HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2026.02.19 - 42754
AGENDA ITEM: Resolution Opposing Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Related Federal Agencies within Oakland County Owned or
Operated Facilities, and Opposing the Use of Face Coverings that Conceal Officers Identities During
Civil Immigration Enforcement
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, February 19, 2026 9:30 AM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
COMMITTEE REPORT TO BOARD
Resolution #2026-6227 _ 26-6
Motion to adopt the attached suggested resolution.
ITEM CATEGORY SPONSORED BY
Resolution Brendan Johnson, Penny Luebs, Yolanda
Smith Charles, Gwen Markham, Ann
Erickson Gault, Angela Powell, Marcia
Gershenson
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
FISCAL IMPACT:
Committee members can contact Barbara Winter, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.821.3065 or winterb@oakgov.com or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Aaron Snover, Board of Commissioners Created/Initiated - 2/23/2026
David Woodward, Board of Commissioners Approved - 2/23/2026
David Coulter, Executive's Office Approved - 2/23/2026
Lisa Brown, Clerk/Register of Deeds Final Approval - 2/25/2026
AGENDA DEADLINE: 02/05/2026 4:30 PM
ATTACHMENTS
None
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2026-02-19 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by: Commissioner Brendan Johnson
Seconded by: Commissioner Angela Powell
Yes: Charles Cavell, Ann Erickson Gault, Marcia Gershenson, Robert Hoffman, Brendan
Johnson, Penny Luebs, Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Kristen Nelson, Angela Powell,
Yolanda Smith Charles, David Woodward (12)
No: Karen Joliat, Christine Long, Robert Smiley, Philip Weipert (4)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Michael Spisz (1)
Passed
February 19, 2026
RESOLUTION #2026-6227 _ 26-6
Sponsored By: Brendan Johnson, Penny Luebs, Yolanda Smith Charles, Gwen Markham, Ann
Erickson Gault, Angela Powell, Marcia Gershenson
Board of Commissioners - Resolution Opposing Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities by
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Related Federal Agencies within Oakland
County Owned or Operated Facilities, and Opposing the Use of Face Coverings that Conceal
Officers Identities During Civil Immigration Enforcement
Chair and Members of the Board:
WHEREAS Oakland County is committed to advancing equity, civil rights, transparency,
accountability, and public trust in government, as reflected in the County’s adopted policies, values,
and ongoing efforts to ensure fair and inclusive access to public services; and
WHEREAS trust between residents and governmental institutions, including law enforcement
agencies operating within Oakland County, is essential to community safety, effective governance,
civic participation, and the ability of residents to seek and receive County services without fear or
intimidation; and
WHEREAS civil immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, not a function of county
government, and Oakland County has neither the authority nor the obligation to participate in or
facilitate federal civil immigration enforcement activities; and
WHEREAS the presence of federal immigration enforcement activities within County-owned or
County-operated buildings can have a chilling effect on access to essential services, public meetings,
courts, health programs, and civic engagement, particularly for immigrant residents, mixed-status
families, and communities that have historically experienced discrimination or over-policing; and
WHEREAS transparency and accountability in law enforcement are fundamental democratic
principles, and the ability to clearly identify law enforcement officers, through visible faces, name
badges, and agency identification, is critical to lawful conduct, due process, and the protection of
individual rights; and
WHEREAS reports from jurisdictions across the United States indicate that ICE officers and
contractors have, at times, conducted civil immigration enforcement actions while wearing masks or
other face coverings that obscure their identities, raising serious concerns regarding accountability,
misuse of authority, and erosion of public trust; and
WHEREAS civil immigration enforcement practices that rely on intimidation, concealment of officer
identity, or racial or ethnic profiling are inconsistent with Oakland County’s commitment to equity,
nondiscrimination, and the fair treatment of all residents, regardless of immigration status; and
WHEREAS Oakland County facilities exist to serve the public, County resources should be used to
promote safety, health, and welfare and not to support or enable federal civil immigration enforcement
activities that deter residents from engaging with County government; and
WHEREAS while Oakland County does not control the policies or conduct of federal agencies, the
County has both the authority and responsibility to regulate access to its own property, to direct the
conduct of its employees, and to clearly articulate values that uphold human dignity, civil liberties, and
the rule of law.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners formally
and unequivocally opposes the use of masks or face coverings by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) officers, Customs and Border Protection officers, or their contractors that conceal
officer identities during civil immigration enforcement activities occurring within Oakland County,
except where face coverings are strictly required for verified public health or safety reasons.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and their contractors shall
not be permitted to enter, remain in, or conduct civil immigration enforcement activities within any
non-public Oakland County–owned, leased, or operated building, facility, or property, including
parking areas and adjacent grounds, unless required by law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or
court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners directs the Office of Corporation
Counsel to review existing County policies and, in consultation with appropriate legal experts, develop
or refine guidance as necessary to ensure County practices are fully consistent with the principles
articulated in this resolution and applicable law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners reaffirms the
County’s commitment to being a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community, and to protecting the
dignity, civil rights, and constitutional protections of all residents, including immigrants and
mixed-status families.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports legislation
that advances due process, protects individual privacy, enhances transparency and accountability
and aligns with Oakland County’s values and the policies set forth in this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board encourages ongoing community engagement,
transparency, and monitoring of federal civil immigration enforcement practices insofar as they impact
Oakland County residents and County operations.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners urges municipalities,
school districts, public authorities, and other local governmental and quasi-governmental entities
within Oakland County, and throughout the State of Michigan, to adopt similar policies and resolutions
that limit civil immigration enforcement activities within local government facilities and promote
transparency, accountability, equity, and public trust.
Chair, the following Commissioners are sponsoring the foregoing Resolution: Brendan Johnson,
Penny Luebs, Yolanda Smith Charles, Gwen Markham, Ann Erickson Gault, Angela Powell,
Marcia Gershenson.
Date: February 23, 2026
David Woodward, Commissioner
Date: February 23, 2026
David Coulter, Oakland County Executive
Date: February 25, 2026
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2026-02-19 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by Commissioner Brendan Johnson seconded by Commissioner Angela Powell to adopt
the attached Resolution: Resolution Opposing Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities by
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Related Federal Agencies within Oakland County
Owned or Operated Facilities, and Opposing the Use of Face Coverings that Conceal Officers
Identities During Civil Immigration Enforcement.
Yes: Charles Cavell, Ann Erickson Gault, Marcia Gershenson, Robert Hoffman, Brendan Johnson,
Penny Luebs, Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Kristen Nelson, Angela Powell, Yolanda Smith
Charles, David Woodward (12)
No: Karen Joliat, Christine Long, Robert Smiley, Philip Weipert (4)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Michael Spisz (1)
Passed
ATTACHMENTS
None
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true
and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on
February 19, 2026, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at
Pontiac, Michigan on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk / Register of Deeds