DETROIT, March 24, 2026 – Southeast Michigan residents, community organizations, and coalition partners are putting elected officials at the local, state, and federal level on notice ahead of the No Kings Detroit demonstration on March 28. The actions of Donald Trump and his regime are pushing the United States toward authoritarian rule, and the moment for statements and symbolic opposition has long since passed.
For months, political leaders have responded to escalating abuses of power with carefully worded press releases while failing to use the authority of their offices to stop them. That pattern of performative opposition is unacceptable and has failed the people they supposedly represent. When democratic institutions, civil rights, and the rule of law are under threat, inaction is not neutrality—it is complicity.
The people of Southeast Michigan did not elect leaders to issue performative statements after the damage is done. We elected them to defend the Constitution, protect the communities they serve, and champion policies that build a society where everyone can thrive. That responsibility requires action.
The following steps must be taken immediately.
What Our Leaders Must Do Now
Impeach, Convict, and Remove the Regime
Donald Trump’s actions since returning to office have crossed the limits of presidential power and placed the country on a dangerous path toward authoritarian rule. From attacks on democratic institutions and election integrity to the use of federal and military power to abuse vulnerable groups, intimidate communities, and silence opposition, his conduct represents a direct threat to constitutional governance and people’s lives.
The Constitution provides one clear mechanism for confronting abuses of power: impeachment, conviction, and removal from office.
We are calling on Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation—Representatives Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, and Shri Thanedar, as well as Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin—to demand leadership and action from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. They must use every available constitutional tool to hold the Trump regime accountable.
That means introducing articles of impeachment and forcing votes on those articles rather than allowing them to stall indefinitely in committee or leadership offices. If members of Congress believe an official has violated their oath of office, they must act on that belief.
Accountability must extend beyond the president himself. Any member of the administration who has violated their oath of office or abused the powers of their position must be subject to thorough investigation and, where appropriate, impeachment proceedings. Violations of that oath are not merely political matters. They must also carry legal consequences. Officials who knowingly mislead Congress, provide false statements under oath, obstruct lawful oversight, or abuse their authority must be subject to criminal investigation and prosecution under federal law, including charges such as perjury, obstruction of justice, or abuse of office. Accountability must extend beyond political consequences; when laws are broken, those responsible must face the same legal standards as any other citizen.
The American public deserves clarity about where its elected representatives stand. Congress cannot defend the Constitution by issuing statements while refusing to use the powers the Constitution provides.
When democratic governance is threatened, accountability is not optional.
Stop ICE and CBP Abuse and Protect Detroit Communities
Federal immigration enforcement agencies are increasingly being used as tools of intimidation rather than lawful public safety institutions. Under the Trump regime, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have expanded aggressive interior enforcement operations that target immigrant communities and destabilize cities across the country.
In Southeast Michigan, the consequences of these policies are immediate and personal. Detroit’s proximity to the Canadian border means CBP has legitimate responsibilities related to ports of entry and border security. But those authorities cannot be twisted into justification for militarized immigration raids, mass detentions, or enforcement operations targeting our neighborhoods.
The consequences of these policies are not theoretical. Across the country, people have been injured or killed during federal immigration enforcement and detention operations, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, whose deaths have unmasked the illegal use of lethal force and the lack of accountability for federal agents.
Detroit residents have also witnessed troubling evidence that local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities is happening despite public assurances that it does not. Reports have documented incidents where Detroit police contacted Border Patrol during routine encounters, resulting in individuals being detained by federal agents and placed into deportation proceedings.
If officials claim that immigration enforcement is “not their lane,” then that policy must be enforced in practice—not ignored or diluted when convenient. Token disciplinary action after the fact is not accountability.
We call on Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, the Detroit City Council, the Detroit Police Department, and the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners to take immediate steps to ensure Detroit becomes and remains a true sanctuary city, where local resources are not used to assist ICE or CBP in immigration enforcement operations targeting residents.
But this issue extends beyond Detroit.
We are calling on leaders across Southeast Michigan—including the mayors, city councils, and police departments of Southfield, Romulus, and other surrounding communities—to use every available legal and regulatory tool to stop the expansion of ICE operations in our region.
In Romulus, where ICE has confirmed the purchase of a facility near Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where hundreds of detainees would be held in unsuitable conditions, local and state officials must pursue every available avenue—including zoning, permitting, environmental review, and legal challenges—to prevent the facility from opening and operating in our community.
In Southfield, where office space has been leased through the federal government for ICE-related operations, we call on REDICO, the landlord responsible for the property, to immediately terminate the lease agreement that would allow ICE to expand its footprint in Southeast Michigan. Community leaders and members of Congress have already demanded that REDICO cancel the agreement and keep ICE out of Southfield.
If REDICO chooses to move forward with this lease, we call on all other businesses and tenants in the building to stand with the community and cancel their own leases rather than participate in the expansion of the deportation apparatus in our region.
These protections must include preventive legal action before abuses occur, including:
- Passing clear local ordinances prohibiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement absent a judicial warrant
- Establishing transparent oversight and reporting requirements for any contact between local police and federal immigration agencies
- Seeking injunctive relief or restraining orders when federal actions threaten constitutional rights
- Coordinating with civil rights organizations to challenge unlawful immigration enforcement practices in court
We also call on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel to use the authority of their offices to oppose and legally challenge federal immigration enforcement actions that violate constitutional protections or endanger Michigan residents.
Our coalition will continue organizing across Southeast Michigan to ensure these protections are implemented. Communities that allow ICE expansion or cooperation with federal immigration enforcement should expect to see sustained, unignorable presence from residents and coalition partners at city council meetings, police commission hearings, and public forums demanding accountability.
Detroit and Southeast Michigan are not militarized zones. Our communities must not become staging grounds for immigration raids, detention centers, or federal intimidation carried out under the guise of enforcement.
Public safety depends on trust, civil liberties, and democratic accountability, not fear.
Fully Investigate the Epstein Network and End Elite Impunity
Years after the death of Jeffrey Epstein, the American public still does not have full answers about the scope of his trafficking network or the powerful individuals connected to it. The failure to fully investigate and prosecute those involved has fueled widespread public distrust in the justice system and reinforced the perception that wealth and political influence can place certain individuals above the law.
That perception is corrosive to democracy.
We are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and the leadership of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to release all investigative records related to the Epstein case that can legally be made public and to pursue comprehensive investigations into anyone involved in, protected by, or enabled Epstein’s trafficking network.
We also call on Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate any credible links between Epstein’s network and individuals or institutions connected to Michigan and to consider legal action in response to the Department of Justice’s failure to comply with the transparency requirements of federal law. Options available to the Attorney General include joining multistate litigation, seeking injunctive relief to compel disclosure, or pursuing other legal remedies to enforce compliance.
The rule of law only functions when it applies equally to everyone. If powerful individuals can evade accountability because of their wealth, influence, or political connections, the legitimacy of the justice system collapses.
No individual—regardless of status, wealth, or power—should be above the law.
Defend the Right to Vote and Stop Voter Suppression
Free and fair elections are the foundation of democratic government. Yet across the country, the right to vote is under sustained attack through voter suppression laws, restrictive identification requirements, voter roll purges, and extreme partisan gerrymandering designed to dilute the power of voters.
At the federal level, legislation such as the SAVE Act would impose new barriers to voter registration that could disenfranchise millions of Americans, including students, working families, married people, and trans people whose legal names may not match birth records. Policies that make it harder for eligible voters to participate do not strengthen democracy—they undermine it.
At the same time, Trump allies have openly discussed using federal law enforcement or other federal forces at polling places under the guise of “election security.” The presence of armed agents or federal personnel at polling locations intimidates voters and undermines confidence in the democratic process. American elections must be administered by civilian election officials, not policed by federal force.
Voter intimidation, including the use of armed personnel or law enforcement presence at polling locations intended to discourage participation, is illegal under federal law and incompatible with democratic elections.
We call on Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to continue defending ballot access and to make clear that intimidation tactics—whether carried out by federal agents, partisan actors, or private groups—will not be tolerated at Michigan polling places.
We also call on Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and local prosecutors across the state to investigate and prosecute any attempts to intimidate voters, deploy armed actors at polling locations, or otherwise interfere with the free exercise of the right to vote.
Michigan’s congressional delegation—including Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin and Representatives Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, and Shri Thanedar—must also forcefully oppose the SAVE Act and any other federal legislation that restricts access to the ballot or opens the door to federal interference in local election administration.
At the same time, the practice of extreme partisan gerrymandering continues to distort representation and weaken the power of voters across the country. Congress must pass legislation restoring and strengthening the Voting Rights Act and establishing national standards that prevent partisan manipulation of electoral maps.
The right to vote is the foundation upon which every other democratic right depends. Protecting that right requires constant vigilance—and decisive action from those entrusted with defending it.
Stop Escalating Military Conflicts and Reassert Congressional Authority
The Trump administration has dramatically expanded the use of military force as a routine instrument of foreign policy, ordering or supporting strikes and military operations across multiple regions. In the first year of his presidency alone, the United States has conducted or supported military actions in Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Venezuela, Iran, and Iraq, while openly threatening the use of force against other countries including Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Cuba, and Denmark/Greenland.
The rapidly escalating confrontation with Iran now represents one of the most dangerous flashpoints. Military escalation between the United States and Iran risks triggering a much larger regional war that would endanger millions of civilians and destabilize the global economy.
At the same time, the United States continues to provide military, financial, and diplomatic support for Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and humanitarian organizations have warned of catastrophic civilian suffering and mass starvation.
These policies are pushing the United States toward deeper and more dangerous conflicts while bypassing the constitutional limits designed to prevent exactly this kind of unilateral escalation.
The Constitution gives Congress—not the president—the authority to declare war.
We are calling on Michigan’s members of Congress—including Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin and Representatives Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, and Shri Thanedar—to immediately introduce and support a War Powers Resolution requiring congressional authorization for any further military action against Iran.
Congress must also exercise its oversight authority to investigate and challenge unauthorized military actions conducted by the executive branch.
At the same time, we call on Michigan’s congressional delegation to support ending U.S. military aid for Israel and to push for an immediate, real ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian relief.
War should never be treated as a political tool or a show of strength. Military escalation places millions of lives at risk, destabilizes entire regions for generations, and diverts resources away from the urgent needs of people at home.
The United States must return to diplomacy, restraint, and constitutional accountability in matters of war.
Confront Political Violence, Defend Civil Rights, and Protect the Rule of Law
Political violence and intimidation have become increasingly visible in American public life. Threats against election workers, journalists, public officials, activists, and community organizers have surged in recent years, creating a climate where participating in civic life can carry real personal and professional risk.
When violence or intimidation becomes normalized in political discourse, democratic debate becomes harder and communities grow more divided. A functioning democracy depends on the ability of people to assemble, protest, vote, speak freely, and participate in public life without fear of harassment, retaliation, or violence.
Civil rights and civil liberties are the foundation of that democracy. Protections such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, equal protection under the law, and due process were won through decades of struggle by civil rights leaders, labor organizers, and community movements here in Detroit and across the United States.
Today, many of those protections are under increasing pressure. Across the country, attacks on journalists, protest movements, and civil society organizations have raised serious concerns about the future of free expression and democratic participation.
At the same time, the selective enforcement of laws against political violence undermines public confidence in the justice system. When individuals who threaten or carry out violence are treated differently depending on their political alignment, it sends a dangerous message that intimidation is an acceptable tool of politics.
We are calling on federal, state, and local leaders—including Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, local prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies across Southeast Michigan—to treat credible threats of political violence as serious crimes requiring immediate investigation and prosecution.
Protecting democratic participation requires more than acknowledging these threats. It requires action.
Michigan’s elected leaders—including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, members of the Michigan Legislature, and Michigan’s congressional delegation—must actively defend civil rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law when they come under attack.
This means more than issuing statements. It means using the authority of public office to ensure that:
- Threats and acts of political violence are investigated and prosecuted consistently
- Those who incite or encourage violence against public officials, journalists, activists, or election workers are publicly named and held accountable
- Peaceful protest and freedom of assembly are protected and not met with intimidation
- Journalists and watchdog organizations can operate independently without harassment or retaliation
- Government institutions remain transparent, independent, and accountable to the public
Leaders must also ensure that communities facing intimidation are not left to fend for themselves. Public institutions should work with community organizations, mutual aid networks, faith institutions, schools, and civic groups to support individuals targeted by political intimidation and to strengthen the social infrastructure that protects democratic participation.
Detroit and Southeast Michigan have a long tradition of civic engagement, protest, and civil rights organizing. That tradition must be protected.
The rule of law is only meaningful if it applies equally to everyone, including those who hold power and those who seek to intimidate others from exercising their democratic rights.
Protecting democracy means protecting the people who participate in it.
Break the Grip of Oligarchy, Tax the Rich, and Restore Power to Working People
Across the United States, extreme wealth concentration has translated into extreme political power. Billionaires, major corporations, and wealthy donors are able to shape legislation, elections, and public policy in ways that ordinary people cannot. When a small group of ultra-wealthy individuals and corporate interests dominate the political system, democracy begins to function less like representative government and more like oligarchy.
Detroit knows the consequences of this imbalance. For decades, working families built the industries that powered the American economy, yet the benefits of that prosperity have increasingly flowed upward while wages stagnate, unions face constant attacks, and public institutions are starved of resources.
The American people are demanding a different path—one where working people have power and the ultra-wealthy finally pay their fair share.
We support efforts to tax extreme wealth and close the gap between the richest Americans and everyone else, including initiatives like Invest in MI Kids, a statewide ballot proposal that would impose a 5% surcharge on income above $500,000 for single filers and $1 million for joint filers in order to generate roughly $1–1.7 billion annually for public education. This proposal reflects a simple principle: when the wealthiest individuals in society benefit the most from the economy, they should contribute fairly to the public systems that sustain it.
At the same time, money itself has become one of the most powerful forces distorting American democracy. Massive campaign spending by wealthy donors, corporations, and political action committees allows those with the deepest pockets to wield disproportionate influence over elections and policymaking.
We support efforts like the Mop Up Michigan ballot initiative and other democracy reforms aimed at reducing the influence of money in politics and restoring political power to voters rather than wealthy donors.
We call on Michigan’s congressional delegation and state leaders—including Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature—to support policies that strengthen workers’ rights, expand collective bargaining protections, and ensure that economic growth benefits the people who create it.
This includes:
- Strengthening and protecting the right to unionize and collectively bargain
- Passing tax policies that require the wealthiest individuals and corporations to contribute their fair share
- Enacting reforms that reduce the influence of money in politics and force complete transparency for campaign spending
- Investing in public schools, infrastructure, and social programs that strengthen communities and expand opportunity
Detroit’s history is inseparable from the labor movement and the fight for economic justice. A healthy democracy requires more than the right to vote—it requires an economy where working people have power and the political system is not dominated by wealth.
The future of democracy depends on breaking the grip of oligarchy and restoring power to the people.
Demand Transparency and a Moratorium on Data Center Expansion
Across Michigan, a wave of massive “hyperscale” data center proposals is moving forward with little public transparency and limited community input. These facilities, often built to support artificial intelligence and cloud computing, require enormous amounts of electricity and water, raising serious concerns about environmental impacts, utility costs, and the long-term strain on public infrastructure.
In recent years, Michigan policymakers approved tax incentives designed to attract data center developers to the state. Since then, proposals have surfaced in dozens of communities, with some projects projected to consume enormous amounts of electricity and potentially drive new fossil fuel generation and higher utility costs for residents.
Communities across the state are beginning to push back. At least 19 Michigan municipalities have already proposed or enacted temporary moratoriums on data center development while they study the potential impacts on local resources, energy systems, and water supplies.
The scale of some proposed facilities has alarmed residents and local officials. One controversial project in southeastern Michigan would consume enough electricity to rival the power usage of a major city, raising fears about environmental damage, rising energy costs, and rushed regulatory approvals that bypass public scrutiny.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has already taken important steps to challenge the lack of transparency surrounding some of these projects, including petitions before the Michigan Public Service Commission to reopen utility contracts and ensure that Michigan ratepayers are not forced to subsidize the enormous energy demands of data centers.
But the scale and speed of this industry’s expansion demand stronger action.
We are calling for a statewide moratorium on the approval, construction, and permitting of new data centers until Michigan establishes clear safeguards to protect communities, ratepayers, and the environment. Bipartisan legislation introduced in Lansing would pause approvals until 2027 so policymakers can properly study the impacts of these facilities.
During this moratorium, the State of Michigan must establish:
- Full transparency requirements for all data center proposals, including public disclosure of energy consumption, water usage, tax incentives, and environmental impacts
- Independent public hearings before major projects are approved
- Protections for ratepayers to ensure that households are not forced to subsidize the energy demands of private tech infrastructure
- Strict environmental standards governing water use, land use, and energy sourcing
We also call on Attorney General Dana Nessel to continue using the authority of her office to challenge opaque contracts, unlawful regulatory shortcuts, and any arrangements that shift the costs of data centers onto Michigan residents.
Michigan’s communities should not be forced to accept massive infrastructure projects negotiated behind closed doors with tech companies and utility providers.
Decisions that could reshape our energy grid, water systems, and local economies for decades must be made openly, transparently, and with the full participation of the communities that will live with the consequences.
Michigan deserves technology development that serves the public interest, not projects that are rushed forward without accountability.
Most Importantly: Stop Performative Politics and Use the Power of Your Office
Across Michigan and the United States, political leaders have responded to escalating threats to democracy with carefully worded statements, press releases, and social media posts condemning abuses of power. While these statements acknowledge the seriousness of the moment, they are not a substitute for action. In fact, at this point, they are nothing more than laughable and performative.
Public officials are not elected to comment on crises—they are elected to confront them.
When democratic institutions are under threat, when civil liberties are eroded, and when federal power is abused, statements alone are not leadership. The people of Michigan expect their elected officials to use the full authority of their offices to defend the Constitution and protect the communities they serve.
We are calling on Michigan’s elected leaders at every level of government to move beyond symbolic opposition and begin using the full range of tools available to them—legal action, legislative authority, oversight powers, and public leadership—to confront abuses of power and defend democratic institutions.
For too long, many leaders, including Governor Whitmer, have treated these threats as political messaging and fundraising opportunities rather than urgent crises requiring decisive action. We the people are here today to forcefully say: that era is over.
If elected officials continue to rely on statements while refusing to use the authority of their offices, they should not expect the public to remain passive. Communities across Southeast Michigan are organizing, building coalitions, and preparing to hold leaders accountable through sustained civic action and democratic participation.
Leaders who choose silence or inaction should understand that our coalition—and voters—are paying attention and that political support cannot be taken for granted.
Public office is not an entitlement. It is a responsibility. Leaders who refuse to meet that responsibility should not expect the people they represent to return them to power. Our coalition will organize, mobilize, and do everything in our power to ensure that leaders who continue to refuse to act are replaced with leaders who will.
Note: These demands are issued by the No Kings Detroit coalition, a broad alliance of dozens of grassroots organizations, community groups, and advocacy partners across Southeast Michigan and beyond. A full list of coalition members can be found at nokingsdetroit.org/organizations.
