Ypsilanti City Council will vote on a resolution intended to limit access and city resources used for civil immigration enforcement at its Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, meeting.
City Clerk Tracey Boudreau said the resolution mirrors Ann Arbor's recently passed policy regarding immigration enforcement activity. The resolution is intended to expand on existing policy regarding civil immigration enforcement and mitigate erratic federal law enforcement tactics with intentional city efforts, Boudreau said.
The resolution comes as civil immigration enforcement in Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County has prompted fear and uncertainty in residents. Laura Sanders, an advocate for the group Movement for Immigrant Rights Action, previously told The Eastern Echo that the group receives weekly and sometimes daily reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Washtenaw County.
The resolution would reaffirm Ypsilanti's existing ordinance that prohibits city officials from requesting immigration status unless required by law. The resolution, if passed, would establish a policy that prohibits the use of city resources, funds or personnel to assist in civil immigration enforcement, or entering into an agreement with civil immigration authorities under federal law.
The resolution would also bar federal immigration authorities from entering or using private areas in city facilities for civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. It would also prohibit the use of city parking lots as operational bases for civil immigration enforcement.
The resolution serves as a formal opposition to the use of face coverings by immigration officers used to conceal their identity when conducting official duties in Ypsilanti, except in cases of verified public health or safety reasons.
Ann Arbor City Council passed a similar resolution at its Feb. 2, 2026, meeting.
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution in January banning ICE officials from any county-owned, leased or operated building or property. Similar to the Ypsilanti proposal, the resolution opposed the use of face coverings by immigration officers to conceal identity.
The Ypsilanti City Council meets at 7 p.m., Feb. 17, 2026, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, at 1 S. Huron St., Ypsilanti. Councilors will discuss and vote on a packed agenda, which includes a resolution to oppose a ballot initiative from Americans for Citizen Voting and the Committee to Protect Voters’ Rights, several contracts and proposals submitted for approval, a discussion to determine a nomination process for the citizens committee for the Water Street Redevelopment project and appointment of members to the citizens committee.
Virtual attendees can join the meeting by Zoom from the link provided on the city website.
