Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

On Saturday, Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE held a public forum to hear stories from members of the immigrant community that have been terrorized by ICE. All Grand Rapids City Commissioners and County Commissioners were invited 3 weeks prior to the forum. Out of the 28 commissioners, only 2 showed up.

Cosecha organizers facilitated the first half of the forum stating, “This forum is not about closed-door conversations, It is about public accountability and listening to the people most directly impacted.

We also know time is limited. We had hoped that Mayor LaGrand, along with the other absent commissioners, would have taken at least thirty minutes out of their day to listen to the very people who put them in power. Their absence is felt, noted, and will be remembered by our community.

We thank those of you who are here, and we ask you, our elected officials, to use these moments wisely: to listen deeply, to reflect on what leadership and public accountability truly mean to you, and to stand with us in dignity, safety, and solidarity by proposing and passing local ordinances that provide real protections for our entire community, regardless of immigration status.

The forum was live-streamed, but you can watch the video here.

Stories from Immigrants who were terrorized by ICE

The Story of Carlos Menjivar and His Family – Carlos Menjivar, his wife Johanna, and their children fled violence in El Salvador and settled in Grand Rapids in 2017. They built a life here, followed every rule, and never missed an ISAP/immigration check-in. When their refugee status was terminated, ICE offered them Voluntary Departure. The family complied, purchasing plane tickets back to El Salvador. But on June 4, 2025, when Carlos attended his ISAP check-in in Grand Rapids to show proof of their tickets and passports, ICE agents detained him instead, confiscating the family’s documents. He was taken first to Calhoun County Jail and then to an overcrowded detention center in Louisiana, where he was held in solitary with other detainees. Carlos’s detention devastated his family. Johanna and their three children were left vulnerable, terrified of further separation, and unable to leave the country without their passports. Forced to abandon their home and belongings, they sought refuge in a sanctuary church. Movimiento Cosecha GR, GR Rapid Response to ICE, and Fountain Street Church rallied to support the family and demand Carlos’s release. He deserves to return to El Salvador with dignity, alongside his family, not deported like a criminal after honoring every requirement of the immigration system.

The story of the family with the newborn baby – A father,  the only one in the household working at the time to support his family, was unexpectedly detained by ICE. Without explanation or the chance to say goodbye, he was immediately deported, leaving behind his wife, who had just given birth to their youngest daughter two months earlier. From that day on, she was forced to take on all the household responsibilities alone, facing not only the pain of separation but also the enormous burden of providing for her family without one of its most important pillars: her husband and the father of her children. With admirable strength, this mother began cooking from home to earn a living for her family. She wakes up every day at 1 a.m. to prepare a wide variety of foods — tortas, empanadas, enchiladas, champurrado, rice pudding, and fresh drinks — which she sells to workers who start their day very early. She does all this while also caring for her children, including her newborn. This story not only highlights a deep injustice but also the courage and tireless effort of a mother who, despite the adversity, refuses to give up.

The story of the deported person who was injured and lost their sight. – A devoted father, originally from Mexico, a country where violence is far too common, was deported just two months ago. His sudden removal left his wife and children in the U.S. heartbroken and confused, struggling to understand how one of the main pillars of their home could be taken away without warning. As devastating as his absence was, the worst was still to come. Upon arriving in Mexico, a country he had not called home in over 20 years, this loving father was violently attacked. He was beaten and robbed, leaving him in a coma for nearly a month. When he finally regained consciousness, his life had changed forever: the assault left him *completely blind and unable to walk*. He was discharged from the hospital in a wheelchair, facing a terrifying and uncertain future. Physically disabled, separated from his family, and forced to survive in a place he no longer knows, he now endures daily struggles that no one should have to face, especially alone. What began as a heartbreaking deportation has now become a profound tragedy. A man who once worked tirelessly for the well-being of his family now finds himself dependent and vulnerable, far from the people who love him the most

The story of Britany was done via video, which you can watch here.

The story of a Guatemalan business owner who was arrested by ICE and deported – In February, ICE detained a Guatemalan man who owned Tienda Xela at 1509 Cesar Chavez Way SW in Grand Rapids. He and his wife had run their family business for more than a decade. Now, his wife is left to manage it alone.

The story of a family with 5 children – Just days ago, ICE arrested another Guatemalan man at 28th Street and Clyde Park. He was sent to an ICE detention center, leaving behind his wife and five young children with no source of income. While we have been raising funds and connecting them to resources, these children may never see their father again. This is what family separation looks like.

Sanctuary Policies

Cosecha organizers then shifted the conversation to two commissioners who attended the community forum and urged them to pass the sanctuary policies that both Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapids Response have been demanding since the beginning of 2025.

• Policies restricting the ability of state and local police to make arrests for federal immigration violations, or to detain individuals on civil immigration warrants.
• Policies restricting the police or other city workers from asking about immigration status.
• Policies prohibiting “287(g)” agreements through which ICE deputizes local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law.
• Policies that prevent local governments from entering into a contract with the federal government to hold immigrants in detention;
• Policies preventing immigration detention centers from being established in Grand Rapids.
• A policy that will not allow the GRPD to share Flock camera images or any other information gathered by the city of Grand Rapids with ICE or any other law enforcement agency seeking to arrest, detain and deport immigrants.

Grand Rapids City Commissioner Ysasi spoke a great deal when asked to respond to the requests to adopt these sanctuary policies. Commissioner Ysasi would not acknowledge that the GRPD was cooperating with ICE, even though Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE have witnessed the cooperation numerous times over the past 9 months. Commissioner Ysasi also said she didn’t think sanctuary would “do any good.” This comment probably had more to do with her belief that the forum organizers were asking the City to declare themselves a sanctuary, when in fact what Cosecha has been saying all along is to adopt concrete sanctuary policies and not the symbolic sanctuary status. One other strange comment from Commissioner Ysasi had to do with looking at the City’s Master Plan and city codes, which would be more productive than doing things like getting the city to oppose the construction of an ICE detention facility in the city. Commissioner Ysasi would not commit to any of the sanctuary policies listed above.

Kent County Commissioner Morales talked about how the county would not take a position on immigration matters, since it is a federal issue and they deal only with county issues. Morales also believed that the Kent County Sheriff was doing a good job, but this statement flies in the face of what we know to be just the opposite. While the County no longer has a contract with ICE, which Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE helped to end in 2019, the Sheriff’s department continues to cooperate with ICE regarding people who are in the county jail who are undocumented. The Sheriff’s department contacts ICE about undocumented immigrants who then get sent to a detention facility. Commissioner Morales also suggested to those in attendance that they should run for a county commission seat or for sheriff, even they wanted to make real changes. Commissioner Morales would not commit to adopting any of the sanctuary policies listed above.

A Movimiento Cosecha organizer said at the end: “At today’s forum, 26 empty chairs reminded us that too many of our leaders would rather look away than face the truth. But our community will not be ignored. We will continue to organize, to tell our stories, and to demand sanctuary policies that protect every family. Local leaders must choose: either stand with us in dignity and safety, or stand complicit with ICE’s cruelty.”