICE’s conduct under President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem and calling for an “overhaul.”

“Donald Trump’s ICE is out of control and requires an immediate, drastic, and transparent overhaul that ensures accountability and prosecution for wrongdoing,” Stevens said in the statement. “Kristi Noem should be impeached, and Donald Trump needs to get ICE out of Minneapolis and every other American city where they’re causing damage and harm.”

Her campaign pointed to several legislative steps Stevens has taken in recent months to curb ICE’s power and funding—including voting against a recent DHS funding bill and opposing Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which increased ICE funding by nearly $75 billion. 

Stevens has also co-sponsored federal legislation to redirect that funding to local law enforcement programs, as well as backed the VISIBLE Act to ban ICE agents from wearing masks. And most recently, Stevens co-sponsored articles of impeachment against Noem.

At the same time, Stevens has previously voted in favor of a resolution expressing gratitude for ICE agents and, earlier in her congressional tenure, supported an emergency border funding bill that included ICE appropriations—votes that could complicate her latest calls for reform.

Mallory McMorrow

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, another Democratic candidate for US Senate, has taken a consistent position opposing further ICE funding while arguing the agency can still be reformed. She told The Detroit News the agency is “out of control” but can still be fixed “from the inside.” 

“You reform, you overhaul this agency, so that it does the job of keeping our community safe,” she said. “That’s what Michiganders are asking for … I believe we should be enforcing our laws”

Most recently, McMorrow has called on Congress to use upcoming DHS funding votes as leverage to force changes—including banning masked agents, prohibiting warrantless home entry, enforcing stricter use-of-force policies, and ending the detention of American citizens.

“No one voted for their taxpayer dollars to go to harassing, detaining without due process, shooting, and killing of American citizens in the street,” McMorrow said in a statement. “No one should live in fear that their own government will flood their communities with masked agents.”

In Michigan, McMorrow is also exploring legislation that would restrict ICE operations within the state, including potential protections for sensitive locations such as schools and churches. 

Still, while McMorrow believes ICE has “gone rogue,” she has flatly rejected the abolition of the agency, arguing the federal government still needs an agency to enforce immigration law.

Mike Rogers

Republican candidate Mike Rogers, a former FBI agent and US representative, did not respond to requests for comment. Recently, Rogers has defended aggressive immigration enforcement under Trump and criticized Democrats for what he describes as undermining law enforcement.

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