HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – U.S Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, found a way to turn Fat Tuesday into a lecture on the value of immigration.

The deep fried dough known as paczki are very popular on Fat Tuesday. Paczki Day is considered a Polish tradition.

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Slotkin posted Tuesday on her X account: “In cities like Hamtramck and Detroit, that tradition took root generations ago. Today, it’s a reminder of the immigrants who helped build our state — in factories, neighborhoods, churches, and small businesses — and brought their food and cultural pride with them.”

But Hamtramck’s culture is no longer dominated by the Polish people, as Muslims have moved in and have put up signs in Arabic on store fronts.  The Detroit Free Press reported that 10% of the population was Polish in 2025. According to the U.S. Census, 73.5% of the Hamtramck residents speak a language at home other than English.

Hamtramck’s New Palace Bakery was involved in a radio promotion on Tuesday that delivered paczkis to listeners of WCSX.