MUSKEGON, Mich. — FOX 17 went to Muskegon City Hall on Tuesday to speak with the city manager about how the police department is handling immigration — or, rather, how they're not involved at all.
"There have been so many rumors on social media about, ‘ICE is here; immigration is there.’ What do you say to that?" FOX 17 reporter Julie Dunmire asked.
“I’d say that’s a federal role. That’s not anything we’re going to have anything to do with on a day-to-day basis," City Manager Jonathan Seyferth said.
“You might not even know?” Julie Dunmire asked.
“We might not even know, to be honest with you. They’re a different level of law enforcement. They have rights to operate without letting the local unit know they’re coming in,” Seyferth said.
Rumors on social media are just that, the city manager explained.
“We’re not involved in immigration enforcement. That’s a federal matter,” Seyferth said.
There are a few things the city manager wants the community to know.
“We want to make sure that our public feels comfortable calling 911 and asking for assistance when they need it, and not second guessing if there’s some ulterior motive or ramifications for that,” Seyferth said.
He says local law enforcement and immigration enforcement don't intersect and that trust at the local level of law enforcement is important.
“Muskegon police officers, if they’re interacting with the public, we’re not going to ask about immigration status. We’re not going to ask to see documentation, or anything like that. We’re going to ask how we can be helpful to you, to address the situation that’s at hand,” Seyferth said.
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