Trial this Friday for allies demanding an end to ICE holds in Kent County

On Friday morning there is a trial for 4 defendants who non-violently stood in the Kent County Sheriff’s Office on January 5th to demand an end to ICE holds at the Kent County Jail.

The 4 defendants had jury selection on Wednesday and will now have a Jury Trial on Friday morning beginning at 8:30am at the Kent County Courthouse on the 8th floor in courtroom 8D.

The 4 defendants participated in this action in conjunction with Movimiento Cosecha and their campaign to get Kent County to adopt six sanctuary policies, a campaign which began in early 2025. In addition, the defendants were responding to what they and Cosecha has been hearing for the past two years, which is that immigrants were being held at the Kent County Jail for ICE, then being transported to the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan.

What immigrant families had been sharing with Cosecha about ICE holds at the Kent County Jail was recently confirmed with a 2 page document obtained by FOIA that revealed the Kent County Sheriff had signed an agreement that they would engage in detainers for ICE upon request. This documented was signed by the Kent County Sheriff on March 5th of 2025.

Under the heading of Policy the document states:

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is committed to upholding all applicable Local, State, and Federal laws regarding immigration enforcement. KCSO works closely with Immigration Enforcement and Removal officials to ensure compliance with these guidelines while maintaining the safety, security, and rights of all individuals in our custody. All interactions with immigration authorities will be conducted in accordance with legal requirements, department policies, and established procedures to ensure transparency, accountability, and due process.

In a recent Press Release put out by Movimiento Cosecha it states: “We always take seriously what the immigrant community tells us, but we wanted confirmation from the Sheriff’s Office,” said Gema Lowe, an organizer with Movimiento Cosecha GR.

Movimiento Cosecha GR has also called on the Kent County Commission to adopt six sanctuary policy demands. According to organizers, county officials have declined to do so, stating that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility rather than a county matter.

“It seems clear to us that Kent County is working directly with ICE, which is why we want the county to adopt the sanctuary policies, reducing the harm ICE is inflicting on immigrant families in Kent County,” said Lowe.

Make no mistake about it, the harm that ICE is inflicting is real in Kent County and has increased in recent months. The Grand Rapids ICE office was given increased funding earlier this year and activists have witnessed increased activity, with immigrants being abducted almost daily in the Grand Rapids area.

Just 10 days ago ICE agents abducted someone who was at their ISAP office appointment at 545 Michigan NE in Grand Rapids.

On Tuesday another immigrant neighbor was abducted by ICE and members of GR Rapid Response to ICE followed the ICE agents to the 517 Ottawa ICE Office. ICE called the GRPD and when the GEO Group van was exiting the ICE office garage GRPD cops forcibly removed people who were attempting to prevent the GEO Group van from taking the ICE abducted immigrant to their detention center in Baldwin, Michigan.

Those on trial, besides leveraging their privilege to stand in solidarity with immigrants are also using the trial to amplify the realities of what ICE is doing in Grand Rapids and Kent County. If you are able to attend the trial and support people here are details for Court Solidarity.