ICE Agents in Michigan Employ Deceptive, Cruel Tactics to Detain Immigrants
In the Great Lakes State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have taken a more aggressive and deceptive approach when detaining immigrants, according to immigration attorneys. The tactics are designed to avoid detection from the public and leave families blindsided.
One such tactic is making arrests during routine traffic stops or marriage-based green card interviews. Herman Dhade, president of the Detroit Immigration Law Firm, has witnessed cases where immigrant spouses were detained during or immediately after what was believed to be a standard interview.
"Imagine being a newlywed and you're a U.S. citizen or green card holder, and you fall in love, get married, and then there's literally a trap set up," Dhade said. "No other people in the waiting room ever see the arrest. That's the covert way they're making arrests."
Another pattern involves routine traffic stops, where local police contact ICE during the stop, leading to quick and discreet detentions.
ICE agents are also using administrative warrants to enter homes without a judge's warrant, which is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment. According to an internal ICE memo obtained by the Associated Press, DHS lawyers determined that the U.S. Constitution and immigration laws do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants to enter the home of a suspected undocumented immigrant.
"This is wasting taxpayer money too," Dhade said. "Why are you locking people up who are going through legal channels and costing taxpayers more money?"
ICE agents often present an administrative immigration document that may be signed within the immigration system, but it's not the same as a federal court warrant. Immigrants are unlikely to know this subtlety, and ICE is taking advantage of it.
"These guys are aggressive and commanding," Dhade said. "They're going to scare the daylight out of who they are raiding. That's a tactic."
The agents are detaining immigrants who have no criminal record, including those with work permits or U.S.-citizen spouses. Nearly three-quarters of the immigrants arrested by ICE in Michigan in the first 10 months of 2025 did not have criminal convictions.
"This is ripping families apart," Dhade said.
Michigan families should treat enforcement risk like any other emergency and plan ahead to avoid being caught off guard. They should keep key documents accessible and make sure loved ones know who to call in case of an arrest.
The use of administrative warrants and the tactics employed by ICE agents are a concern, as they may lead to innocent people being detained without due process. The Fourth Amendment requires an independent federal judge to authorize entry into a home, and ICE is exploiting confusion over paperwork to achieve this goal.
ICE's actions are raising concerns among lawmakers and immigration activists, who warn that these tactics are not only cruel but also unconstitutional. As the situation continues to unfold, it's essential for immigrant families in Michigan to be aware of their rights and take steps to protect themselves.
In the Great Lakes State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have taken a more aggressive and deceptive approach when detaining immigrants, according to immigration attorneys. The tactics are designed to avoid detection from the public and leave families blindsided.
One such tactic is making arrests during routine traffic stops or marriage-based green card interviews. Herman Dhade, president of the Detroit Immigration Law Firm, has witnessed cases where immigrant spouses were detained during or immediately after what was believed to be a standard interview.
"Imagine being a newlywed and you're a U.S. citizen or green card holder, and you fall in love, get married, and then there's literally a trap set up," Dhade said. "No other people in the waiting room ever see the arrest. That's the covert way they're making arrests."
Another pattern involves routine traffic stops, where local police contact ICE during the stop, leading to quick and discreet detentions.
ICE agents are also using administrative warrants to enter homes without a judge's warrant, which is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment. According to an internal ICE memo obtained by the Associated Press, DHS lawyers determined that the U.S. Constitution and immigration laws do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants to enter the home of a suspected undocumented immigrant.
"This is wasting taxpayer money too," Dhade said. "Why are you locking people up who are going through legal channels and costing taxpayers more money?"
ICE agents often present an administrative immigration document that may be signed within the immigration system, but it's not the same as a federal court warrant. Immigrants are unlikely to know this subtlety, and ICE is taking advantage of it.
"These guys are aggressive and commanding," Dhade said. "They're going to scare the daylight out of who they are raiding. That's a tactic."
The agents are detaining immigrants who have no criminal record, including those with work permits or U.S.-citizen spouses. Nearly three-quarters of the immigrants arrested by ICE in Michigan in the first 10 months of 2025 did not have criminal convictions.
"This is ripping families apart," Dhade said.
Michigan families should treat enforcement risk like any other emergency and plan ahead to avoid being caught off guard. They should keep key documents accessible and make sure loved ones know who to call in case of an arrest.
The use of administrative warrants and the tactics employed by ICE agents are a concern, as they may lead to innocent people being detained without due process. The Fourth Amendment requires an independent federal judge to authorize entry into a home, and ICE is exploiting confusion over paperwork to achieve this goal.
ICE's actions are raising concerns among lawmakers and immigration activists, who warn that these tactics are not only cruel but also unconstitutional. As the situation continues to unfold, it's essential for immigrant families in Michigan to be aware of their rights and take steps to protect themselves.
They come, they go, but they leave families shattered 
Know your rights and plan ahead 
just another way for ICE to get away with being super shady. Those administrative warrants? Total cop-out. Like, who thought it was a good idea to let ICE just waltz into someone's home without so much as a judge's permission 
. And don't even get me started on the whole marriage-based green card interview thing... think about all the poor spouses who have no idea what's going down until it's too late 
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. I mean, come on, if you're following the rules and playing by the book, why are you still getting raided? It's all just a big game of cat and mouse for ICE, but in reality, it's families being torn apart and people's lives being ruined 
. I mean, making arrests during marriage interviews or traffic stops? That's just crazy talk! 
And administrative warrants that don't even need a judge's approval? That's not right, dude 
. The fact that they're targeting people with no criminal record and detaining them anyway is just messed up 
.
. I mean, what's next? Showing up at your friend's house without knocking because you have a "paperwork" thingy? 
No thanks!
those ice agents gotta be careful what they do in michigan. i mean whats next? using administrative warrants to raid ppl at airports or schools? its all about playing dirty tricks & taking advantage of people who dont even know whats going on 
. ice agents are using all these tactics 2 avoid detection & keep ppl in the dark 
. and whats worse, theyre doing it without a court order or any transparency 
.
. whats the point of having laws if they cant even protect people from being unfairly arrested? 
. I mean, using administrative warrants to enter homes without a judge's warrant is just plain wrong. It's like they're trying to play some kinda dirty game with people's lives. And the fact that they're detaining immigrants who have no criminal record is just cruel 
.
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. That's so unfair to innocent people, especially newlyweds who just wanna build a life together 
.
. That's like, totally violating the Fourth Amendment and wasting taxpayer money 
. I mean, these ppl might be goin through legit channels, but still gettin locked up 
. They shouldn't be catchin people off guard like that! We need to make sure everyone knows their rights and can plan ahead 
. Let's spread the word and support these ppl who are goin through this 
.
can't believe ICE is resorting to shady tactics like making arrests during marriage interviews or traffic stops 
anyone who's ever been in a situation like that knows how devastating it can be 
. And the thing is, ICE is basically exploiting confusion over paperwork to get what they want, which is just a sneaky way of saying they're trying to get around the law 
.
. and using admin warrants without a judge's approval? that's like, a clear violation of people's rights. I mean, what's next? showing up at someone's doorstep unannounced just 'cause you think they might be undocumented? 
it's not only scary but also unnecessary. families are already getting ripped apart as it is, no need to make it worse 
THEY'RE LIKE THOSE SNEAKY COCKROACHES WHO JUST SHOW UP WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT! 
AND MAKE SURE OUR FELLOW IMMIGRANTS ARE READY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
.