MLive and WZZM 13 were at the Cosecha/GR Rapid Response to ICE action at the Sheriff’s office on Monday, but didn’t report anything

On Monday, I reported about the action that Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response engaged in at the Kent County Sheriff’s office, where a statement was read followed by pressuring the Sheriff’s office on whether or not they are holding people in the jail for ICE. The demands we presented in the statement and what was asked of one of the Sheriff Department’s staff were: 

• Are undocumented immigrants being held for ICE in violation of the Sheriff’s own stated policy?
• Why are community members still being funneled from local custody into federal immigration detention?

These demands were asked because the Kent County Sheriff’s Office changed the policy in 2019, which stated that they would require a judicial warrant in order to hold someone at the Kent County Jail for ICE.

A reporter from MLive and WZZM 13 were present to record the statement made outside and to documented the interaction that GR Rapid Response to ICE members had with a Captain from the Kent County Sheriff’s office, which you can watch here.

Therefore, these two news outlets had both the statement and heard how the Kent County Sheriff’s office would not provide the information and clarification on ICE holds at the Kent County Jail.

Despite having all of that information, both MLive and WZZM 13 did not do a story on what happened on Monday. Why not, you might ask? When the group left the building of the Kent County Sheriff’s Department the two reporters wanted to know what the Guatemalan man (who was taken by ICE because of the hold the Kent County Jail had) was charged with by the GRPD. One of the GR Rapid Response to ICE members replied that it was not relevant, since the issue for the action hd to do with immigration status and the collaboration between ICE and the Kent County Sheriff’s office.

What MLive and WZZM 13 were both attempting to do was use the claim that the Trump Administration uses that undocumented immigrants are being rounded up because they are criminals. This issue was highlighted in 2024, after an undocumented immigrant killed his girlfriend and left her body on US 131. I wrote at the time that while domestic violence is never acceptable, it had nothing to do with the man’s immigration status.

Unfortunately, many Democrats, like Rep. Hillary Scholten are using the same narrative as the Trump Administration and voting to criminalize undocumented immigrants despite the data that shows that compared to US citizens, undocumented immigrants commit significantly less crime.

MLive and WZZM 13 chose not to report on the central issue, which is wether or not the Kent County Sheriff’s office is still requiring a judicial warrant in order to hold people at the jail for ICE. MLive and WZZM 13 failed the public by not reporting on this issue and showing the public how the Kent County Sheriff’s office would not answer any questions on Monday, but suggested that people submit a FOIA request on information that should be public.

Now, I am not surprised that MLive and WZZM 13 decided not to report on a critical ICE related matter in Kent County. These news agencies often normalize systems of power and oppression, like ICE and local cops, as is reflected in my 12 month study of local news from 2024. The public cannot rely on commercial news agencies when it comes critical matters like ICE and local cops, which is why we need movement-based media and Indy Media sources of information.