Michigan Voters Consider Immigration in Presidential Race.
Michigan voters are currently determining their preference for the next president of the United States, with immigration emerging as a key concern.
Michigan Public has engaged with voters to gauge their expectations for presidential leadership regarding immigration policy.
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott, whose jurisdiction is in southwest Michigan, noted that immigrants crossing the southern border sometimes find their way into his county jail. Abbott reported that, at any given time, four to nine individuals with federal immigration holds are incarcerated for serious crimes.
“Regularly, especially in the past couple of years, we have seen inmates flagged by ICE as they enter our system,” Abbott stated. He expressed a desire for the next president to take action to reduce the influx of immigrants, which he associates with rising crime rates in his rural area.
However, immigration advocates contest the notion of labeling immigrants as criminals. Susan Reed, affiliated with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center in Kalamazoo, emphasized the complications surrounding the immigration process.
“The main issue is the confusing and often lengthy procedure immigrants face to obtain legal status,” Reed explained. She highlighted the case of a client who has been unable to work for 15 months due to a lost work permit, despite his qualifications and experience.
Reed hopes the next president will focus on simplifying the immigration and work permit processes rather than adding more barriers.
Detroit has historically been a hub for immigrants, and the demographics have evolved over time. Adonis Flores, who assists undocumented immigrants, noted the shift in the immigrant population.
“When my family arrived, the community was primarily Mexican and Puerto Rican. In the early 2000s, we began seeing more immigrants from Central America,” Flores shared. He advocates for an update to immigration law that would allow individuals to apply for permanent residency based on a more recent registry date, such as 2015, rather than 1972.
“If the registry date were updated, individuals who came to the U.S. in the early 2000s could potentially gain legal status through their American-born children or spouses,” Flores added.
Mara Cecelia Ostfeld, a researcher at the University of Michigan, stated that a recent study revealed varying perceptions of immigrants based on personal experiences.
“Overall, many residents in communities like Flint, Grand Rapids, Ypsilanti, and Detroit favored making legal immigration easier,” Ostfeld reported.
However, some Michiganders express less favorable views towards newcomers. Pastor Lorenzo Sewell conveyed concerns from young Black men who feel that undocumented immigrants receive preferential treatment.
“They believe that those illegally entering the country are being treated better than they are,” Sewell noted during a gathering of Republicans in Roseville in August. He urged for changes in the immigration system, calling for a president who would make tough decisions regarding deportation.
Former President Donald Trump advocates for halting the influx of migrants at the southern border and implementing mass deportations. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris aims to reform the immigration system and establish a pathway to citizenship.
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