Veronica Paiz, MI State Representative

3 weeks ago

Along with over a dozen of my State Rep & Senator colleagues, I signed on to a letter to U.S. ICE in both D.C. and Detroit requesting a tour of the North Lake "Processing Center" (per the The GEO Group, Inc.website and U.S. ICE website), or "Correctional Facility" ("Prison and Correctional Facility", per its unofficial Facebook page) or as it's often referred as "Detention Center" and "Correctional Facility".) which is the largest such immigration detention facility in the midwest. We were refused.

Below is the text & pictures of the letter we sent, which also details some of the goings-on there. More info to come soon.

Todd Lyons, Acting Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
500 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20536

Kevin Raycraft, Field Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
985 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226

Dear Acting Director Lyons and Director Raycraft,

We are writing to express our strong concerns about the conditions at North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan. We understand that detainees in several housing units at the North Lake Processing Center have engaged in hunger strikes in recent weeks. We are grateful for their courage in organizing and advocating for their rights. Over 100 interfaith clergy members are engaging in a solidarity fast.

Several of us are participating in the solidarity fast today to show our support for the detainees and faith leaders. We urge the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to immediately take all necessary steps to ensure the safety, health and well-being of the individuals held at this facility, the largest detention center in the Midwest.

There have been many reported ongoing issues with medical care, food, and family visits at the facility.

On March 5, 2026, MLive reported that there were 87 9-1-1 emergency calls between June 2025 and January 2026 from the facility. Examples have included a man with "intense abdominal pain" and "signs of appendicitis" and a pregnant woman who was experiencing "possible seizures". Another call was for a man "in altered mental state". We have heard numerous stories of detainees not being given medical treatment in a timely fashion or not being given the appropriate medication until after repeated advocacy.

A man who previously had surgeries and was at risk for infection had to ask for medical care five times before being given medication that was irrelevant to his conditions. Nenko Gantchev died in ICE custody at North Lake Processing Center in December 2025, and his family and community are rightfully questioning whether he received adequate medical attention. Records also show that there was an individual who attempted suicide on November 25.

We have heard reports of inadequate food and lower rations over time. We have also talked to family members who have loved ones detained at North Lake Processing Center who have experienced difficulties visiting the facility - not being given enough time to visit.

Detainees deserve to have unencumbered access to information from ICE about their legal cases, due process, and reasonable bond amounts. Michigan Public recently reported that judges have set bonds as high as $30,000 or $50,000 for detainees who judges have deemed to be illegally detained; many of the detainees have no criminal record whatsoever, simply want to return home to their communities, and are not a flight risk.

We are writing to request a meeting to discuss these concerns, to ask that you allow us a tour of the North Lake Processing Center to observe detainee living conditions firsthand, and to ask for a written response regarding actions ICE will undertake to immediately address the concerns regarding inadequate medical care, food and living conditions at the North Lake Processing Center.

Thank you for your attention to this issue and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Chang, State Senator, District 3
Senator Mary Cavanagh, District 6
Senator Jeremy Moss, District 7
State Senator Erika Geiss, District 1
Veronica Paiz, State Representative, District 10
State Representative Betsy Coffia, District 103
State Representative Mai Xiong, District 13
State Rep Donavan McKinney, District 11
Senator Darrin Camilleri, District 4
Senator Sue Shink, District 14
Representative Carrie Rheingans, District 47
State Representative Tonya Myers Phillips, District 7
Senator Rosemary Bayer, District 13
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