Activists once again shut down Grand Rapids City Commission over sanctuary policies and the ongoing GRPD collaboration with ICE

Right after the Press Conference that Cosecha, GR Rapid Response to ICE and No Detention Centers in Michigan hosted last night, activists and many supporters attended the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting.

The City Commission meeting itself was not very long, regarding city business. However, when it got to public comment, it became somewhat of a shit show, even before people demanding the city adopt sanctuary policies.

For years there has been a Christian minister (or so he says) who speaks whenever he can about the evils of abortion or the evils of cannabis. However, during the last public comment session, the god-fearing man brought up the midterm elections, specifically to encourage people to not vote for Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for the soon to be vacated Senate seat on Michigan.

The Jesus is my lord guy said that voting for Abdul would bring us closer to Sharia Law, where Muslims will do evil things and even cut off people’s hands. Many people called him out on his bullshit, some even referred to his comments as hate speech or outright Islamophobia. Commissioner Kilgore then spoke up and asked for the meeting to recess so the City Attorney to make a ruling on whether or not this was hate speech. Mayor LaGrand then stepped in and because he is a lawyer, he said that the Jesus guy has the right to say what he wanted as long as it did not threaten anyone.

It went back and forth for a few minutes and eventually the Mayor gave the Jesus guy another minute to end his comments. The preacher then went after Jocelyn Benson and essentially used the talking points from an attack ad claiming the gubernatorial candidate while on the board of the Southern Poverty Law Center gave funds to the KKK.

Once the rantings of the Jesus guy was over, other people were finally allowed to speak, I counted 35 people who spoke specifically about the sanctuary policies that Cosecha has been demanding since the beginning of 2025, a ban on Flock cameras, an end to GRPD collaboration with ICE and the death of Mario David Coronado.

People addressed these issues from a variety of angles, which included they following:

• Discussion of conditions at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, which is the GEO Group ICE detention center.
• Dropping the charges against the 5 arrested by the GRPD for trying to stop ICE abduction of immigrants during the September 9 protest.
• One of those who was arrested during the 9/12 protest talked about being arrested, that the GRPD threatened to shoot people with their Pepper Ball Air Rifles, that they threw her to the ground before cuffing her. This person ended their comments by saying, “To tell us that the GRPD is not cooperating with ICE is simply bullshit!”
• Another person read a statement from another person arrested on September 12, as they could not attend the meeting.
• Someone asked the Commissioners and Mayor LaGrand, “Where are your hearts and souls for our fellow human beings?”
• Another powerful comment was, “If you are on the side of hate, then get the hell out of the way!”
• An organizer with Cosecha asked the commissioners to look at their hands, then said, “Your hands are stained with the blood of one of the members of our immigrant community.” They said this while holding a picture of Mario David Coronado.
• Another person said that refusing to meet with Cosecha is disrespectful. “What the hell are you hiding?” They then read off a list of GRPD cops who were present on 9/12 and treated protesters with violence and contempt.
• Another organizer said that the GRPD was holding the 5 arrested in their cruisers just blocks away from 517 Ottawa and deciding what to do with them before taking them to the Kent County Jail.

When it came to the 35th person who spoke about these issues, the Mayor tried to shut them down, but then people began chanting and making statements you can hear in the video below.

The Mayor then got the GRPD, include Chief Trigg, to come up and stand between the activists and the city officials and threaten people with arrest. This went on for several minutes and eventually Mayor LaGrand decided to end the meeting. Not only did the disruption of the meeting get it shut down, it didn’t allow the Mayor time for his 13 minute long speeches where he claims he wants to sit down with Cosecha to talk about the sanctuary policies.

Interestingly enough, while everyone was gathering by the elevators to leave the building, 3rd Ward Commissioner Kilgore asked to speak with Cosecha organizers and agreed to a meeting to talk about sanctuary policies that they have been demanding since the beginning of 2025. Someone is actually listening!