KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In a move raising eyebrows across Michigan, Democratic leaders in Kalamazoo effectively walked away from $1.25 million in federal funding that would have put 10 new police officers on the streets over a three-year period. Instead of bolstering public safety, the city hit the brakes – citing concerns over federal immigration-related conditions attached to the grant.
Police funding? Thanks, but no thanks, says Kalamazoo Democrats.
According to a report from MLive and video from the City Commission meeting on April 6, the funding comes with conditions – including cooperation with federal immigration authorities and compliance with federal laws and executive orders.
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Rather than vote on the grant, they shelved it. Democratic Mayor David Anderson and Vice Mayor Drew Duncan, as well as five “non-partisan” commissioners who are Democrats, pulled the proposal from the agenda altogether before the meeting even began – ensuring the city would miss the deadline and result in a non-acceptance of the grant.
That outcome didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. For those paying attention to the political leanings of Kalamazoo’s leadership, the writing had already been on the wall. In fact, Vice Mayor Drew Duncan participated in a ICE forum organized by the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party in February and asked the audience to film ICE activity and referred to the Trump administration as a “fascist regime.” He also said, “I expect you to drive out the foreign invaders that are here to kick out our neighbors. I know I will.”
ICE, conditions, and controversy.
City Manager Malcolm Hankins opposed the grant in part because it would “gut” DEI programs. Other city officials and activists at the meeting framed the decision as a stand against federal overreach by the Trump administration and broad disagreement with the grant conditions, especially those relating to immigration enforcement.
But Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief David Boysen pushed back, noting similar language has been standard in grants since the 1990s. Meanwhile, department policy already limits cooperation with immigration enforcement to criminal cases and they don’t participate in broad sweeps or physical apprehensions.
Safety takes a back seat?
Critics say the move – or more precisely, the lack of one – makes one thing clear: political priorities are taking precedence over public safety in Kalamazoo. Residents against accepting the funding cheered the move inside packed city chambers. Those speaking out against accepting the grant proposal included a rabbi with the Temple B’nai Israel and Wendy Branch, president of the Kalamazoo Branch of the NAACP. She spoke out about her opposition to President Trump and added that their organization “stands in resolute opposition to accepting this grant as we believe it poses
significant risks that will undermine the progress that our community has fought hard to achieve as we collectively continue to strive to get better.”
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But for residents concerned about crime and not politics, they are left wondering why the offer of 10 additional police officers just vanished.
That question didn’t go unanswered at Monday’s meeting – it was defended by those who took a firm stand against ICE. And when it came to choosing between more boots on the ground to protect Kalamazoo residents or drawing a line against federal immigration policy, Kalamazoo government officials made their call by not making a call.
Standing firm by not voting.
Resident Sarah Schmidt said at the meeting, “Moral courage is standing up and saying that as long as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and DHS are ignoring the U.S. Constitution…then we will not accept federal money that comes with stipulations that require us to comply with those agencies or with those executive orders.”
In the end, Kalamazoo officials didn’t take any stand with “moral courage” one way or another because they didn’t cast a vote. Instead, they took the easier route of letting the clock run out. The result is the same: fewer officers, less funding, and more questions from residents about why political decisions and feelings about President Trump take priority over public safety.
