DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – The pro-police news site Blue Lives Matter has called for the resignation of the city of Detroit police chief.
Blue Lives Matter, which has more than 2 million followers on Facebook, made its statement on Feb. 21, the day after Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said he changed his mind over firing two officers who contacted federal immigration officers during traffic stops.
MORE NEWS: Fired? Not So Fast: ICE Job Offer Lands as Detroit Chief Reverses Course
The Detroit News reported Feb. 20 that Bettison has reversed his earlier decision to fire the two officers. Sgt. Denise Wallet and Officer James Corsi were suspended without pay for 30 days after they called Border Patrol during a traffic stop and the illegal migrant motorist was taken into federal custody, according to the Detroit News.
“On behalf of the largest police news outlet in the world, the Detroit police chief needs to resign in disgrace,” Blue Lives Matter posted on X.
Bettison has faced criticism after he initially said he was going to fire both the police officers.
“I think Detroit needs a new Chief,” said Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) on his X account last week. “Who else thinks @DHSgov should hire these two officers?”
Tom Leonard, a former state representative and Republican, wrote on his X account: “Detroit just fired two cops for doing their job. Let that sink in. When I’m governor, I’ll hire them — and end sanctuary city policies.”
The city provided Michigan News Source with its policy for interacting with ICE, titled “Summary of Detroit Police Department Policy on Immigration Enforcement:
MORE NEWS: Nessel Raises Concerns Over DTE’s Most Recent Rates Hike
“A ‘Welcoming City’ welcomes immigrants who have come to America legally and develops programs and policies encouraging their success. Detroit is a Welcoming City.
The term ‘Sanctuary City’ has been used in many different ways over the years, but today refers to a city that provides sanctuary to immigrants who have come to America illegally. In Sanctuary Cities, the local police department refuses to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other federal agencies in enforcing federal immigration law. Detroit is not a Sanctuary City.
The Detroit Police Department (DPD) has clear policies relative to federal immigration law and its working relationship with ICE:
By law, the job of DPD is to enforce city and state laws. Enforcing federal law, including immigration law, is not the job of a municipal police agency. When interacting with the public, Detroit police officers do not inquire about an individual’s immigration status. DPD’s long-standing and well-publicized policy that crime victims and witnesses will not be asked about their immigration status in police interviews has been a major factor in building cooperation for crime reduction in Detroit.
Whenever DPD makes a criminal arrest, DPD does not shelter any suspect from federal immigration enforcement. A DPD officer promptly enters the suspect’s information into the State of Michigan Livescan system, including the suspect’s name, set of fingerprints, and place of birth. That information is immediately available to federal law enforcement, including ICE. ICE regularly uses the Livescan system to identify suspected illegal immigrants in the custody of DPD and other local Michigan police agencies.
When federal immigration officials provide DPD with a properly executed detainer, DPD honors the detainer and allows federal agents to take custody of the individual within the time limits of the constitutional requirements.
Federal immigration enforcement strategies have varied widely over the last three Presidential administrations. DPD policy has remained constant throughout. DPD does not engage in immigration enforcement but, as described above, regularly cooperates with federal officials in their law enforcement efforts.”
