Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

will rise for the pledge of allegiance and then the invocation by Darius Williams. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty, justice for all. Let us Let's show some respect, please. Thank you.

Let us reverence in the manner in which we practice. Thank you. Our heavenly father, we come to you tonight to reverence to you, to honor you, and to thank you for all things. We thank you for this land and this country. We thank you for Jackson County. But on tonight, God, we have some things that we need to discuss. There are voices that need to be heard. God, there's truths that need to be spoken. So on tonight, we're asking for your blessing and for your cover your your covering and guidance. Help us as commissioners to do the work of the people. And today, we thank you. We honor you, reverence you. In your holy and righteous name, we do pray. Amen. Amen. Madame Clerk, could you call the role?

Yes, Mr. Chair. Commissioner Bayer, present. Commissioner Walls here. Commissioner Kennedy here. Commissioner Duckham. Commissioner Pleski here. Commissioner Willis here. Commissioner Williams present. Commissioner Snell here. Chairman Chhatwell here. We have a quorum. entertain a motion for approval of the agenda. So moved.

We have a motion in support. Any items for deletion, addition, or correction? Seeing or hearing none, all in favor, please say I. I. Those opposed, same sign.

We have no awards or recognition this evening. Communications and petitions may be presented to the clerk at this time. Seeing none, we have no special orders nor public hearing. We've arrived at public comment. Public comment, you will give your name, step to the microphone. You'll have three minutes. You do not give that time up to anyone else. You commissioners will not debate nor answer questions at this time. Public comment is now open. Good evening everyone. My name is Amador Ibara. I live in Summit Township. I'm here to ask the Jackson County Office of the Sheriff to withdraw from the 287G Immigration and Customs Enforcement Program. I'm also asking the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to initiate a study to assess and determine the potential civil and fiscal liabilities and responsibilities because of the county's enrollment in the 287G program. I do understand the explanation for the enrollment in the program and I know the office of the sheriff has made some positive course corrections in the culture of the agency from the previous administration. I also appreciate the office of the sheriff for their participation in the safe program. I am asking the office of the sheriff to withdraw from the 287g program because I do not think our tax dollars should be invested in a program that puts our constitutional protections in danger. The

the fourth amendment of the United States Constitution grants the right of the people against unreasonable searches and seizures. An enrollment in the 287G program can potentially present the appearance of a welcoming community for immigration enforcement actions based on unwarranted documentation. No one wants that. The fifth and 14th amendments grant every person the protections against being deprived life, liberty, and property without due process of law. Enrollment in the 287G program can potentially encourage immigration enforcement in our community to engage people with actions that are outside of that due process. No one wants that either. I am asking the county board of commissioners to perform the your due diligence to identify possible liabilities so our taxpayer dollars can be protected from having to be used to resolve responsibilities that may be caused by the enrollment in the 287G program. For these reasons, I am asking the Jackson County Office of the Sheriff to withdraw from the 287G program. Thank you. My name is Becky McKenna. I live in Parma and I would just like to add my voice to what uh Amadore just stated. Um when I look at the sheriff's website, he talks about uh his concerns and his good wishes for the community and for Jackson County and for Jackson County. There. There we go. Sorry about that. Um, uh, he wants Jackson County to be a safe community to live, work, and play, but the enrollment in the 287G,

uh, program has already made that difficult. Um, the Hispanic Heritage Festival last summer was cancelled because of the chilling effect of that agreement. Um, my concerns are I understand that this is to focus on those in custody and uh try to ascertain the citizenship status of people who are already in custody. But I just have to say that the conduct of ICE throughout the country has not inspired confidence, has not helped me to feel as a citizen that our involvement with that organization makes this a safer place. Um the reports coming in from around the country about how ICE is conducting itself are alarming and I would like to add my voice to u Mr. Ibara's request that we withdraw from the 287G because if we want uh this to be a safe community to live, work, and play, this is not an agreement that will help most of us to feel that way. Thank you. My name is Fred Traxxler from Summit Township Precinct 2 delegate. As we begin 2026, I would like to express my thanks to all the commissioners for your work in governing our county to provide a safe place to live, work, and play. County parks give us enjoyment of the outdoors. You have allotted a significant re resource for our county sheriff's department. The freedom we have as citizens of the United States.

Note that our protections in the Constitution apply to citizens, not illegal aliens.

Please be respectful. The freedom we have as citizens of the United States depends on the rule of law. I appreciate and support Sheriff Shy and his deputies to provide the highest quality law enforcement services to the citizens of Jackson County. In the course of duty, this may involve locking up criminals in jail, some of whom may be illegal aliens. I approve of cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, to hold those criminals for pickup. And I urge the commissioners to support the sheriff in his cooperation with ICE. It is for our safety as citizens. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Cole Mel Downey, and I'm a lifelong fourth generation Jackson County resident. I'm asking you commissioners to withdraw from the 287g program. My great-grandfather came here from a small hamlet outside Paduca, Kentucky for a union job at the Goodyear factory. The kind of job that allowed many families like mine and others to put down roots here, to thrive here, and to call this place home for more than 70 years. It's a testament to how Jackson County gave working people a chance to build stable lives. And it is that legacy that has always allowed me to hold my head high, even when the perceptions and stereotypes of us held by our neighbors across the state have tried to convince me otherwise. I'm proud to be from here. If anything, Jackson has a moral legacy to uphold. I'm sure I don't need to remind you all,

but across the city are plaques honoring residents who served uh as stewards of the Underground Railroad, people who knowingly broke federal laws at the time to help others escape enslavement. We rightfully celebrate them today because they understood that the law is not the same thing as justice. History matters because today Jackson County is choosing to align itself with federal immigration enforcement through a 287G agreement, making us the first county in Michigan to do so. This is a significant blot on our history and a moral embarrassment to the people who live here. Let me make myself clear. This agreement does not serve Jackson County. It serves Washington. The federal government does not live with the consequences of this policy. we do. When local law enforcement uh is turned into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, there is not an ounce of trust left for officers of the law. People will stop reporting crimes and it will become apparent that the officers of the law here do not serve public safety, but the interests of a bunch of overpaid bureaucrats and fat cat elites staffing the White House all the way over in Washington. And for what? The federal government has failed or more often than not not even attempted to lend a hand or come close to fixing our problems in this county. It has failed to address housing addiction and economic insecurity in this county for as long as I have been alive. I have zero faith outsourcing enforcement, sir.

Yep. Three minutes. 30 seconds. This agreement diverts local resources away from real problems here. problems that we deal with every day in order to carry out federal priorities that do not reflect our values or our beliefs. I'm asking you as commissioners to reject federal pressure, protect local trust, and focus on the safety and dignity of the people who actually live in this county. Jackson has been on the right side of history before. Do not let this be the moment that we step off it. Thank you. Hi everyone. Uh my name is Amanda Miller. I am a professor at Wayne State University and a Jackson community member. Um I live in Henrietta Township. Two decades of re Thank you. Two decades of research, which includes studies prior to the Trump administration's expansion of the program, have shown that 287G programs encourage racial profiling, strip civil liberties, waste tax taxpayers money, and result in wrongful detentions. Considering safety and security, research shows how the results of these 287g task force agreements have no impact on crime. In fact, these agreements result in city climates that instill fear and prevent immigrants from reporting crimes and working with the police. Numerous studies show that this program these programs hurt public safety because community members, regardless of citizenship status, worry that calling 911 could result in a family member or friend being deported. 287G agreements do not reduce crime, even though enhancing public safety is a stated goal of their expansion. Considering skills and knowledge, many law enforcement leaders oppose 287g agreements because they drain local resources, are a waste of police officer

and prison staff time, and have resulted in costly lawsuits for constitutional rights violations, including wrong wrongly holding US citizens. Furthermore, these leaders know that police officers and prison employees are not immigration experts. They do not have the training or resources to enforce a federal deportation agenda. Notably, racial profiling is rife in jails and prisons across the US, and Jackson County is not an exception. The dangers of wrongly and or violently holding black and brown human beings will only be multiplied with the warrant serviceer officer program agreement. Considering community and care, the board of county, the board of county commissioners, and the office of the sheriff have a duty to be accountable to the people of Jackson County. We know that local law local law enforcement and jail and prison employees who become entangled with federal immigration enforcement decrease public safety and community trust. As a community member, I demand the board and the office of the sheriff reconsider and abolish their warrant service officer program 28C 280g 287g agreement with ICE and never sign another 287g agreement with ICE again. I will not witness the violence of mask deportation squads anywhere in my community.

30 seconds. Thank you for your time.

Hello, I am Hello. I am from district 1 and my name is Sasha Grundle. And without the intention of um centering myself within this conversation, but simply as a means of juxtiposition, my name among other definitions means defender of man. And although I am currently not standing within a literal active battlefield, I am still managing to live more up to my name than any ICE agent has ever done or will ever do. Statistically, ICE does not make us safer and only divides that there is an us and a them. Renee Good was not the first, nor if we allow it, will be the last murder at the hands of a glorified terror machine. I'm not sure why it took us to all her name for all of us to be shocked when there are countless more abused before her. But sure, let's use her as an example of a person we only knew was a person because of ISIS's frequent and baked in abuse. Not to center myself again, but I remember back in 10th grade learning about World War II. We all learned how it began, specifically with promises that citizen check-ins and police training were exclusively for deportation efforts. We were all taught the timeline of public safety efforts into motion door-to-door checks and to alligator death roll camps. And we were all promised as children that we would never let this happen again. We were told that the reason we were being taught this in the first place was so that we could ensure that it never happened again. But as I have been wearing witness to for far too long of a time period now, never again is just a mantra people utter to themselves as we go to sleep every night to alleviate ourselves of all responsibility and assure ourselves that we are good people without actually ever doing anything. So don't forget to set your alarms tonight. I'm sure you've got more important things to worry about, right? I wonder what alarm Renee had set next. Was it to go to work the next day? Perhaps it was an alarm to drop her child off at school. Maybe it was to write that poem she's been meaning to write for months now. When is your alarm set to ring? In case it wasn't clear, I am here to voice my opposition to ISIS's involvement in Jackson and frankly

anywhere. I encourage Jackson to withdraw from 287G agreements with them. Our current federal administration has already made it abundantly clear through calls of absolute immunity for a murder in broad daylight. And not even feeling it necessary to comment on other ICE atrocities taking place every single day that ICE makes nobody safer. And in no way, shape, or form do they want to be defenders of man. They want to reflect a department of war. I implore you not to welcome ICE into Jackson through more means of any agreement. People are scared and given the evidence justifiably so. My name is Stephanie. I live down the street on Michigan Avenue. And honestly, I wish I did not feel compelled to be here to talk about the issue of ICE in here in our city. I married while I lived in Central America. I have children and other family members who don't look like me and many of them don't talk like me. My son today is a soldier at Fort Bliss. My daughter lives in DC and was employed by the House of Representatives on January 6th. Currently, she's a policy specialist and lobbies on Capitol Hill for an advocacy advocacy agency for victims of domestic violence and they are dealing with DV victims today who were violated by ICE in Minnesota. That was today. Um, I have other family members who are in the National Guard and I cannot tell you how complicated that is. My naturalized family members are afraid to seek medical care, pick up a prescription, and are in constant fear of their businesses being targeted. ICE will never recruit the best when the lure is the power of a uniform or a mask, a gun, and a $50,000 bonus.

Uh, good evening. My name is Rebecca Toby and I personally feel like the job of local law enforcement is to protect all the residents regardless of their status. If immigrants fear that calling 911 will lead to deportation, they're not going to report crimes and that makes all of us less safe. ICE tactics in particular are really scary and they undermine local efforts of law enforcement to build community trust. What will the relationship between local law enforcement and this community be when ICE leaves? It's 287G is not worth it. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. My name is Sally Anne Thompson and I am a resident of the city of Jackson.

I will. Thank you. I'd say that I would like to agree with everyone that has stepped before me to oppose ICE being in the city of Jackson or any agreement that we have current, hoping that it can be dissolved in our state of Michigan. We have 1.2 to 1.3% of our population that are undocumented immigrants. And that's a population of 10.14 million. So only about 90 to maybe 110,000 undocumented immigrants are even in our state. In the city of Jackson, we have 617 foreignborn citizens living here. That includes citizens that are documented, citizens that have been naturalized, and yes, probably some undocumented citizens. Now, for the percentage of people in Jackson County that we have that might be undocumented might be less than the people in this room. And in my opinion, our current criminal system, if we have undocumented criminals in our city, our police force and our sheriff department can currently handle them and would know about them to deport them. We do not need a very expensive taxpaying battalion of ICE agents disrupting our city for less than the amount of people in this room. I would hope that we could do better than that in our community and we could spend our tax dollars a lot better than that both federally and statewide. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Lee Brown. Um lifelong resident of Jackson County. I currently reside in Summit Township Precinct 3. Um, I'd like to thank the commissioners for giving us this opportunity to address you about this issue. Um, and I'd also like to thank everybody that's been here. I mean, look at this. This is awesome. You know, these people are the voice to the voiceless. Early last year, I became aware that Jackson County became the first county in Michigan to sign a 287 agreement with ICE. And at that time, I didn't honestly pay much attention to it. I didn't like it, but compared to everything else going on in our country, it didn't feel like it was that big of a deal until recently when I along with millions of other people witness what is now going on in Minnesota. To put it simply, it's sickening. However, it ignited my need to do my civic duty and speak up. It's my understanding that the sheriff's department needs money. The jails need repair and upgrading. They've reduced the amount of officers and they need to prioritize response to calls. The last three millillage requests for funding were defeated because basically people don't like tax increases. I've read that it costs around n $90 per day to incarcerate a person in the Jackson County jail and that ICE only reimbures only a fraction of all the cost associated with a 287G. while their current annual budget is around $30 billion which also is paid by our taxes. I believe given the fact that there seems to be no accountability on behalf of ICE that the current agreement will harm the public trust here in Jackson County and that we shouldn't have to absorb more cost. So, I ask that our county commissioners do the right thing and vote to resend rescend 287G. Thank you very much.

Hi, I'm Heather Kaga. I'm a resident of Jackson County in the fifth district. I'm concerned about weakened trust between our community and our local law enforcement with the agreement that our city has made to assist ICE. When our local police force starts aligning themselves with unidentified masked agents in tactical gear who surge into communities, raising levels of hostility wherever they go, whether that alignment is active or passive, it will result in a lack of trust between police and the people they serve. We want our police to be embraced and accepted within our community. We want our people to have a level of trust with police so that they will report crimes and emergencies and will not be afraid to come forward. It doesn't matter the logistics of what is happening. It doesn't matter that this agreement with ICE is limited. It doesn't matter that our police aren't going to be asked to knock on doors themselves or ask for identification themselves until we are. It is the alignment and cooperation of our local police with ICE and how our immigrant communities and their neighbors and friends feel about that. Watching the events unfold in Minneapolis and seeing their police chief stand up and denounce those actions of violence must be so um empowering and uplifting for the people of that city because eventually ICE is going to be gone. And what are the people of those communities going to remember when ICE is nothing more than a bad dream in our nation's past? What they're going to remember is that their police were on the side of peace and trust and safety in their communities. They are going to remember that the local police weren't the bad guys. That's what we want to have happen in Jackson. We want our citizens to see that our community leaders are also watching the national stage. We want your response to be that you lead our city away from the turmoil that the

presence of ICE brings to a city. And when that happens, we will cure you. We are here today because we see public trust in law enforcement of all kinds crumbling. And we don't want that to happen in the city of Jackson. When our leaders remove us from this agreement with ICE, the citizens of Jackson are going to look back at this time in our history and be proud of our police force, connected to our police force, and supportive of their vital work promoting peace and safety in our communities. Please vote to end the 287g immigration enforcement program agreement with ICE. The public, your public serve, does not want it to continue. Thank you. Excuse me. For all who's going to speak, try to stay about an inch or two away from the mic cuz you want to be picked up nicely and because it's all recorded for YouTube, you'll be able to see it later and hear it. But if you're too close, it starts to do all that.

Am I good? You're good.

Good. Good evening. My name is Sandra Place. Some of you may remember me. I am a member of your constituency and a taxpaying member of our community residing in Summit Township. I am also someone who has committed their work life to uplifting the uplifting of those who are aged, abused, marginalized, and mistreated. The 287g contract renewal with ICE concerns me greatly. Greatly. According to MI Live, the Hispanic Heritage Festival in Jackson was cancelled out of fear because ICE consistently uses racial profiling which they felt threatened the safety of our citizens and those becoming naturalized citizens. How many more festivals will be cancelled from fear? Your constituency knows ISIS violated civil, state, constitutional law and human rights repeatedly and knows there is no framework for ISIS's accountability. They have been allowed free reign and brutality committed by them is ignored. Congressional representatives were denied access to the Renee Good murder investigation. Uh individuals have been shot, injured, killed, brutalized. ICE does not follow federal rules or the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which both the immigrating and ICE have to follow. My question is, why would we want to tarnish the good work of our Jackson County officers by doing ICE's work for them and opening up to the liability that ICE does not carry? We were the first in the state to sign a 287G contract to help with IC's work. At that time, it probably seemed like the right thing to do. Now, there is enough evidence to reconsider who we want to do business with.

The these are the things that I would like you to consider. County budget, who's paying for what? We don't have the money to fix our jail. And Jacksonians are already saying that holding people in our jail is inhumane. So, why do this? Who will do this work? Isn't it true that the current workforce is short staffed? Is it well known? It is well known that the ICE recruits already in law enforcement by offering huge wage increases to them. Tax dollars. I do not hesitate to say that I want none of my tax dollars. 30 seconds, ma'am.

Okay. What's our liability? All of it. Ethics and morality. Where is it? I cannot in any way see ethics, morality, and law-abiding following in this. Aligning with ICE is aligning with mayhem. I know as a citizen of this county, I cannot see any good come from this, and I can see much harm coming for our citizens if the alignment continues. I thank you for your time and consideration. My name is Cassie Jacobasi and my family and I recently moved back into the area and we were happy to do so. I appreciate your time and that most of you are actively listening and paying attention to our comments.

Thank you.

I'm increasingly worried for the safety of our community. I'm urging the office of the sheriff and county commissioners to withdraw from the 287G program and to not participate in any deals or partnerships with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Participation in any such partnership is a direct threat to our community. ICE agents are no longer respecting the Constitution and have continuingly shown that they believe to be above the law when they kidnap people from the streets and now from their homes. In addition to traumatizing community members, including innocent children, cooperating poses an unnecessary burden on an already short staffed and underfunded local law enforcement. Participation in 287 in the 287g program and cooperation with ICE further puts our entire community at risk when people become terrified to call for help when an emergency of any kind arises. Your duty is to protect and serve. I urge you to remember it is to this community and all of its members that you have that duty. Please help keep us all safe and withdraw from 287G. Thank you.

Uh good evening. My name is Ethan Winright. I've been a member or a resident of Jackson for a long time. I live in Blackman Township. Uh I'm a union organizer. Uh and my wife is an immigrant. Just recently moved to uh America. And you know, ultimately I just every time that we leave the house, I have to remind my wife to make sure she has all of her documents to make sure that if for some reason the sheriff's office or ICE were to show up, we would be all good. And even then, I I have fear, right? because that doesn't being documented doesn't defend you at this point. And it just concerns me that Jackson County, a place where I've lived for a long time, a place where I pay my taxes to, a place that I enjoy living, a place that I wanted to bring my wife to because I felt that it was safe, because I felt that it was a good place and a welcoming place, is a partner in one of the most sadistic programs to blight the country in a long, long time. Um, you know, ultimately a lot of the worst crimes against humanity were legal at the time that they were committed. And I think that while this may not rise to that level yet, if we continue to be complicit, then we're just allowing that to progress and get worse. So, I'd just like to read a poem uh just to end my comments, please. Um, first they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. And then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for

me. And I'm just asking that we stop before they come for my wife, before they come for so many of the innocent people in Jackson whose only crime is that they forgot to fill out a form and uh ultimately that we rescend uh our our participation in the 287g agreement. Thanks. Hi, I'm Jeie from um Summit Township. Jeanie Brown. Uh people who oppose ICE need to look a bit closer as to why we want these illegals to go back to their own countries. They drain our resources. And the sheriff has the the ones that the sheriff has in jail are the ones that have broken the law in this country. And the sheriff isn't going doortodoor arresting illegals. They are arresting the ones that broke the law. Leftists don't understand what they are protesting most of the time. They just have a narrative. Let's just take school shootings. School shootings should never happen in their minds because it's a gun-free zone.

It's a gun-free zone. So, if we take the guns away from registered owners, who are left? Criminals. They don't register their guns. What happens in these countries that have banned guns? Crime went up 40%. It's a proven fact. When citizens have guns, crime is lower. When you see the SCAP, you can't unsee it. Trump is telling you he is not messing around with all this BS. We are at war and you better wake up to the fact. Fifth generational warfare. They have the media spreading the narrative. They are feeding us plastic and our food along with other things you don't even want to know. They are poisoning our skies with chemtrails, killing us slowly. They are building data centers to use our clean water. The governor even gave Nestle, now known as Blue Tritant Brands, rights to take 40 gallons a minute from our groundwater in Michigan for pennies on the dollar. They are putting solar farms up in our farmland and contaminating the soil for a hundred years because they want to cause a food shortage. For us useless eaters, the energy generated from those farms are going to companies out of state. In turn, they sell it back to consumer energy without any financial break to the people in Michigan. What I'm saying

30 seconds, ma'am. What if what I'm saying is if you saved a child drowning in an ocean, the left would be screaming, "You are starving the sharks." make it make sense and make America great again. Thank you.

Hey, Commissioner Bear.

Commissioner Bear. They're moving. They're moving.

Please take your sign down. Tony, please take that sign down. You have no place at this game. I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to clear the room if this continues. Now, be respectful of both sides whether you agree or disagree with the people.

I'm going to arrest this woman. Sheriff, it starts with you. I would like you to I would like you to consider clearing the room with the people who are being allowed. We don't need this. I have a We have to be respectful of all speakers at this time. If you'd like to sit down, sir, please. No, I wouldn't. Okay. Then I'm going to ask you to leave. No, I'm I'm going to ask I'm Would you like to know that he hit Sheriff Hudy? Did you see that? He also hit me. I have the sheriff. I didn't see him. Well, look at the tape. Look at the tape.

Yes, he did. I'm going to ask the sheriff to clear the room is what I'm going to do. I'm coming with her real quick. Yes, sir. Thank you. That's our local police. All right. I'm under Sheriff Anthony Stewart. I'm listening to everybody's views and that's what this is all about. But everyone should be respectful. Amen. I'm I'm never going to I'm never going to be disrespectful. And all I'm asking is there's disrespectful

See See See interrupting somebody when they're talking is disrespectful. And and all I'm saying is let's get through this. You want to talk. You want have you want to have a you want to have a voice to speak with the red mask. What you're gonna do. So please be respectful. Let everybody come up and speak. Listen to them. Amen. Thank you. Amen.

Oh, you cannot ask a question. This is public comment. We will listen to public comment for three minutes and then another person will speak and they will share their opinion. Everyone is allowed their opinion during public comment. If you cannot do that, I will ask you to leave the room. If you cannot leave the room, I will ask the sheriff to escort you out. Are we all clear? Thank you.

Thank you. My name is Jennifer Gallagher and I live in Summit Township. I'm here to speak against the 287G agreement that currently exists between ICE and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. I ask that agreement be rescended and no further cooperation with ICE continue. I'm born and raised in Jackson County and I'm proud to call this community my home. I choose to live here. When I think of Jackson, I think I'm uh in good company to say I think of grit and character and strength and resilience. We're a bluecollar community. It's evidenced in all the people who are here tonight to speak about their opinions. And by overwhelming majority, we do not want ICE interfering in our lives, in our neighborhoods, or in our town. ICE doesn't contribute to supporting grit or resilience or character or strength. It's an organization that is foundationally based in fear. Made up of people who are so scared they feel the need to hide behind masks and military gear in American communities. Dehumanizing language like illegals or aliens or leftists is used to silence their conscience so they can be cruel without bearing the very real and very heavy weight of the harm and trauma they are inflicting on our fellow human beings. Rather than build resilience or contribute to society in some meaningful way, ICE aligns itself with other institutions of power. expanding its reach in trying to dominate and control people who don't have access to that

kind of power. Their agents use chemical weapons, tear gas, guns, brutality, and excessive force, turning themselves into war machines instead of facing the truth of their own humanity. Winning means making other people more afraid than they are. No amount of tactical gear will ever make ICE agents brave. No amount of domination will ever make them strong. And no amount of creating terror will make them less afraid. That's the kind of fear that never ends. 30 seconds. Ma'am,

partnering with ICE is a declaration of fear in Jackson, an alignment with cruelty and terror. ICE does not embody the values of this community and they are not welcome here. Thank you. Wow. Can you hear me? Okay. Good evening. Uh Melissa Hiller, Summit Township. I'm I'm absolutely blown away by tonight. Um, I'm I was I'm here just to show support for our local law enforcement. Um, I'm trying to wrap my head around how and why so many people here, at least maybe not in the entire community, but in this room, um, have things have just kind of twisted things where now in we are supporting those who break the law as opposed to those who enforce the law. So, um, and I knew I'd get murmurss. And so, now we can't even, uh, call them illegal. Suddenly, everything's undocumented because we have to be so fragile as to not hurt their feelings, I guess. Uh, even though they broke the law to get here, hence illegal. So at the sound at the risk of sounding like a racist, anyone living here on my tax dollars who do not go through the proper legal channels, I will continue to see them as illegals and an insult to those who did it right. If you see it differently, by all means, I encourage you to open your home to them, take on their living expenses, and be held personably liable for their actions. that I think

sir again we're going to let people speak is what we're going to do. We're not going to raz them and I'd like my time back. Thank you.

So I would encourage you to do that. Um to me that seems a little bit more reasonable than the situation we have right now. And I don't personally know any ICE agents and I don't know any illegal immigrants, but I do know my family and my friends and I appreciate anyone willing to risk their own life to protect ours. They are not the ones who we need who need to be condemned. And of course, I'm not suggesting that all ICE agents are good and all illegals are bad. But it does seem the hundreds of thousands of criminal immigrants are conveniently overlooked in order to highlight injustice and fuel outrage. Our sheriff, deputies, police officer, police officers, they don't write the laws. If there are laws people disapprove of, perhaps Lancing is where this should all be taking place. Or talk to your legislators. I support our sheriff and his decisions that are made. And I can tell you I appreciate the men and women who make the choice every day to serve what seems like an ungrateful community. Most would never do that. So, uh, it seems that these well-meaning liberals want to take our guns away from us so we can't protect ourselves. And now they want to take our laws away, our police force away, or at least limit them so they can't protect us. That doesn't sound like like a successful safety model to me. So, needless to say, uh, darn it. I I swear they lost left helped me lose some of that time. But anyway, I will not uh support lawlessness like some. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Matt Tucker.

I'm a public high school educator here in Jackson County. I live in Henrietta Township. I'm concerned about the 287G agreement here for countless reasons, but I'm primarily concerned about the impacts this agreement has shown to have on school children. Studies from Brown University, University of Virginia, and Stanford, to name a few, have shown direct correlation between student achievement, regardless of citizenship or documentation status in communities with 287G agreements. Absenteeism, extreme anxiety, behavior incidents, and lower grades are all noticeably higher in these communities compared with other communities of similar size and demographics. So many children in our community have already been exposed to unfathomable trauma and already lag behind other Michigan communities in student achievement. I urge you to please consider the direct and indirect impacts, negative impacts the 287g agreement has on our school children's academic and social emotional well-being. And please rescend and abolish the 287 agreement that you signed and never sign additional agreements with ICE again. Keep our children and probably your children too safe. Which way do I look?

Good evening. My name is John Roby. I'm a lifelong resident of Jackson County. I'm 68 years old. I spent over half of my life working in the Michigan Department of Corrections serving all of you that are residents of Michigan. And I mean all of you. I was a shift commander, firearms instructor, weapons trainer, chemical agent instructor, and a four for weapon armorer. I know Sheriff Shy personally. I've had many conversations with him. I find him to be honorable and above board. I know under Sheriff Tony Stewart even better. He and I have become good friends. We worked together for years at the prison and I'm proud of him for all of his successes and achievements. Congratulations, Tony. I support the 287G proposal. I urge the county to uh enact it and stay with it and follow your oath of office, not your feelings. I understand it's an emotional subject and it's my understanding the sheriff shy's intent is if someone is in his jail already being held for another crime and ICE has a detainer or a warrant he will hold them I thought I read for 48 hours that is not unusual we did that at the prison many years ago when somebody was discharged from their Michigan sentence we turned them over to the federal government. I don't see any problem with that. They're protecting you and I and the rest of the community. Thank you for your time. God bless you all.

Hi, my name is Shirley Schuman Allegre. I'm from District 6. I'd previously expressed concern about the 287g agreement. With the passing of time, more reason for concern has developed. My understanding is that key responsibilities of your board include public safety and justice. That includes the county jail courts, sheriff's office, etc. Due to these responsibilities, I'm asking you to terminate the 287g agreement. My reasons of concern should also be reasons of concern for you as officials and representatives of our county. My research indicates that Jackson County signed a WSO. Under the program, officers get less training and are only authorized to execute ICE administrative warrants. ICE believes that the sheriff's department can hold people for 48 hours and they're technically in ICE custody, but under WSO. There's three factors that cause concern. First, there's a question of legality. The 287G statute gives leeway, but there also may be a legal basis to challenge a program. ICE has issued illegal detainers and warrants against US citizens. Any locality that helps execute these can face legal challenges. In addition, there are concerns about due process and potential abuses. Second, there are costs involved. We were told previously that the costs aren't significant, but any cost that's incurred by Jackson County would include officer salaries, overtimes, benefits, travel, lodging, and predium for those who are attending ICE training. Every dollar an hour on 287G means less for local crime. Previously, the community has asked for funds to cover operations and facility upgrades via multiple tax millages that have all been rejected. These shortfalls have have led to significant cuts in the sheriff's office budget. And yet, you're allowing the agreement to use resources that could be used for basic operations. I don't know about you, but if my money's running

short, I buy groceries. I don't go out to eat. As a Jackson County resident, I question any use of resources that isn't for the basic operations of the sheriff's department. If this is not the case, don't hold your hand out and ask for funds you're not willing to use. if you don't not use them every every dollar for operations. Third, the agreement being in place is slighting fear in our residents. It's disrupting education, healthcare, and work. It's causing an erosion of the community trust in our law enforcement. And all of these things make our county more vulnerable to future legal challenges. That should frighten all of you. 30 seconds. I implore you to end the 287g agreement.

Hi, my name is Lindsay Marshall. I live in Waterl Township, so Jackson County, but out in Grass Lake. Um, so I am someone who owns a gun. I have my CPL, did my fingerprinting down here, and I remember I I've never felt uncomfortable or unsafe carrying my gun in my car until about September. That is when I saw Marimar Martinez get shot by an ICE agent who then bragged about it, saying five bullets, seven holes, and then also said, "Do something, bitch." before shooting her. So, I just want to know how am I supposed to feel safe? I have this gun legally, but I know. Sorry. I know if something happens and I get shot, it would be used to justify my murder. So, that is one of the reasons I'm asking you to stop this agreement. Sorry, I can't talk without getting emotional, but that's it. Hello. I'm a member of Jackson County and a member of the Hispanic community. I'm requesting the board to follow the example.

Your name, sir? Luke Salimony.

I'm requesting the board to follow the example of the city of Centerline and resend the 287G agreement with ICE. While under normal circumstances, this agreement might make sense, we are not operating under normal circumstances with the current federal administration. I sympathize with the board and the sheriff who see this agreement as the proper channels for coordination with federal authorities. But that coordination should not come at the expense of local trusts, fiscal responsibility or public safety. When the main point I want to make is this. When a county enters into a formal ICE partnership, it places itself on a short list of jurisdictions ICE can rely on operationally. That signals that local infrastructure, jail space, and law enforcement cooperation are already in place, making the county a logical deployment po point if ICE expands enforcement activities, including targeted door-to-door operations. I do not want to see that in our community, and I hope that you do not either. Thank you. Hello everyone. My name is Olivia O'Da. I, as you can tell, I'm a Hispanic Mexican-American woman. Probably fifth or sixth generations here. And I normally wouldn't be up here speaking, but I've got to use my my rights. I've got to talk about this because not too long ago, I have um gr a granddaughter, by the way, that is joining the Navy. My family for generations has been in the Air Force, Army, um, Marines, and so, you know, we've all participated. It's not like we're freeloaders like everybody claims that we are. I've worked all my life. I

retired from Aeroquip and I went and got my masters. I'm 80 years old. I'm glad. You know what? I'm glad my father's not here to see this. That would be a shame because he was a proud proud American and it is a shame what I see and it pisses me off. Well, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm really involved. I am I'm a protester and I'm going out of my way to do it. You know, I don't care if I if something happens to me. I want my grandchildren to know that I was standing for something. And if you don't if you if you don't stand for something, you you stand for anything like some people that I know.

Hello, I'm Kim Movill. I live in Summit Township. Hello, Mr. Williams. Pastor Williams. H Mr. Willis, thank you for your service. To the rest of the guardians of pedophiles and fascists. I am here to speak about against 285G. The ICE is acting as a fascist machine. It is banging down doors. It is tearing people from their homes. They do not have federal warrants. They don't even ask. They're stripping people from their cars. There's breaking windows. They're murdering people. The atrocities that we know of are absolutely unacceptable. The atrocities that we're going to find out about are going to be horrendous. What they are doing to humanity, what they're doing in Minnesota. And you know why they're in Minnesota? Because Trump doesn't like Democrats. Well, your prince of pedophiles there, the man who diddles little girls, he is not somebody that Christians should be supporting. He's the grab by the president.

Anybody who supports a pedophile, a rapist, a fascist is not a good human. Europe profiles is ruining America. He's diddling 12 year olds and y'all support him. And shame, shame on you for supporting the profiles. Shame on you who thinks that anybody who can stick a dick in a 12-year-old is a good human and should be leading our country. Shame on you for supporting a rapist. Shame.

Cheeto.

All right. Well, that's a little tough to follow. Um, my name is Aaron Seammens. I'm actually from the neighboring county of Washna County. I have um made Michigan my home for the last 25 years. I am a daughter of a law enforcement agent. My father was a deputy sheriff for all of his career. My brother is an attorney. I um am also a registered Democrat, also a practicer of my second amendment right, practices of my first amendment right, and a supporter of the fourth and the fifth amendment, which ICE and our DHS are chronically ignoring in our communities. And as your neighbor and a small business owner, I have customers that come from this area and I love to come my 30 minute drive out here to enjoy your restaurants, your night life. Jackson is a beautiful area and we are one corridor. We are a beautiful corridor built by immigrants. There are very there's hardly anybody in this room right now that did not immigrate to this country at some point. Many of us undocumented because there was no such thing when many of our families arrived here. And now unfortunately me from neighboring Washington County am so sad to see my neighboring county supporting through this arrangement this horrible horrible administration and being complicit at this dark dark time in our nation's history. And I am asking you to withdraw from this agreement now to do the right thing

to bring back the wonderful inclusive nature align with your neighbors in Washington County and stop supporting the DHS and ICE in this current administration. This is not what any of you want your legacy to be. I promise you that. There's nothing to love about ICE. And those of you in this room who think we are just lawless liberals, I want to remind you that immigrants are half as likely to commit crimes as as citizens are.

30 seconds, ma'am. And you are actually making this problem of crime worse because now immigrants feel less trustful of the police because if they call for a crime, they know their neighbor, their partners might be deported and criminals do not respect county lines. So those of you who are here speaking in favor of this agreement because you are tough on crime, you are making county less safe because criminals you're out of time will not be picked up because you're out of time involved. Elizabeth Walls. Please don't interrupt me. There's a big clock in front of me and I will watch it carefully. Demograph. Miss Amigos,

Latin America. Latino humanitarian. See us as a Jackson. dignity. Did you have any? In my remaining 25 seconds, I will let you know that I came here directly from the emergency room accompanying a woman who spent 3 days in pain at home in fear of going to the hospital to discover that she had ovarian. If you men know what that is, I suggest you look it up. She was poking for three days from the pain and luckily received emergency surgery. However, in this building there is no water available for the public here and that is nothing in comparison to people. You ask me to respect you and you're out of time.

Hello, my name is Josh Brocklleman and I'm from Jackson County. Um, I don't feel safe for myself or for my peers when I think of ICE. I think of violence and the many cases that have been posted across the United States that show violence from ICE. It scares me and many of my peers. It scares me and many of my peers because of all this violence. ICE are not held accountable for their actions and with that they have guns that could kill people within seconds. I have yet to see any ICE agent be held accountable for the cruelty that they have committed. It is unfair and injustice. This is not the America I was told about growing up. I was told about America that was safe, that was a safe place for people. And has been proven to me many times this is untrue today due to ISIS violence against Americans of all colors. Thank you for your time. Hi, my name is Julia Brocklman. I moved here from Texas in 20123 and I have grown to love and cherish the community that I have found here. Um, we did not have the community that we have in Jackson where I come from and so I am very grateful for all the people that make up this community. I live in district 8 and I'm here today to add my voice to the community in pleading with you to withdraw from this agreement. We as a county just in the short time that I've been here already face budget limitations related to the repairs for our jails, providing adequate care and warming shelters for our homeless population, and funding for our schools to retain qualified teachers. I would prefer these funds be directed towards supporting our growing community, improving our schools, and enhancing the beautiful parks that we have here um for me and my kids and their friends to enjoy. I cannot emphasize how much I love the parks and the way the city is taken care of.

And I would like more of that. Um I would prefer it not go to ICE agents. I want it to grow to people who live here and add to our communities. Additionally, as a home homeowner and taxpayer in this community, I am firmly against allocating my tax dollars to fund the criminals who call themselves ICE. Finally, I have very fe fearful concerns about ICE's accountability and the implications of their unconstitutional actions. There seems to be no accountability or oversight, and that causes distrust in this community to the people who are supposed to uphold the law. As a resident, I do not believe that having ICE operating within our city would enhance public safety, and I'm concerned it will lead to increased fear and chaos. I have already heard from my kids and their kids and their friends that they are scared that ICE will come to our community. My kid woke me up last night because they thought they heard banging on the door and they were scared to go back to sleep because of what they have seen in the media and what they have seen on the news reports. These kids deserve a safe community and trust that their police officers guarding this community will not side with unlawful criminals who are masked, unknown to our city, and dangerously reckless. I respectfully ask that you carefully consider our community's concerns and withdraw from this agreement. Thank you for your time.

Hi, my name is Cheyenne Valencia. I am a J Jackson County citizen and I was born in Michigan but raised throughout Jackson, Detroit, Taylor and I've seen more immigrants over there than I have over here and yet they're still the nicest people I know. Um, my family is also immigrants. We are from Iran and from Yemen, but I'm also English, too. So, I was raised by white people here in America. I'm native. My tribe, my land was taken. I'm also from Arizona. My family was from their land in 1970. Not even that long ago. Yet, we're targeting immigrants when I've had more fear here in Jackson than your guys' citizens. I've been I've been raped. I've been threatened. all by Americans, never by an immigrant. I have recently gained trust in the Jackson Community Department with Detective Phillips and even our school cop, Officer Salssworth, at Jackson High School because they actually care about our community and we shouldn't be funding to have ICE agents here when we actually have criminals that need to be taken care of. Like there's people running out on the streets with guns threatening people every day and they are Americans. It's the ICE is not going to change anything. We need to actually work on Jackson County. I used to go to Lesley. I was harassed as a kid for my race even though I was raised by white people.

There was a kid who made a list of all the mixed and all the colored kids saying that he was going to murder them. I have never caught a break. And I seriously really would like my tax dollars. I work at the Jackson Popcorn Depot. I work here in the mall. I pay $60 and I'm only 17 and I don't even vote yet. But I'm still here because I care and I seriously seriously need the actual criminals to be taken care of because they're still out there. So, can we just not focus on arresting helpless people? Like, natives are being targeted, black people are being targeted, and not white people are being targeted. It doesn't even matter if you're Hispanic anymore. Everyone is targeted. Thank you. Um I um it's hard to go for me to go after that because I was pretty emotional. Um, I have lived in I'm My name is Sarah McAdam. I've lived in Jackson most of my life. Um, I lived in the Washington DC area um for about eight years and I um met a um illegal immigrant um and I still remember and it was about 2012 and I still remember him saying, "We do the dirty work and they hate us." He got deported about a year ago.

Oh, sorry. Um, okay. Hey, can you hear me better now? Okay. Uh, my name is Sarah McAdam. I lived in Jackson most of my life. Um, I lived in the Washington DC area for about 8 years. I met an illegal immigrant in about 2012. I still remember him saying, um, we do the dirty to work and and they hate us. He got deported about a year ago. And this country was built on immigrants. Um the the person that I met back in 2012, um the only and hearing the two conservatives that spoke um the only thing that the person I met did was let his visa expire. He did not do anything criminal. And that's when you know I felt passionate about this issue and you know no this country was built on immigrants. Um, no one in this country, you know, regardless of whether they have papers or not, should live and live in fear like the girl that just spoke, um, or the person who's since been deported. Um, you know, I used to substitute teach and some of the kids I used to work with were immigrants and, um, so I'm here to speak against to rescend, um, 287g so that um, everyone in Jackson County can um, not live in fear. Thank you for your time.

Good evening everybody. My name is Lisa Lazerof. I'm a lifetime resident of Jackson. I currently reside in Summit Township. My grandparents came here from Macedonia. My father fought in World War II. As a lifelong resident, our community has seen its up ups and downs. I think we're currently seeing one of our low points in Jackson and I'm sad to say that. I would like to voice my disagreement and my disappointment in Sheriff Shudy's decision to enter into a 287G agreement with ICE. According to the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and according to Common Sense, when local law enforcement officers are doing the work of federal immigration enforcement, community members lose trust with their local sheriff and police and therefore they we are less likely to report crimes. Additionally, this program has been shown to result in racial profiling, cost communities and taxpayers money, target individuals with little or no criminal history, and harm the community's relationship with the police. Furthermore, considering the current tense climate in Minneapolis and other communities in our nation, is this what we really want to invite into Jackson? I don't think so. And there's a lot of people behind me that agree with me. I truly believe our community can be better served by our law enforcement focusing on neighborhood relationships, decreasing gun violence, and getting drugs off of our streets. As a community, we need to trust law enforcement to have our best interest in mind. As a member of this community, I respectfully request you to resend the contract with ICE. Thank you for your time tonight.

Hey, my name is Toby Baker. I live in the city. Um, I first want to say please resend the 287g agreement. You look at what it's doing everywhere across the country, but especially um in Minnesota right now where a girl was taken by ICE and raped in an ICE detention facility by an ICE officer. Um, this is one incident. Uh, I'm sure that there are tons of other incidents like this, but you have kids getting taken um out of the schools. You have ICE agents waiting outside of courts um where immigrants are fighting to not only get in the proper way, which is hard enough as it is. Um, but fighting against warrants that aren't proper warrants. You got administrative warrants, not judicial warrants. Um, and I just lost my train of thought. Um, I say just taking pulling cars over that they're not allowed to do. They are not law enforcement. They are there to enforce warrants. U, but they're pulling cars over asking for papers. We have reports of local police asking for papers. Not yet here in Jackson County. That's been reported, but I'm sure it's happened. Um, and I do not want that here. Um, that's all I can think of right now, but please resend the 287g agreement. Um, it is seriously damaging the relationship with you. Um, and the relationship with the sheriff's office. Um, that's another thing. Yeah, you guys are we are you guys are responsible to us. Things that we require, things that we ask for. Um, we only vote you in if you do those things. There are clearly more than 100 people here. Imagine if all of these people went door-knocking against you. I know as politicians, you don't really like to listen to feelings. Um, but instead your seats, you're more worried

about your next election than anything else. So, think about your next election when you see all of these organizers here um and what that'll look like next time your seat is up. Thank you. Hello board members and fellow residents in attendance tonight. Our community me community members your name ma'am please.

Oh Natalie Schroeder district 8. Our community members are scared. I've seen it personally. I know a lot of teachers. Um, schools usually worry about lockdowns for potential criminal shooters, but now they have to be prepared to lock down from our own government to protect their kids in attendance and even sometimes their teachers because our immigration system is broken. You want to simplify it and say, "Oh, they're illegal immigrants. They're all criminals." If you believe that, you're just unaware that we have asylum seekers, we have refugees, we have people who have spent thousands of dollars in 30 years to try and get their citizenship. and they can't do it. There's delays. We have no idea because we're privileged to have been born here. But the immigrants who come here, they are amazing for our country. They pay taxes and they don't get any healthcare. They into our Medicare by paying their taxes. They pay into our social social security which they can never collect on. They can also never collect on any kind of health care unless there's an emergency situation and they go to the hospital.

I am. This is just facts.

Oh, okay. I'm going to email all of you a video of October 18th. We did a march to Sheriff Trudy's parking lot to leave him messages of love. Not so much. I'm kidding. It's a nice march, though. I was going to play it for you tonight, but I thought it'd be better if you could each watch it and really think about the individuals who took their time to march down there frustrated with the 287g agreement. It's about a 2-minute video. I tried to have it shown on the screens tonight, but I guess that's not allowed. I could have brought a laptop up here and held it up, but maybe you're willing to watch it. It's just people walking down the street. Don't be afraid. And guess what? They're chanting. Love, not hate, makes America great.

Ma'am, you're out of time. Not hate makes out of time, please. Love, not hate, makes America great. Thank you.

Good evening, commissioners, and thank you for the opportunity to speak. And for the commissioners that are actively listening instead of looking at your devices, thank you even more. Um, look, the room is rightfully so, but I'm not here to debate immigration policy, um, but to discuss local responsibility. Sir, I need your name. I said Dan Townend.

You're welcome. Um, I'm not here to debate immigration policy, but to discuss local responsibility, constitutional risk, and fiscal responsibilities, issues clearly outlined, of course, in the agreement. It raises three serious concerns that should matter to every taxpayer and every public servant here this evening. First, it shifts the financial burden and legal risk to Jackson County. The agreement, if you all read it correctly, requires the county, not the federal government, to pay for salaries, overtime, training, equipment, transportation, potential liability, and ICE may terminate that participation at any time for any reason, leaving our county with a cost and staffing disruptions. Second, it exposes the county to constitutional liability. The agreement authorizes local officers to carry out civil immigration enforcement and to hold individuals for up to 48 hours beyond their criminal release. Courts across the county have found these practices to carry serious Fourth Amendment risks. This agreement explicitly states it creates no enforcable rights for detainees leaving the county to absorb the legal consequences. Third, it limits local oversight and transparency. Immigration enforcement under this agreement is directed by ICE. Records records I should say are controlled by ICE and public disclosure must be coordinated through ICE. That removes meaningful local accountability for actions taking place inside our own jail. This is not about being for or against immigration enforcement. It is about whether Jackson County should assume financial risk, legal exposure, and loss of control for a federal government program that does not clearly improve any local public safety. On those facts alone, this agreement is a

bad deal for taxpayers, law enforcement, and constitutional governments. Look, if you're going to check your civility and morality at the door, don't check your common sense. You all deserve to do and be better. And Colonel Sanders, you should be ashamed of yourself. Paper sign.

Hello. Can you guys hear me? Okay. Is this better?

Okay. My name is Alyssa Juwel. I am terrified to be up here. I'm literally trembling and sweating, but someone that I look up to told me it's okay to be scared as long as you do it anyways. I'm currently living in Hillsdale County, and I'm here to have my voice heard after what has happened over the last few weeks. We need to be using our money to better train the police to catch real criminals like the ones currently in ICE and in our administration. What I'm about to say next is really important. So, if you guys could all actually listen, that'd be great. I don't know any immigrants personally that have committed crimes, but I do know every single white ICE supporting Christian male in my personal family has committed at least one violent felony, whether convicted or not. My whole body is trembling. Domestic violence runs in families. I think Jonathan Ross actually had some of those charges. By the way, at least three of those family members are actively speaking about joining ICE in our cities. Are those seriously the men you guys want to have roaming your streets with guns thinking they have full immunity? I'm not asking you. I'm warning you. Just withdraw. That's all I have to say. My name is Bruce Clevenger from Spring Arbor Township. I've lived in Jackson County all but three years of my life. I've started three businesses here. I've had two children go through the schools here. Overall, the way the county and city has been run by our appointed and elected people has been very good. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here after 73 years. But things have changed. Back in 2020, I was working for an international company and several of their staff came here to Jackson to meet with our tri-state

customers. The company liked what they saw here and mentioned to me that they were looking for a Midwest distribution center and possible manufacturing plant. I got excited. I got juiced. And I came down to the county commission meeting to perhaps talk with commissioners about this. To my total surprise, that night, February of 2020, this room was filled with Second Amendment proponents and militia members. The county board, many of you are still here, passed a gun sanctuary resolution. This made news across the country. And the company I was wooing, made it clear to me because they did their due diligence, they didn't want to come here. I felt the county board had made a very foolish decision on that night. And on January 6th of 2021, I knew damn well they did. I was quite sure of it. And we still have some of those board members here. In early 2025, our county sheriff, and I believe he has the approval of the board, announced the first agreement in the state to assist ICE. I can't see any benefit to it. Unless your mind wants to go somewhere really dark, Jackson County elected officials need to get off the might makes right train and show some real American courage and resin both the gun sanctuary resolution and the ICE cooperation agreement. You know, we used to have a slogan out there that said, "Jackson, we like it here." I'm worried you guys might want to change it to we like it here, but we might beat you senseless and shoot you in the face. Please, please rescend that resolution and also the ice.

Sarah Cedo. I'm a resident of the city of Jackson. Thank you commissioners for your attention and patience this evening. Uh there has been a lot of passion. However, I'd like to bring the focus back to the memorandum of agreement 287G. Specifically in my professional capacity, I've had ample opportunity to visit our jail, and I really appreciate what the sheriff and all of the staff do over there with their scarce resources. I appreciate also the cooperation between and among counties and the collaboration to hand criminals off to other agencies once they've been released from the county's criminal custody. I really appreciate that. Keeps criminals off the street. Makes my job a lot easier, too. I see why initially entering into the warrant services officer program appeared to be the productive choice. However, in light of recent events, I asked that the county of Jackson withdraw from the 287G memorandum of agreement with Homeland Security. Our jail is already crowded. Holding people who have already been processed for an additional 48 hours is an unnecessary burden to our county. They are operating often with uh fewer staff than they should have. And as part of the memorandum of agreement, many of our staff will need to obtain additional training from ICE, taking them out of rotation and making it impossible to keep staffing at full capacity. On top of that, I feel safe with my clients in the hands of our officers, but I'm fearful when I think that our

officers might hand them directly over to ICE agents who research has shown are undertrained and undervetted. Please consider rescending this agreement. Well, good evening commissioners and mayor. We appreciate you being here or the people who are sorry about that, but um I was wanting to make sure I understood why your name, sir.

Oh, thank you very much, James. My name is Thomas M. Burkimire. because my namesake Thomas Burke Meyer I I want to make sure even though he and I share a lot of the same views but I'm the Thomas M Burk Meyer um school teacher for 36 years with so many good people and um my appreciation for all of you tonight starts with your attention. Thank you. I'm puzzled as to Tony yours and and the headphones because I don't know why why headphones on a we have we have commissioners who have hearing loss. Thank you. And it allows them to listen correctly to you.

Thank you very much. That helps me understand um because I want to be understanding as I think you do too and I appreciate this opportunity. What a privilege. Jackson works. And this is beautiful. When I was waiting outside in the cold because the gates were closed on the steps and we had one working elevator, I thought, "Woo, this doesn't look good." The the there it was crowded right out the doors out to the sidewalks. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you for all of you who are being here and for making your voices heard for those who can't be heard because this is only a small piece of the voice that Jackson represents. So I'm so grateful to be here and to be a part of it. And I am glad Tony that your little sign is now no longer there because I want to respect you like I respect the others here that are listening attentively. I came with my phone ready for notes. But my gosh, the people who spoke before me spoke better than I can. And I am so grateful for that, even for those who disagree. And so I'm thankful that we can come to Jackson and do this the way America was meant to be, the way that people used to think that this is why I want to come to America. And that's why our immigration system, which hasn't been repaired in 50 years, how many how many presidencies is that? And our Congress came this close to a bipartisan agreement to help fix the immigration system, but there was a mighty big voice that

said, "No, don't do that." And it didn't pass. it didn't have a chance again. And so they have to go back and try again to make our immigration system work. So my appreciation to every one of you that are listening and making America better because we can listen to each other better by doing it this way. So thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Burky. Hello. Um, am I close enough? No. No.

Is this better?

All right. Uh, well, hello. Um, my name is Alex Scott. Well, my legal name is Ellis Scott, but most of the people in this room probably know me as Alex. Um, I I'd just like to Can we just take a breath for a minute because there's been kind of a lot happening and I'd like to give everybody a moment to just take a deep breath. There we go. Okay. So, I've been taking some notes and I'd like to hit just reiterate some of the major points that I've been seeing a lot of people talking about. So, here are some of the issues just in the order that I have them written down, not a particular order. um safety in our community or the lack of it with ice around or deals with ice. People don't feel like it's safe around here when ICE is around. There's also a lot of concern that deals with ICE decrease trust in our police force creates a culture of fear and that culture of fear leads to people not reaching out when they need help. Being afraid to call the cops or call 911. Um, like someone described earlier, multiple people have described, there was one specific example of the uh the one woman who was with someone in the emergency room right before this. Um, there's also the logistics. The county police are underfunded. There are much better uses for these funds than going to this deal, especially when ICE has billions of dollars in their own budget. Why should we be offering up our limited resources? Um, frankly, it's a misuse of monetary and personnel resources. Uh, and something that I hadn't necessarily thought of up to this point is the impact that this is having on our kids. Because as multiple other people have mentioned, we've had teachers,

we've had parents, we've had people who just work with kids or our kids themselves talking about how stressful all of this is for them, how scared they are, how like we've had a few people talk about how it's impacting performance in school, but we've also had a few people talk about well how clearly it's impacting their own mental health and how even even the kids think that there are much better uses of our resources and our time than going after immigrants when we've got American criminals running around. So, those are the major things. Figured I'd do a little recap. Um, 39 speakers in and yeah, that's it. Keep it up, guys. Am I good? Am I close?

Okay. Hi, my name is Jason Hill. I'm a resident of Jackson. I work at Jackson High School. Every day I go to work and I hear stories of kids being afraid to go to school. Children being afraid to go to school. Children being afraid to go to school. Every day I have to wonder what I owe them. I have to wonder if I have to put my body in between a fascist loser and a child. Even worse, I have to be prepared to decide if someone is an actual representative of the US government or a masked Nazi freak. I'm going to take 20 seconds of my time and I want all of you to think about what you would do in that situation and a masked unarmed or un unidentified ICE agent approaches you. 20 seconds right now. Think how you would react in my shoes. I would have had to have acted by now. So, I hope you guys made your decision. I want you to know that anyone up here who enables this, I will dedicate every fiber of my being to ending your political career forever because you're criminals.

Um, is this close enough? Oh. Oh. Oh, is that better? Yes.

All right. My name is Celeste Ross and I am in Spring Harbor. Um, I am Native American and Mexican. So the reason why this impacts me is because unfortunately I think three of my tribal members were sorry I'm nervous appended by Ice and their Native Americans. They had this land first. Um let's see. I have been kidnapped. I have been abused many ways. neglected by Americans. Um, and you know, I almost wasn't allowed to come here today because my parents were afraid. Um, they actually started giving me talks about if ice got me, what I would do. And I feel like they should not have to do that. they should not have to have to live with fear that their child is going to get taken away from them. Um, and it just, you know, I get scared sometimes to go outside because um of what's been going on in Minnesota and um I do not want to live in fear that I will get apprehended and held even though I have legal documents. Sometimes they do that. Um, and I feel like kids my age should not have to fear about getting apprehended by those people who are supposed to be taking actual criminals and they're taking kids. So, I just wish that you guys would not pass this bill because I do not want to be living in fear and I don't want other kids my age

or immigrants feel this way ever. Thank you. Hello, my name is Ivon Bella and I am a citizen. I'm a Mexican-American and thank you. Very proud of it. and I always grew up wanting to be a police officer and uh ended up becoming a nurse. So, uh instead I decided to uh you know past 20 years taking care of people. So, I'm very compassionate about taking care of, you know, um, others. And, um, sorry, I don't have anything prepared, so I'm kind of just doing it on the whim because I'm pissed off and I'm scared. And, uh, we have Steven Miller who is telling law enforcement people to step down. like he's taking away law enforcement responsibilities and replacing them with people that were January 6 rioters were domestic terrorists and now we expect them to be accountable for people's safety and abide by the law. Border Patrol is now what used to be five to six months ICE. They used to have five to six months of you know um training and now it is down to 47 days. So do you expect those people are going to know the law? Do you expect those people are going to uh not trample over other people's rights or your rights? Because if you don't think that they're going to trample over your rights, you are mistaken. And uh

immigrants, you know, the thing is is is you think that we're up here and we're defending uh criminals. That's not it at all. If if people are criminals, you know, I'm I'm fine with with getting people out that are have committed a a a violent crime, but most immigrants are law-abiding people. And um sorry, I'm just really shaking and really stressed. Um, but most people right now in the past year that have been in detained don't have any criminal convictions. Being here with undocumented is actually a civil infraction. Did you know that? A lot of people think that it's a felony. You always call them illegals. It's not. It's a civil infraction. It's like you're getting a a traffic ticket. Okay? Those people have made a life here. They have raised families and they deserve to be here. just as much as you do. And um so I just I don't want the Gestapo here doing checkpoints and detaining and pulling people out of cars. Do you? Is that what you want? I know I don't. And I ask that you don't either. Can you hear me? All right. My name is Lily Carlson. I am 20 years old and I work as a pharmacy technician with the corrections facility here in Jackson. I have lived here my whole life and the thought of ICE coming to my hometown is disturbing.

I come to you to ask to not go through with helping ICE break up our unity families and drive rips into our community. The children in schools that are scared to come home or go to school. The children that are scared to go to school and come home to no one to parents that are absent because they were taken. That is what I'm scared of. a member of our community that may come along help notify that ICE is in our neighborhoods. They could be killed or injured by ICE as we have seen in Minneapolis. Just to help our fellow neighbor, not alien, not illegal, not criminal, but a neighbor. They are mothers, fathers, students, or your friends. And upon our local officers that are already stretched thin, you wish to have them redirected and assist these monsters. Sorry. Um that disguise themselves as helpful servants. We do not have the resources nor the money to help these people with their agenda. So I ask you, board of commissioners, please do not assist breaking up immigrant families that hold our society together just as much as any other family does. And do not ask this community to help ICE that will inherently harm the image of our officers. This is from a non-paid professional agitator.

Hello. I'm a human. Gina O'Hather of Jackson. Yes, I'm a human. I'm a I'm Gina O'Da from Jackson. The Lord is with me. No one should be against me. Um, we're supposed to love thy neighbors, know our neighbors, help our neighbors. Um, I wasn't planning on talking tonight. I wasn't planning on coming at all. My mom taught me to stand for something or stand for nothing, which I can't stand. I'm in my chair. I got a little sense of humor. But um the few little things that I wrote down is I too have spent many of years as a CEO with a MDOC 16-our shifts back to back to back to back before COVID before we started to lose the America that I knew when I was a child. Um, I don't like to be in public and let people know that I used to be a SEAL. I lost my career because of the overtime. My body couldn't take it no more. While I was there, I got to know why inmates were in their real violent offenders. from sexual offenses, murder that deserved to be in there. And another part that moved me to talk today is there was a Jackson citizen that happened to be a co a Caucasian man that violated my daughter in the store in here in Jackson. I know people heard that it was a

possible lie that was made up. I believe my daughter, Jeremy Alexander, is the one, the former city commissioner. I stand behind my daughter and I stand with all I have. I wish people would start to focus on the kids that need guidance, help, and support with their childhoods because they are our future. I've heard just a couple of people talk about the kids. They need to be invested in because they are our future. There's so many kids that are in need and help, guidance that don't have it in whichever way. There's so many different stories. I know I have 8 seconds. Um, this has taken all of me to come here today to speak out. Uh, my name is Jason Mortz and I live in District 2. Two things. Uh, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office app inmate roster has not been working since December 19th, more than a month ago. This information needs to be available to our community. JCSO says it's a vendor issue. quote, "But rosters for other sheriff's offices that use the same app are working. I checked

in Ohio and North Carolina. I think the JSO a JCSO might be disappearing people by not publishing this roster." Second, by starting your meeting by starting your meetings with a prayer, I assume you're all Christians and live your lives according to its tenants. As a reminder, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were refugees. And the following scripture stands in direct opposition to your 287J agreement with ICE. Listen to these verses and then end your 20 287g agreement with ICE. The Bible tells you so. The Bible tells you that the foreigner is near to God's heart and I quote from Leviticus chapter 19:es 9-10. When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. Next from Deuteronomy 10 18-19. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.

Job 29:16 I was a father to the needy. I took up the case of the stranger. Psalm 146:9 The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. In the Bible, God himself takes up the cause of refugees and immigrants. Exodus 12:49. The same law applies to both the nativeborn and the foreigner residing among you. Sir, you're out of time. I can't keep going with the Bible. No, sir. No. No, sir. All right. Three minutes.

I I I just called yourself Christians earlier tonight. You were all Christians. Three minutes. Your time's up. Um, I'm Nancy Iller. I live in Sandstone. I'm Nancy Iller and I live in Sandstone Township. I'm still You still

Okay. Okay. I'm not a loudspeaker, but um I'm Nancy Iller and I live in Sandstone Township uh in the village of Parma. Um, I had not intended when I came here to speak. Uh, but I just want I just want you to know that it it's so important to resend 287g. Whatever people thought was going to happen or how they were going to help the community obviously is not helping. There is a lot of passion in this group both ways. But I hope you mostly hear how people are fearful and don't see it as something that's going to be helpful. I personally have a son and grandson that don't look like me. I fear for them. I I professionally worked with um police in this county, both city, state, and the sheriff's department, and they I found very committed and well trained. To think that now they are going to be associated with people in uniforms with no names and masks. It seems to me um that as if I was a police officer, I would be very apprehensive about how I'm going to deal with my community um with that associated with me. Um I haven't heard any good thing that could happen and it's attacks on resources if nothing else with a lot of vulnerability I think in terms of suits. So, but I appreciate all of your attention for for listening to all of us in our in our position and viewpoint. Thank you.

My name is Matt Kalaga, District 5. I'm going to go about this a little different if that's okay. Um, I'm not going to regurgitate all the facts and all the things that people have said. So for 10 years plus, I sat in a chair like you. So I understand the weight that you carry. I understand the pressure that you're under. I understand the values that you hold. For 36 years, I have managed service industries, a vast majority of in Jackson, Michigan. I have employed hundreds of your relatives and your family members and your friends. You have shopped in my stores. Some of you have called me names. I have employed the vulnerable. I have employed the halves. I have employed the have nots. I have people of great wealth who shop in my stores and I have people who can barely make it who shop in my stores. I have the very wealthy of Jackson County use my restrooms and people who are uneducated and cannot speak English use my restrooms. I have people of all walks of life who shoplift from me. I have had to call our fine officers multiple times for every walk of life in Jackson County. So I am coming to you to say who do you represent? Do you represent the wealthy?

Do you represent the underserved? Do you represent the vulnerable? Do you represent the educated? Do you represent the uneducated? Do you represent the Christians? Do you represent the sinners? Do you represent the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics, the Lutheran, the atheists, the agnostics? Who do you represent? The country is watching everybody. If I asked right now for everybody in this room to had a phone, the entire room would hold up a phone. Nothing is secret anymore. Every decision that we make is being videoed. I am being videoed right now. And it is going to go everywhere. So nothing that we do is secret. So I'm just going to ask this very simply. Are we going to act and have a place that is safe? Are we going to value our residents? And are we going to do what's right? Thank you.

Good evening, Nate Edwards, Blackman Township. Um, okay. I want to just touch on a few things that were said tonight. First of all, for civility, we must have laws and order, right? We have to have order and that comes from our laws. Understand the immigration mess that we are in, the reason we're having this conversation is a direct result of lawlessness. We need to return to law. We need to enforce the law. Right? So, the lawlessness of open borders of previous administrations has put us in this mess. Now, I want to talk I'm gonna I'm gonna like kind of lightning around this. I want to talk about the the children that are afraid to go to school. Listen, if I had a parent or a teacher that was spinning up this kind of hysterical nonsense every day and I had to listen to it, I'd probably be afraid to leave the house, too. Maybe that's more on us than it is on ICE. All right, so let's talk about the boogeyman because that's what you've been hearing all night. You've been hearing about the boogeyman. A lot of this is just nonsense. You're being asked to consider things that are not part of this agreement, right? So, you're being and I know you guys already know this, right? You're being led down this straw man path, right? So, just ignore that. Um, here's another point I want to make. Uh, touching on something that was said tonight. Hey, guess what? If you're here, there's a right way and a wrong way. If you did it the wrong way, you're illegal. That makes you a criminal. So, it's a you're a criminal. Yep.

Hey. Hey, let's let him talk. Let him talk. Let him talk. Let him talk. All right. So, tax dollars are brought up. All right. Everybody's all of a sudden concerned about their tax dollars training some giving some additional training to our law enforcement. Coming from the same group of people that think it's perfectly appropriate for our tax dollars to go to mutilating and murdering children. Yeah, I said it. So let him talk or your

Sheriff Shy, would you please escort that woman out right there? All right, to my I'm gonna This is going to be my last point. Your your political careers. Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir. Your your This isn't fascism.

Like I said, hysterics. Anyway, let me continue. Your political careers were threatened. But let me reassure you. We did have an election. And in our election, we elected Donald Trump, who ran on what? immigration, deportation, right? And he won. And not only did he win in America, but he won in Michigan and he won in this county. So regardless of how loud the opposition is tonight, you guys need to understand that we the people are behind the decision to renew this agreement and we are behind the sheriff and his enforcement. And we fully support our law officers and the sheriff and thank you for being the first county to do it. God bless you. God bless Donald Trump and God bless America.

Hi, my name is Ashley Hillyard. I'm from Jackson. I have no idea what's about to come out of my mouth, but here we go. First, I would like us to all agree that we're going to rescend our agreement with ICE and not bring their terrorism here so that all these fascists over here will be happy about it. I would like to just purely state that my family came from Germany during World War II after the Gustapo ripped the children away from the family. And I would really not like to see that happen here. I don't appreciate any of you protecting that here in my state that I've grown up in, lived in my entire life. Being undocumented is a misdemeanor at best. And we are wasting so much of this country's money, let alone individual states, counties. We are wasting our money, our resources, our time, and our people's lives on this fascist And it needs to stop before we stop being peaceful. It's on the horizon. If you don't see it, if you let them in here, peace won't last long. Thank you.

My name is Marcy Jenovich. I live in Summit Township, Jackson, Michigan. I'm a certified parallegal advanced with criminal law and procedure specialty. It's very obvious to me that the majority in this room who don't support this um uh ordinance don't know what it says. If you don't want ICE in your community, then you'll support what Sheriff Shudy did because ICE comes to the jail instead of your house or in a patrol car or whatever. If you read the actual provision, it doesn't go to road patrol. It doesn't go any of those places. It goes only to the jail and it goes only to those who have been arrested for committing another crime, not just for being here illegally. So, I applaud Sheriff Shy because he's really the one who's keeping ICE out of your community. and also facilitating the removal of those who are here illegally. Thank you, Sheriff Shudy, and thank you to the county commission.

Hey friends, uh my name is Jamon Bradley. Uh I've been a resident and a pastor here in Jackson, Michigan for the last 14 and a half years. Uh, and for me, I mean, a a religious conviction is that when we welcome the stranger, we welcome Jesus. Um, but I recognize that that's not everybody's conviction. Um, so I think the conviction that I just kind of put on the table before us, I think it's it doesn't have to be about political sides. It doesn't have to be about uh religiousness or anything like that. I think it's it's much of what's being said here tonight is is feels inhumane. Uh and it feels uh you've heard the many voices. There's fear, there's panic. Uh and it's not just for the immigrants, the refugees and uh the marginalized, but it's moved on to to many beyond that as well. And so I think in many ways what's being voiced is like there's got to be a better way forward, a way in which we can find something more loving, more cautious, more care to create the kind of Jackson that we've always hoped to create. And uh I think of the the girl who spoke earlier. Uh I think I don't I don't know that the 49 of us needed to speak. I think if she spoke that pretty much just hit home for me as she kind of wept through all the pain that she feels as she considers the dynamics that we're currently in. So um yeah, I think I just adding to the voice of what's already been said. Thanks. Uh, Bill Richardson, Waterlue Township. I'm going to buck the trend a little bit and not talk about ICE. Um, I uh recently submitted a application for the uh vacancy in the region 2 planning commission. Uh, I have an interest in local planning and zoning. Have been involved in these areas uh some form or another for over 20 years. I spent four years of our on our township planning commission as a township board

representative, have served on our zoning board of appeals, and I've chaired our extraction committee for over 15 years. I had a hand in authoring our township's extraction ordinance and recently co-authored our township's commercial uh solar ordinance. I've also authored other parts of our township uh zoning ordinance when I was on the planning commission. I enjoy keeping up to date on new developments regarding zoning and master plans. And I have recently been watching data centers and have read up on uh the recent lawsuit regarding a data data center land use application in Selen Township. I'm also currently my township's clerk. I feel I would have uh uh some good input for townships submitting their plans uh and also think it would help me better understand uh or better serve my own township by understanding the trends of surrounding municipalities. So, I just want to introduce myself, let you know I submitted a application for Regent 2 Planning Commission and that's it. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Norman Guile and I'm a resident of the city of Jackson. And first of all, I want to apologize if I offended anybody by responding to the lady that was taking Tony sign down. I think my observation, I've only lived in Jackson for about three and a half years and I've been to a couple of hearings here before, but as contentious as this subject is, I'm not surprised that the ratio is probably about four to one. Maybe there's four people against compared to the one person that maybe uh wants to stand uh behind the sheriff. Long time ago, I I read a quote by a Presbyterian minister and it goes something like this. Nothing will keep a man in everlasting ignorance like contempt prior to investigation. What that means to me is I had the opportunity to listen to a lot of people get up and express their beliefs, their opinions, and I know it came from their heart. It's what they believe. The way I made that to my advantage was I listened to them to see if there was anything that they expressed that maybe I could come around to agree with. I didn't come here because I wanted this to be a decisive, you know, us versus them situation. And I hope that we all walk away from here knowing that a little, you know, it got a little

bit heated a couple different times, but overall the respect for each other I think has been outstanding and I commend the board. I uh I support the sheriff. I came here before when they were talking about other needs that the sheriff was asking the county commission to uh be supportive of and you know who you going to call I I am not an anti- uh immigration person. One of my best friends immigrated from Ghana, South Africa. And I have another friend that came from China. I met him when I was going to school. And both of these people, you know, the the one from China is a communist. I didn't try to change his way of thinking. He didn't try to change my way of seeing things either. kid from Ghana. Man, he couldn't wait to get

Sir, you're out of time. Thank you. Thank you.

My name is Gayla Ignashio and I live in the city of Jackson. Um, I just hope I know others have encouraged you to kind of as commissioners look around. These are your people. We're the people who go to the polls. We're the people you represent and work for. Um, I hope you've paid attention tonight. I don't like being dismissed out of hand. I didn't like being dismissed in the lobby Mr. Kennedy. I can't remember if you called us loons or crazies, but when we haven't even approached the commissioners and we get called names in the lobby by a commissioner. Wow. Yeah, we came here in March and April to try and warn you guys of the division this would cause. One of the asks by one of you guys was simply that the lawyers take a look at the possible ramifications of this that was voted down within that meeting or the next meeting. You guys fully were arguing over a sign that was going to be posted somewhere in the county and you made sure to approve that your legal team looked over the ramifications of that. This just boggles my mind. How do you guys function as a board? I can't stand up here and thank you like others have so politely done. I've been so disheartened to see how you work and function. I hope it improves. Um, I'll tell you three stories quickly. Um, as a member of the Jackson County Immigrant Coalition, our hotline received a call from a man actively having a stroke who is too afraid to

call 911 because our sheriff is in agreement with 287G. Fortunately, we had a rapid responder who went to him, took him to the hospital, stayed with him until family arrived. A student today, middle schooler, chatting about her day, stopped, froze. She goes to Napoleon where ice was spotted last week on 50. Oh my goodness, Miss Gayla, guess what? We heard a police siren today in the school and everyone froze and we started to hide. We thought ICE was coming to get somebody. There's a man in our community who worked all summer for one of our businesses who earned $3,000 and then that business owner said, "I know you're an immigrant. You can't call the cops." And refused to pay him the money he earned. ICE is here. We were able to stop a raid at one of the local restaurants. We were able to stop someone from being taken from their home. I am willing to put my beliefs and values and body on the line. Ma'am, your time's up. Thank you. Good evening. Minres Marcy Henrich. I am from Summit Township of Jackson. Um, I am Yosoy Una, Latina, and an American citizen. Um, I'm here to ask you to rescend 287G, please. Um, I have lived all over this country and all over this world. And my husband and I have recently within the last three years decided to make Jackson our home. We've lived in California, Austin, Texas, and moved from Austin, Texas to bring our money to Jackson,

Michigan. I am very fearful for my child who looks more Hispanic than I do when I know we have friends that say your children should not be scared because of what they see. It is not from my home that my child is seeing this. He heard my son and children and classmates and teammates have heard my child and I speak Spanish together because I believe that is a great skill to have and to pass down my knowledge. He is being threatened by his classmates and teammates to have ICE called on him at 12 years old in sixth grade. I am devastated as a mother to try and have to explain to him why his classmates are saying this to him when his father and I have not done this to him. We have talked to his teachers. My husband, the coach of my child's basketball team, has spoken to the players. He understands they are children and has offered them grace. Please, I cannot have my child in fear for his life when we have chosen to move here and spend our money with you all. We are homeowners. We are proud to be here. We love it here. We summered here. We with my husband is from here and we moved here to be back with family. I am devastated that we have made all these choices that we have come to a place where there is hate lives. Please, please do the right thing and protect my child. Hi, u my name is Ralph Seammons. Um I'm a resident of Scio Township in neighboring Washington County. my uh wife and actually my family and I, we um frequent Jackson dining establishments.

We come here frequently. One thing I want to say um as most people wouldn't know, I'm an immigrant. I was born in the Netherlands. Most of my family is German. When I was 16, I moved to Canada. And 27 years ago, I moved to this country. I own two businesses. Um, I hold two passports at this point. I've had three in my whole life. And what I'm what I grew up with, uh, my maternal grandfather was in the resistance. He was actually picked up by the Germans, shipped off to Germany, escaped, came back. What um, my grandmother, he never wanted to talk. He never talked about anything. My grandmother, she was quite open about what had happened during the war. And I as a kid, I heard a lot of stories. But one thing, and I think this is one thing that you might want to start thinking about is your legacy. Because to this day in the Netherlands, people that collaborated with the Germans, the families are still identified. rightly or wrongly, those families are still known as having been collaborators with the Germans. Now, you know what's going on in this country with ICE in particular is not right. There is not a person in this room that will defend a murderer, a rapist that is here illegally to ship them off and ship them back. not one person here. And I find that, you know, this whole narrative about equating criminals with immigrants, um, hopefully you're a little smarter than that and see through that. That's just not what's going on. Okay?

Criminals illegal. Fine. But that's not what's going on. That supposedly is what ISIS mandate is. But we've all seen, you don't have to, unless you've been living under Iraq, you know exactly what's going on. That is not what's going on. People are getting picked up left, right, and center. And why don't I get hassled? Well, I think we all know why. So, I want you to think about 20, 30, 40 years from now, your kids, your grandkids. If you allow yourself and enable your sheriff's department to work with ICE, that's a losing proposition. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Irma Jada. I'm 72. I have lived here my whole life. My family, all every one of them is workers, retired from shops. They came because of the shops here. And let's call a spade to spade. The person in the White House who is a known pedophile, rapist, felon has put all this in in focus here. I have nothing against the sheriff. I have nothing against the city police. We were taught to respect and I have my whole life. I've never gotten in trouble. I've never done anything. But I am very, very scared. I have had open heart surgery. My rib cage is put together with wires. I'm afraid if I comes here, I see them. They're just slamming you down. How How am I going to prove? They aren't even giving you time to prove I'm an American citizen. Even if I say it, I'm going to be dead by the time I get picked up. My grandchildren, who are white, if you've seen them, you would know they're Mexican, and they brag that they're part of Mexican, have been being told that they're going to get caught by ICE. My grandchildren call me in fear because they heard ICE is coming to Michigan. My family has always been respectful. Look at me. and not hide it. You know, the Jews had a star. I'm brown. I'm brown. I'm a target. No matter how we put it, they're I'm a target. I am so scared. I like I said, it is nothing against the sheriff. It is nothing against the police. I am so glad we have them to be here to protect us. Let's put it to get right. Spade to spade. They're Proud

Boys. They're hateful. They're demons. They don't care. And they know they don't have to respect the law. Trump doesn't have to respect the law. A whole bunch of them up in there. And I would like everyone to listen to Sasha Riley's video audio and you will get a whole another story of what's going on. And nobody's talking about it. Not even Trump who should be. So please, I am not against the sheriff. I am not against the police. Please do not let ice in here like that. Give them free reign. Look at there the neighborhood in Minneapolis. That's what's going to happen to us. And that's what I'm fearing. Busting down the door because somebody in my neighborhoods, there's a Mexican living there. That is my fear. That is what I am petrified. Never been so scared in my life as I am now. Especially because I am such shape. Out of shape. Thank you. Hello everyone. My name is Mary Greenman. I have lived in Jackson my whole life, which will be 71 years next month. and I've raised my children here and my grandchildren and I love this city. It's a great place to live. And now I have to carry my birth certificate with me everywhere I go just in case an ICE person wants to ask me if I'm a citizen, if I'm legal. And I've worked my butt off my whole life. And I've

worked hard raising my children. And now at this age, I have to be afraid. Are I hope you're all hearing me what fear is because that's what it is. I mean, as a child, we had bomb scares at school and we had to put a book on our head. Book on my head ain't going to save me from ice. And after last spring when you had your killology at the college, that was super frightening to me because killology is not what you need to be teaching people. I respect the police officers. I respect our government, but things have to change or it's going to get worse. And you're listening to me, sir. I see that. But I hope that you all will use your hearts and your conscience to guide you in what you decide to do with ICE because they don't belong in our city. If you arrest a real criminal, a murderer, turn that person over to ICE. But a lot of the people that they're apprehending are not true criminals. I'm not a criminal and I still have to be afraid. I hope you all will listen to what I've said and take it into your heart and take it into your thoughts. And may we have a moment for Renee Good. I thank you all for hearing me. Good evening, Mr. Chair and commissioners. My name is Nancy Smith and I'm a Jackson County resident, but

I'm here tonight uh in my capacity as um I'm on the staff of State Senator Sue Shank and she asked me to deliver a short message from her um which I have um to acknowledge the moment we're in and to acknowledge all of the deeply held beliefs in this room. and I will let her know. And I want to thank everyone for sharing your heartfelt thoughts, beliefs, and messages. And also everyone for your heartfelt listening. I'm sure she'll appreciate it. Okay, these are uh Senator Shanks words. I support an immigration system that is stable and predictable. A system that allows people who want to be part of our community, who want to be Americans, a clear path to citizenship. And when people follow that path, they should be treated with dignity and respect. And eventually, by following the rules of our system, they can become citizens. At this time in history, we don't have that. People who have been following the rules, sometimes even people who are citizens today, are being abducted by masked men operating out of unmarked vehicles and some are being disappeared even in our state. Instead of focusing on people who represent a danger to our community and ensuring that due process is given to all according to the constitution, ICE is terrorizing citizens as well as immigrants who are valued members of our communities. sometimes leaving children orphaned or

alone and sometimes beating or killing people for reasons that at least one judge has said are illegal. Sheriff Shudy and his officers are trusted members of this community and we rely on them to keep us safe. The office of the Jackson County Sheriff risks losing the trust of this community through its alliance with ICE as ICE engages in increasingly inappropriate and illegal behavior. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. Uh Amy Hawkins, Plask Sky Township. It is an honor to be before you again. It's been a while. Thank you um to each of you for your service. Um I want to say thank you to all of my fellow citizens here in the room and to those that have left, those that agree with me and those that disagree with me. I think we should celebrate tonight the fact that we live in this awesome nation that we have a forum that we can come and speak publicly before our distinguished leaders. That we can agree to disagree and do it with respect. That is something that we should all walk out feeling very hopeful about. I am hopeful as I look forward. I stand here in strong support of Sheriff Shudy and his deputies and law enforcement. But what I would also like to say to all those that maybe disagree with me, thank you for your courage to speak up because it is good for me to hear your side of the story and where you're coming from. And if we can be honest, all of us are going to make Jackson County better by um learning and listening to one another, learning and growing together. Nobody has everything right, but we sure have a lot of truth that we can celebrate. I

would like to respectfully remind all of us when we are in crisis, home invasion, we're threatened, who do we call? 911. It is not just anybody that chooses to pick up that phone and to answer our call for help. It is an officer that chose whether it's ICE, whether it's military, whoever it is, they chose to make the sacrifice to stand between you and me and danger. And so all I'm asking tonight is as we walk out of here that we will remember the ICE agents. No matter where they're at across the nation, they are men and women, husbands, wives, sons, daughters. They have dreams and hopes and they are trying to do their best to do a good job. Are there bad apples? Absolutely. Are there bad humans? Absolutely. Are there bad everything? Absolutely. But there sure is a lot of good. I have had the honor of getting to know and work alongside Sheriff Shudy. And can I just offer this one tip from a fellow citizen? How many of you have invited Sheriff Shudy or any of his team to come to your community gatherings to explain the policies they're weighing to explain how they handle law enforcement or how they handle issues? Could I just invite you to be a part of their public openhouse that they do during the summer? get to know them. You will find them to be men and women of the highest quality that would lay down their lives in a moment for us and who care deeply about all who live in this community. Thank you, commissioners. Hello. Thank you all for your wrapped attention and your patience tonight. We're all tired. My name is Kaylee Lefir.

Thank you.

And I am a resident of Summit Township. And all of you in front of me made your stance very clear when you originally made the decision to agree to 287G, even if you did not realize the full implications at that time. Committing to policies like these is a slippery slope. Please know that we are not delusional. We know we can't change your minds with feelings and anecdotes, but we're educated. We're pleading. And we're your voters. And I'm still here using my privilege. Even after recently having surgery and being treated for a pulmonary embism, I should be at home recovering and safe. However, I cannot truly feel safe if my neighbors do not feel safe. The family that I married into helped build this community and has created opportunities that everyone in this room has benefited from. Not all of that family would agree with me being here and speaking. In fact, my husband even joked that he wouldn't bail me out if I got in trouble going out tonight. But my son will be proud of me. That's why I can't be quiet. Because if you're complacent in the face of tyranny, you support the oppressor. I personally am ashamed that racism, profiling, and the blatant disregard for due process has become the norm. And I hope you feel ashamed if you support any of those items as well. I truly support the sheriff's office and the police community here. They have kept us safe. They have been trusted. And I don't want to lose that trust.

Those who do not heed the warnings of history are doomed to repeat it. And just following orders does not hold up in court. Thank you. Hello. Hello. My name is Annie. I'm an immigrant. I'm from Indonesia. And in Indonesia, it's only a police and army who own the gun. Meanwhile, in America, it's everybody can have a gun for safety and anything. My mom, my family is afraid when I'm going here. Why? Because my seven is there is a lot of people can shoot me drunk on people and others and there is an eyes coming they are cover their face why it covers their face the second one they doesn't have like name only like the initial like we don't know and it's make me afraid double afraid triple afraid because that could be I'm the target too I'm Asian I'm Muslim I'm a brown yellow whatever it And it's very well known that people white people mostly is doing the you know like seeing like the people who have a color it's lower. So I'm like easily target for people that it and I want to say that I love America. I love a lot of people here. I love the Jackson. It's pretty nice. And I want like all of you here who have a power of it to help us to protect us because I know I don't have a guarantee that I can still live tomorrow. Everyone can target me and I want all of you to protect us because what all of you someone will have a power than us. Thank you.

I'm John Grieman. I'm a resident of Jackson County. Have been for 55 56 years. Uh most of you I see are about the same age as me and some are younger. And my father and my uncles all fought in World War II. And my mother was a Rosie the Riveter. And they fought against the regime that we are facing right now in this country. The same type of regime. They're pulling people out of their homes, kicking their doors in, throwing them into jails, and some are dying. And it's just a disgrace to this country. It's not just me or the people that here agreeing with me. It's the world. The whole world is looking at us and saying, "What in the world are these people doing over there?" This was the United States of America. And here we are pulling people out of their homes, smashing into their cars, dragging them out, breaking their windows out of the cars to drag them out. And half the time they're not even illegal. They're American citizens and they're just treating them like well I won't say what the president of the United States says but that's the way he's treating them in uh as far as we the people. We the people did not elect Donald Trump. Some of the people elected Donald Trump, but I for one did not vote for him ever and never would. I've never agreed with the man. I've never liked the man. And I've always thought he's disgusting piece of human waste. And uh what he does in this country is just pathetic. And a lot of the people I've listened to have all said the same thing as a I'm feeling is that it's just a disgrace to

have these people being humiliated in front of their own families being drugged out, zip tied in the streets, and then thrown into police cars and dragged off. Now, I actually know some police officers, my own self. I have a nephew who's a police officer and he went to school and we have some police officers here tonight and I'm sure they went to school to become a police officer. Spent probably a couple years in college and then went throughmies and these people that are ICE agents are getting two weeks training. They don't even go to an academy. They just I don't know what they're doing train how they're training them because they're not learning any law. They're not learning anything other than be disruptive and destroy this great country of ours. It's just terrible. I cannot believe what's going on. It just I'm in awe of what's happening in this country. And I know that this officer right back here is probably went to college. I'm sure he did. And he learned some law and went to Sir.

Sir, you've used up all your time. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much. At this time, the administrator control would like to address the audience.

Uh thank you. Uh the two main elevators in the lobby out there are offline. We're not sure why. Um but it is real. We have a stair over here that I would rather you not use. It's five stories of spiral. You know how those triangle steps are. They're difficult at best. We have another elevator back here in this corner that will take you down to the first floor. And we have a stair that's like normal. Um so, uh for those of you who need to use the elevator, feel free. And of course, those who can use the stair, feel free as well. But try to avoid that one up there unless you're really in for a challenge. It's legal and all and safe, but you really got to be nimble. I know I've struggled with it myself. Yeah. FYI, we're all safe. Everything's good. We can continue. Just want you to know though that's the case. Don't don't run the for the elevators because they're not working.

Thank you for the opportunity. Have we completed the first round of public comment? We can talk again at the end of the meeting. At this time, I'd entertain a motion for the minutes. So moved. I have a motion and support. Any questions or corrections from the minutes of the December meeting? Commissioner Bear.

Thank you, Chairman. At this uh December meeting, I made a motion. It was supported. We had a discussion and then the person that supported the the motion initially withdrew their support and so it doesn't even show up in the minutes. your mic on. So, our current minutes are not even a accurate record of what transpired at the meeting.

Your your concern is that the minutes do not reflect the conversation that was had with the removal of support to your motion. Is that correct? That's kind of what I'm concerned with. What I'm really concerned with is we had a discussion. I made a motion and it doesn't even appear anywhere. So these minutes are not an accurate reflection of what transpired at our meeting. Well,

and I've looked also if we look at Robert's rules of order 482. Our minutes are not compliant with Robert's rules of order. They're also not compliant with Robert's rules of order 484.6. If you believe that way, what would you like had added to the minutes, please? I would like the minutes to reflect. I'm asking for you to give me right now what you would like added to the minutes, please. Mr. That's what I was doing. If you'll stop interrupting me. Under 17B, animal control,

we need to add to it that a motion and you have the exact wording. A motion was made to require certain procedures from our animal control officers. The motion was seconded. There was discussion. Then the second was removed. That needs to be said in the minutes. So the minutes at least reflect

the discussion that we had. Madame clerk, could you please review the videotape and add those items to the minutes, please? Be my pleasure. Anything else to be added to the minutes? No. But what how are we proceeding from here? You asked the clerk to I just asked the clerk to to add to the minutes what was said that's on the videotape by you and the other commissioner. They'll be added. So the minutes are amended.

Thank you. Yes sir. All in favor please say I. I. Those opposed dy carried. Mr. Chairman. Yes sir. Can I move that we take that we stand at ease for 10 minutes? No, sir. We're going to finish the meeting. No, sir. We're going to finish the meeting. We've arrived at the consent agenda. Have a motion on the consent agenda. I have support. Any items for removal? Yes. Commissioner Bear

like to remove 12B Armory Farmers Market Project Road Jackson lease.

That becomes item 14A. Folks, for clarification, was Commissioner Bear's request to remove consent item 12B is in Boy? Yes. Armory. The Army Farmers Market. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Anything else for removal for discussion? No.

Are you ready? The clerk will post the vote at this time. It'll appear on your computer. I'm a Yes. I just want it for The vote is posted. Mr. Chair,

standing committee.

Standing committee public safety and transportation chaired by Vice Chairman Corey Kennedy. Commissioner Kennedy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, sir. We have uh one item of business tonight. That's an appointment. It's for the region two planning commission. The position is currently vacant. At the time of the committee meeting, there were no applicants. However, an applicant has come in. His name is Bill Richardson. And I would put forth Mr. Richardson. Is there any other nominations from the floor? Hearing none. All in favor of Phil Richardson, please say I. I. I. Those opposed. Duly carried.

Congratulations, Mr. Richardson. Anything else, Commissioner Kennedy? No, sir. That concludes business. Thank you. Standing committee's general government chaired by Phil Duckham. Vice Chairman Walls is standing in. Vice Chairman Wall standing committee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, we're bringing back the Armory Farmers Market for discussion. I would like to have um I see Kyle's here. Would you like to speak to that for us, please? Yeah, I'd be happy to answer any questions. And I did uh provide some additional information as a followup from the committee meeting. Uh it seemed like the main question revolved around uh the lease payout to the county. So there are some um three different uh options in the uh additional information provided. One is how it's currently proposed as well as a comparison to uh an existing lease with the county.

Questions, commissioners? No. Well, yeah, I'll I'll take the floor if I could, please, Mr. Yes, sir. Okay. I appreciate the work you did putting forth the three options of the one being the initial giving a a dollar rent for the first two years and then transition into 8% along with 8% from year one on and then uh an acrewing one from 2 to 4 to 888. My question is the estimates you're getting on the sales. I'm assuming that's provided from the individual proposing yeah the operation. These are Groj Jackson estimates. Yes.

Okay. And and how are we going to verify the the numbers each quarter? Um so I I'm sure in the lease there it talks about an audit. We would typically uh have our finance director uh help with reconciling our uh statements. If I It'll all be tracked on a POS system. I'm hearing from Yes. Yes.

If if I may answer that also. We do have a system that we use through our financial a uh department administrative services that tracks currently a million dollar loan that was given to Zimmer Marble to do their environmental work and we received an un we audited balance sheet and income statement from him once a year. Okay. And that gets reviewed and approved and I assume will follow the same pathway here because we have a system that works well. You're talking about for other places like the ice cream stand. Yes, sir. Yeah. Okay. I appreciate the explanation.

Further questions? Commissioner Bear.

Thank you, Chairman. I'm still disappointed that the rent for the first two years is $1 a year. That's I just don't believe that's fiscally responsible. today at uh 11:15 this afternoon, 11:12, long after the deadline for getting things added to the agenda, an email was sent out included a document from Jackson County Parks uh about the Grow Jackson lease revenue. talks about the below are three potential scenarios. One scenario is the one that's currently been considered in the lease, but then two other scenarios are discussed here. So my I have a question is some are we at this point contemplating changing the lease from what we have been discussing for two months and are we actually thinking about considering these other two alternatives? The administrator controllers's office put together those two other alternatives at the request of the board from Monday's meeting of general government. There was brought up then by then Vice Chairman Kennedy that a consideration should be made and the administrator controller informed the board of commissioners that on Tuesday night if the if a commissioner would prefer one of the other options that we would be happy to instill that language into the contract and the leaseolder Gro Jackson was

willing to accept one of the three. He just told us on Monday that his payback would be longer before he would actually be making a profit. So what we're looking for tonight is either the board of commissioners to accept the $18% to accept the 248 option or the 888 option. And I'm willing to make the motion that we go with the 248 option at this time. If there is support for that, I'll support it.

Commissioner, Vice Chairman Kennedy has supported the 248. Commissioner Bear, your question.

Yes. All three of these scenarios here in year one and year two talk have costs for the cafe bar and costs for the events vendors. All of our discussions leading up to us, those two those options are for years three, four, and five. How did they now get put into years one and two? We haven't discussed, we haven't approved the cafe bar. We haven't approved the events vendors and but yet all three options have those items in there for years one and two.

Administrator Overton, it seems to me that we're really changing this program.

Actually, um we're not. the the contract is uh such that uh it grow it ch the contract is such that when he grows those fees become uh evident. So really what happens is uh you know zero um 8% of zero is still zero. Uh this is a new structure uh a new venture and we're going to walk before we run. This is going to be a farmers market and we all know what a farmers market is. Uh if Gro Jackson performs uh the way they believe they can, that will grow into a farm stop and right on through the progression where they may very well have a cafe, um beer sales, things like that. Rather than going and having to revisit the contract every time Grow Jackson advances and wants to change up their program, we put a contract together that deals with it all. So the first year it may very well just be a farmers market. Obviously, we will receive no income uh on the rent, no 8% of uh well, the first year the motion is 2%. So, there would would not receive 2% of cafe sales if there are no cafe sales. But rather than change the contract every time they change what they're doing, we wrote one contract and over time uh if they achieve success, we're successful. But but with but with this program that's laid out here every discussion was that later not year one or year two later the cafe bar would be discussed and approved at that time and the events vendors would be discussed after year two. So besides just the fee structure, are we approving the cafe bar in year one? Personally, I don't think he's

going to achieve year one cafe results, but regardless of that, why go back and keep changing the contract? We have it all set up now to and as the the board just has a motion on the table, 248. What that means for everyone's benefit is the first year gross sales we would receive 2% in rent from the gross sales. Second year it'd be 4%. Third year and thereafter would be 8%. The idea of a contract like this where you're using percentage of gross is that the more successful they are the more su the more rent they pay to be honest. And at some point we hope they have such success that they come back and say time out 8% is way too much of our multi-million dollar operation. You never know. I can dream uh and I can understand why that would be the case. But then we can negotiate what one would consider fair market value uh given a neighborhood in a community in which we live and work. But for now it is perfectly fine. They cannot uh sell alcohol without a state permit anyway and that's not up to us. Uh so there will be no revenue unless they get a permit from the state but our contract can clearly cover all that regardless. So, what we're saying, Tony, is that Grow Jackson can grow at its own rate for the next five years, and we're going to help them along by letting them choose what they want to do and how fast they want to do it, but we're still going to make our revenue from each item.

Okay, we've discussed this for a couple months. Now, at the last minute, I got this email at 11:12 this afternoon. We're changing everything that we've ever discussed for two months. I want to go back to study session.

Tony, we're not changing everything. I'm asking you to be intelligent and pick from one of three options in a lease agreement on what a business can do so it can begin doing its business. It wants to get to work. It wants to make money. And it's a private sector operation. So, we want to get it going. We're not going to sit and wait and keep procrastinating on this month after month. You have before you a complete lease agreement. The only thing you don't have in it is what the lease what the lease payment is going to be. And it's based on a percentage of 2% the first year, 4% the second year, and 8% the third year. That's not in the lease agreement that I have.

Yes, it is. Well, no. It's in what Mike Overton sent you today, sir. He's asking you to to attempt to comprehend what we're trying to do. So, we're trying to take a lease agreement. That's all done. That was done with $1 for the two first two years.

I'm going to remove the $1. I'm going to remove the $1 and I'm going to charge the guy 2%. So, if he makes $10, I'm going to get 2% of it. If he makes $100,000, I'm going to get 2% of it. And then next year, I'm going to get 4% of what he makes. And then year three, four, and five, I'm going to get 8%. Okay, I understand. It's just disappointing that we discussed this for two months and at the last minute. Actually, we've been talking Actually, Act actually we've been talking about it for four years.

Okay. After four years, at the last minute, we make some major changes. Okay. I'm ready to vote. You ready to vote? Thank you, Mr. Commissioner Willis. Thank you, Mr. Chair. K, my question was simply the the IFP proposal. What what did we have in that proposal and are we changing that? We had the $1 at the first two years and then 8% uh after that. So the first two years. Yes. And then 8% each year after that. Okay. So we're changing that now. We're making it instead of $1 2%. Okay. Instead of $1 the second year 248. Yeah. 248 sir.

Okay. And Mr. Vincendio feels that those are all meetable goals. Could you restate the motion, please? Yes, ma'am. The motion I have on the floor is to approve the 2%, 4%, and 8% option. Did I understand that correctly, Mr. Chair and vice chair? Yes.

So, you were asking us to vote to approve and amended contract. I'm not I'm not asking you to amend the contract yet. I'm asking you to set the rental rate 2% 4% and 8%. First that'll be inserted in the contract and we'll vote on that separately. You can vote up or down things or whatever you'd like to do. What would you repeat the motion that's on the floor? Yes. The motion on the floor is to approve the 2%, 4%, and 8% option.

Thank you. Mr. Bayer, you're the last vote I'm waiting on.

Uh motion it carries. It is posted. Now we're to the lease agreement. Entertain a motion for the lease agreement as amended. We have a motion and support. Questions to the lease agreement hearing? None. Madame clerk, could you post the vote?

It is posted. Wait to see if it works. The vote is posted. Carries. Thank you, commissioners. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Kyle. Commissioner Walls. That concludes the business of the uh standing committee for general government. Thank you. Standing Committee Human Services chaired by Commissioner Earl Pleski. Commissioner Pleski.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have appointments tonight. There are four openings on the Department on Aging Advisory Council for terms expiring in December of 2026. We have for the four uh openings, we have one applicant at the moment. That is Mary Baird and she is the committee recommendation for one of the four opening seats. Any nominations from the floor? All in favor of Mary Bear, please say I. I. I. Those opposed? Duly carried. Commissioner Pleski. That's all we have tonight, sir. Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir. We've arrived at unfinished business. There is none before the board. We're at new business. Administrator controller policy 60 4060 on voting. I will politely ask the clerk if there's any questions on this. My recommendation, correct? Yes. Thank you. Uh, no, I don't have any questions. This was my recommendation. Correct. That's what I'm If they have any questions, you're going to answer them. How's that sound?

I'd be happy to answer any questions. This is basically uh going with how we practice our meetings and our voting and roll calls today. So, this is uh updating to what our current practice is. Looking for a motion. Have a motion from Snell. Support from Walls. Questions? Commissioner Bear. Thank you.

Thank you. We were given a what was said to be a red line, but it's not actually. Um the current policy is as it is written has paragraphs Roman numeral 1 2 3 4. The proposed change has paragraphs section 61, section 62, section 63, and section 64. What is the point of or it that wasn't redlined. So, why was that change made? That's my first question. I got another one. And what does the 6.1 refer to?

Administrator. Deborah doesn't have an answer for you.

Okay. Then I'll move on to my second question. and then I'll make my motion to amend the I brought this up at our first meeting because the wording was contrary to our practice. the wording would be awkward to follow and so I suggested that we change this policy to reflect what have we been doing for the last seven years. The sentence in question is um well it's in paragraph three or section 63 if you wish. When the roll call when a roll call vote is taken, the role shall be car called by the member's name in numerical progression by district. Now what what I find confusing the first member to vote shall be in continuous rotation from the previous meeting and that gets what really difficult. So if this meeting I make the first motion or I get called on and it goes to Corey according to our current policy the next meeting it starts with Earl and somebody has to keep track of who voted at the last meeting the last time. So I suggested we take out rotating from the previous meeting. What is what has changed here is the first member to vote shall be in continuous rotation from the previous meeting starting over each month. Well, that's still a confusing awkward statement.

The words starting over each meeting should just be eliminated because that that just makes doesn't not make sense. So here is and if people will pass this on quickly and not sit on it and hold it. Margie, would you pass this around? This is the motion that I would like to make that the sentence that we've been questioning. The first member to vote shall be in continuous rotation in numerical progression. Period. and the words from the previous meeting struck out. That makes it a much easier procedure to follow. It makes a sentence that makes sense. It's a sentence that does not contradict itself as the current proposal does because the current the current wording is from the previous meeting. Have you started over your motion, Mr. Commissioner Bear?

Have you made a motion? Is that your motion? I would make a motion. All you have to do is say yes or no. Yeah. I make this motion. Support. All in favor? I. Those opposed? Duly carried. Thank you, Vice Chairman. Welcome. Thank you, Corey. We've arrived at public comment. You have two minutes to address the board at this time. You cannot share your time with other members of the public. Public comment is now open. Please state your name.

Uh just to make sure I understand the rules correctly, I am allowed to speak once per Yes. Okay. Just making sure. Uh, well, I'll introduce myself again. Uh, my name is Alex Scott. Uh, legal name Alex Scott, but most of the people in the room are going to know me by Alex. Um, and I, I guess, like I said last time, I've been taking notes this entire time. So, I just want to say this one thing. Um, well, I guess I guess I can't say that I want to say multiple things, but only have so much time. But 63 people spoke in the last public comment section. One person talked about something that wasn't ICE related. Mad respect, honestly. Um, one person I couldn't entirely make out what their stance was because I did not know who they were and therefore did not know didn't have any context for what they were saying, which was very vague. Um, eight people specifically said that they were for the 287 G deal. 53 said that they were against it. Those 53 gave statements from all walks of life. Some more logistics related and some were given by kids standing up here shaking and in on the verge of tears. Regardless of what you think of any of that, I think it's clear that 287 GL is just it's not worth it. It's a drain of resources. It's a drain of personnel, money. It's a drain of public trust.

And I hope that you will fully fully consider what this deal means to the people of the county. Thank you. My name is Toby Baker. I'm a resident of Jackson City. Uh the city of Glendel terminated its contracts with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. Let this be a model of how the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and the county commissioners could respond with thoughtfulness to the concerned members of their community who have all spoken today. The Glendel Police Department is trusted and supported by its residents. In turn, our officers work every day to protect and to serve with professionalism and care. At this time, it is in our best interest not to allow that trust to be undermined. They explained how they had worked to build a department and a city based on transparency, safety, trust, stating, and this is from them. Nevertheless, despite the transparency and safeguards the city has upheld, the city recognizes that the public perception of ICE of the ICE contract, no matter how limited, no matter how carefully managed, no matter the good, has become um divisive. Um I again call you to withdraw from the 287g program. Thank you.

My name is Isaac Furnus. I'm a resident of Jackson City, uh, I believe district 7, right on the the cusp. Um, so I just wanted to speak to some of the specific dollar amounts of the legal liability that those 287g agreements put us through. Um, it's been around for much more than a decade. So there are many lawsuits and legal precedences that address this. In Meckllinburgg County of North Carolina, training supplies, salaries for four weeks, training plus staffing costs for only 10 ICE trained deputies was $500,000. But uh after adding in the cost of detaining immigrants, it cost the county $4.8 million. The first year of operating the program in Meckllinburgg County uh cost a total of $5.3 million. The first full year of operation in the state's Alamance County cost $4.8 million. In Prince William County and Virginia, the estimated cost is $6.4 million annually and it was $25.9 million for 5 years. The initial costs were much higher than anticipated and the board of commissioners there had to raise property taxes by 5% and also reduced funds that they were able to give to police and fire services. The costs associated with the program have been insurmountable for some agencies. We've got sheriffs in Texas and Wisconsin that recently ended their counties 287g programs because they did not have the resources to continue. In North Carolina, two jurisdictions each spent around $5 million in the first year to implement the program. Maricopa County, Arizona had created a $1.3 million deficit after implementing the program for just three months. One county in Virginia had to raise property taxes and take money from its rainy day fund to implement its 280G program, which cost $6.4 million in its first year. I have a whole half page more of examples that I could get to had I the time. It is not worth it. Please withdraw from 287G. Thank you for your time.

I didn't get up the first time, but this time I couldn't resist. There was so many people that got up to speak and they were talking about their kids being afraid. Who's making these people afraid? I can't figure it out. Have they got parents that are feeding into them kids that they should be afraid to go to school? I mean, either they're listening to teachers that are giving fear to these kids, but I don't understand it. I just don't understand how many could have come up and felt that fear. You know, the Bible tells us that we don't have to fear when we're doing what's right. If only if we're criminals do we have to worry about fear. God gave me a spirit. He did not give me a spirit of fear. He gave me a spirit of love and and a sound mind and no fear. No fear. So, it's just I was just amazed. I was just amazed. These people that came across the border during the Biden administration when they came into our country illegally, they were a criminal. I mean, is that so hard to understand? They're criminals. So if they come in this country and then make theirel known by committing a murder or whatever crimes they want to do, why wouldn't they expect people to come and get them? For goodness sake, our country is a nation of laws. So please uh accept the fact that there are a majority of the people, not because there was a majority here of the people against the sheriff. We want our sheriff. We love our sheriff. We voted for him. We're going to keep voting for him. And I'm just pray that everybody's going to finally wake up and see what is

going on with our country that they believe they got to be afraid.

Hello. Uh Bill, Bill Richardson again. Um, I for one am happy to see our immigration laws finally being enforced. Uh, these laws were introduced and passed not by President Trump, but by Congress over the last several decades. It's these same laws that were being used by President Obama when he deported millions of people miraculously without any protests. As such, I expect our county sheriff to cooperate with federal law enforcement and the actions they are taking to enforce federal law. This doesn't mean I expect our sheriff to help ICE capture criminals on ISIS's watch list, but they should certainly hold them if they have them arrested for some other reason. And they should of course handle any unrest that comes from protesters in Jackson County who violate the law trying to stop ICE from enforcing laws passed by Congress. Without this support, you will see the chaos you now see in Minnesota. ICE is operating without incident in most states and cities. This is because most states and cities aren't resisting federal agents who are enforcing federal law. If people have an issue with the immigration laws, they should lie to change those laws, not obstruct the men and women working to uphold existing laws. Thank you. Hello. Uh Cole Manny, Pleasant Lake. Uh just to address some of the points that were brought forward, uh it is to say that you are not in control of what happens to people after they are out of your custody. Um and I happen to think that these people are oftentimes the best of our community members. Um, in the allegations that have come out and the many cases of evidence incidences where people have been assaulted in ICE detainment means that when you vote for this, you are condemning people to the

possibility at least of being brutalized while in ICE detainment. And I can't make you see my way when it comes to immigration enforcement. I don't think that, you know, I've said anything tonight that would make anyone think that I'm for lawlessness or that I'm a paid agitator by the Democratic Party. We have a serious problem in this country where elite interests take precedent over what people actually want to happen. People are frustrated with their lives and with their livelihoods. I don't think that brutalizing people, like many of the cases of rape that have come out recently especially, fixes any of that. And I hope that you search your conscience. I know that I can't convince any of you to vote differently than what you've probably already decided after listening to us for multiple hours. But I'm not paid to be here. I'm tired. I live here and uh I've got nothing else left to say. Thank you.

Hello again, Melissa Hiller. Um, Summit Township, I just felt like it needed to be pointed out. This was that tonight was quite a an unhinged mob rule kind of a night. And um, since it was mentioned earlier that wow, this is really great. We get to share ideas and listen to each other. I just wanted to point out that that didn't happen. Actually, I couldn't believe I tried to come up here and say what I wanted to say. Everybody talked over me or talk behind me, threw me off. Um, and then as I'm watching this entire room, I thought for a second after things got a little heated and then calmed down. I thought, "Oh, well, you know what? It's actually kind of calm right now." Well, it was calm because it was all this side talking for a really long time. But the second somebody else came up with an opposing view, they just came unglued and with their booze and and then there was somebody he was a teacher being so proud that he's looking out for these kids and how you I mean all of the good stuff. They all had all the bleeding hearts and all the kind words and they're the good side. But then um yeah, there was a teacher who came up and I watched him the entire time harass Sheriff Shy telling him he's a fascist pig leaning at leaning over and then he tells somebody else how oh I've been afraid I'm afraid he's not like he's not protecting me but they're creating this environment with their own hostility and it's so frustrating to watch because they didn't come to listen they only they think they're the only voices that should be heard and so yeah it was it was a tough night. I don't know how you did it. I don't know how you view all of this stuff. That could not have been an easy night. So, I thank you for listening. I don't Oh, actually, you know what? I do have a second left. If I can read something real quick. Um, this was just a meme that I thought kind of points out the hypocrisy. And it said, "Oh, look, son. Rioters are shooters, arsonists, um, rapists. They're here to teach us all about peace." And

shoot, my thing covered it. Sorry. It was about peace and equality. So anyway, it was just, you know, come on people, get real. So anyway, thank you. Sorry, I totally blew my joke, but I stand before you as a white privileged woman and I know that. I ask and I speak for your last name, please. Schuman Algre. Thank you.

You're welcome. I speak for others who can't come and give their name and speak due to fear of retribution. I also want you to know that I'm not a member of an angry mob. I respected the pe people that were speaking before us as they should respect those who also spoke and nor will I call them names. Um I did want to state that multiple jurisdictions have ended their 287g agreements. I'm not going to name them because someone has already done that. But I will mention that there were two in Michigan. One was in central line county due to significant public outcry, Jennese County due to difficulty in getting officers trained. It's not something that cannot be done. Why should these um agreements have been ended? They've also been linked to other concerns for liability. Racial profiling um is one of the most common re reasons that's been leading to federal investigations and lawsuits. Community opposition. Strong local push back has encouraged municipalities to withdraw or to reject new agreements. Resource diversion. Sheriffs sometimes find the program diverts um resources from their core public safety. I know that ending 287g is not going to end ICE and it will not remove them, but I believe that it will personally increase trust. I also want to say I'm not asking you to be complicit with any part of what's happening in our country. I will also tell you that I respect our sheriff's department. I respect the job that they do and I respect the protection that they do for this community and I respect the job you do and I really hope that you will take a lot of these things into consideration as your evening ends. Thank you. Kirk Cole, Leone Township. I want to speak to you on an entirely different issue because uh it's obviously needed. Um it's more about budgeting and it's

more about who um dedicates their budget towards certain things that the police officers are going to need like your 800 hertz um radios that are coming up. I know that you both have portable ones. I know there's ones mounted in cars. Um, and I think it's important to know that obviously the state police are going to fund the state police when they need their radios. The county should fund the county police for their radios. And the same should be true for every township. If the townships cannot afford u what it takes to outfit their police officers, then they need to start thinking about possibly um leaning towards the county for a quote for what it would take to do law enforcement in their area and possibly give up their law enforcement in their townships if they cannot afford them. Uh, I say this as an ex trustee on Leone Township to where obviously we had to buy everything to outfit our police. Um, when I was on the board, uh, we knew that the county was going to do the first time buying of the, I believe it was 2017, they bought the radios from us, but we were for us, excuse me, but we were supposed to have an outlied plan or an out uh, for 10 years later and obviously that's came to date now. So the long and short of this is townships have to be responsible for out outfitting their police officers with the appropriate tools to do the job. So if they want to outsource it to the county, county should be happy to buy them the radios at that point when they work for the county as county police officers. So thank you and uh hope you guys have a great night.

Any other public comment? Seeing none, Commissioner comments. Commissioner Bear. Thank you, chairman. I'm just going to refer to the different groups as the Democrats and the Republicans because that's pretty much what they were. Um, the Democrats seem to be not in touch with previous past history. It was Bill Clinton that deported 13 million illegal aliens. George Bush deported 10 million. Barack Obama deported 10 million. So deporting people that came here illegally isn't anything new. Um these people are just suffering from TDS, Trump derangement syndrome. It's a mental order disorder that you get that's contagious. Depends who you hang out with. Um why do the kids not feel safe? Well, we have teachers that are telling them they shouldn't be safe. Our teacher here today, Jason Hill from Jackson High, he was the only one that used vulgar language that I noted tonight. And he's teaching our kids and he's he's a Democrat, so we know which way he's leaning. I got a lot I got some static when people were standing all over. There were people standing behind me. There were people standing pretty much where the camera is now. Some lady kept looking at me because I I can listen and I can look this way. And the Democrats were saying they don't

feel safe. Well, I don't feel safe when I got people on the opposite side of the political spectrum from me circling around behind me. I don't trust people behind me. And it's the Democrats that get violent. That's why I didn't trust them behind me. I could hear everything was being said, but I was keeping an eye on them until I couldn't take it anymore. And I told him, "Get out of here." So, my fears were proved correct a little later in the meeting. Republicans don't attack Democrats when we have differences of opinion. It's only the Democrats that physically attack the Republicans just like that lady did. She came stomping up here. She thought because we had different opinions, she was init entitled to take what was mine. She was entitled to be aggressive, physical, steal my stuff. Only Democrats do that. ICE is No, I had my sign up here before she stole it, but I love ICE. Yeah, we need ICE. Um, Donald Trump campaigned on getting the e illegals out. He won the popular vote. He won the electoral electoral college. He won the seven swing states. That's a mandate from the citizens of the nation. He said he's going to have ICE get rid of the illegals. He's just following through on a campaign promise. It just shows he has integrity and his campaign promises

mean something to him. He's following through and I love him for that. I support our sheriff. I've supported him and his people and everything they've ever asked for. I always will. I support ICE. The people that were speaking were often very ill informed of what ICE does. And I'm disappointed so many of them are going. But I'll ask I'm going to give a my brief description and I'll ask the sheriff to correct me if he thinks I'm wrong. Our sheriff does not go out and look for Hispanics to arrest. He doesn't do that. If somebody, me, anybody, whatever background they're from, if they commit a crime and they are arrested for their crime, they are put into our jail. If after they're in our jail, we find out, "Oh, ICE has a warrant against those people." Then they call ICE and say, "Hey, we got one of your we got one of your people here that you have a warrant out for." If the guy makes bail before ICE gets here, he just walks. He just gets out never to be seen again. That has happened. If ICE gets here within the 48 hours, they say thank you and they take the guy. I'm not aware of any big costs associated with that. Actually, I'm not aware of any cost with it whatsoever. Um, but the fear, the supposed fear in the community, you just got the Democrats teaching their kids to hate Trump, be afraid of Trump, be afraid of ICE, the the boogeyman's going to come and get you, pull you out of your school. Um, that's just not happening. So, I support ICE. I

support our sheriff having his what is that? 287g agreement with ICE. I like that. And I hope the sheriff continues that. And um let's see. I got some notes here. Um, and they feel they say they don't feel safe because of in my opinion just gossip and talking and bad propaganda. Um, I feel unsafe when I got people coming behind me because they they proved tonight that they are the ones that get physical and think they are entitled to assault. That was an assault. Um, thanks, Commissioner Willis. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I plan to shut up, but sorry. Sorry, dear. Um, when I was a little boy and I would try to justify things to my mother because somebody else was doing it, she'd always say to me, "Right is right if nobody does it, and wrong is still wrong if everybody does it. There are no just one side doing different things. We have we have a we have a division going on right now. But important thing to remember tonight is great peaceful protest. That's that's what we should be about. Period. We have institutions in this country that won't protect themselves. our laws, our courts, our elections, our schools, our media, our churches, they won't protect themselves if we don't demand that they do what they're supposed to do. Sheriff Shudy is actually a good friend of mine, him and under Sheriff Stewart. We've had ad nauseium talks about 287g. He knows how

I feel about it. He he knows that my problem with it is the type of warrants that ICE uses, administrative warrants versus judicial warrants. in our judicial system where judges and people that's going by those laws follow and issue those. My other part of it we presented before was the litigation that has happened in several cities because of violations of the fourth and fifth amendments. That doesn't affect my relationship with Sheriff Shudy. We can still talk. We can still go to lunch because we're people who have different things. We have to understand regardless of what happened, when facts are blurred, abuses are minimized, when people are told not to believe what they see, our democracy begins to erode. Peaceful protest like we had tonight is the one way that citizens can come and bring the truth back to the floor. My strongest emphasis of the night is listen to the voices that we say that we hear. Listen to what your eyes show you. When your eyes show you something's not right, I don't care who's doing it. Like my mother said, right is right if nobody does it, and wrong is still wrong if everybody does it. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Any other commissioners? Commissioner Kennedy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First, I'd like to thank everybody that stayed and actually watched the county business tonight. Okay, because we see a real thin room now. Every a lot of people are here probably for their five minutes of fame and you know can respect the passion for it. But did they really care about what's going on in the county? I think it's pretty obvious. No, they left. Secondly, I'm going to address this to you, Mr. Chair, and to the administrator. what happened tonight approaching the the bench and whether you put your hands on a commissioner, you take personal property, it's unacceptable. Right is right, wrong is wrong. You're right, Commissioner Willis, and that's wrong. Coming onto the stage platform and encroaching on commissioners, that is wrong. I see the chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Party out there. Some of those people are in your committee. I reach out to you to talk about civility, civil debate. Right. What I saw tonight was this lady right here summed it up. One side spoke, the other side was respectful. There wasn't jers. Deferring opinion was made and they had to be told to be quiet just to let the person have their three minutes. You don't have to agree with everybody, but you can be respectful. We're all neighbors of each other. Secondly, someone personally addressed me tonight, and I will say what I what I called the woman. I called her unhinged, and I will define to you what I mean by unhinged. When I walk into a building to go to a meeting and conduct business and I'm aggressively approached and told that my family is going to be deported, um, it's unacceptable. It's just terrible. It's It's almost like a

schoolyard bully. Um and so yeah, I reacted and laughed at her and told her she's unhinged. Thank you very much. Glad she did her research that uh I married a a woman from a different country and I did it the legal route. A lot of people have. It's not easy. fill out paperwork, you pay fees, they get a criminal background check, they get disease checks. Okay? So, when you see people cross the border and jump the line and didn't go through that process and you had to go through that process, well, there's some of us up here that respect our immigration laws and they're on the books for a reason. And it is so that you can properly vet people. Not anybody and everybody can just walk across the border and become a citizen if we don't know who that person is. Lastly, I'd like to thank the chairman for uh compromising on that Accelerate Jackson lease. Um I appreciate that that you were open to more than just the the dollar uh lease. I I don't believe in subsidizing the private sector and so I appreciate the compromise that you came with those three options. and also to our sheriff's department. Thank you tonight for keeping order in the room. I'm being professional. Thank Thank you to all three of you.

Any other commissioners? Commissioner Williams.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be I'll be brief. Um I had the opportunity to uh be the keynote speaker for an event on yesterday. Um, and one of the things that I I mentioned yesterday was a quote from the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Uh, and he said that injustice anywhere as a threat to justice everywhere. Um, I think that when we look at the ask tonight, the the the voice of the evening, whether it's for or against, I think it does present us um with a question. Now, we as a uh as a county board, as it was mentioned tonight, I think one or two persons mentioned it when this was just when the 287 program was just an idea. Um there was an ask that came forth and asked for uh an investigation prior to the acceptance. Uh and that motion was turned down and we moved forward with the plan. Um but I think that um as we've learned more information, as we've seen things continue to uh develop, as we've seen other counties uh and other states um having similar programs and them developing into other things, I think it warrants us to be cautious and to be mindful of how we move uh forward. And so, Mr. Sheriff, I'm in order. I would call to the sheriff's department to yet again ask for an investigation of this program. Uh making sure that we have not infringed upon any guidelines, that we have not infringed upon uh any rules that are associated to the 287 program. Um I' I'd even like to know the number of officers that have been trained, the dollars that are associated with that. uh just making sure that as

we move forward, if this is the program that the county has, uh that we're continuing to do this in right and in good order. Um I think our constituents um deserve to know the information. Uh and and I think if it helps us to bring us closer to peace and bring us closer to a better understanding, I don't think that's a hard ask. Um, and at the very end of the day, it puts all the information on on the front street and it shows the community what it is and what it is not. And it also shows the the um the border of it, if you will, uh, and the controls, I think is a better word, the controls of what the two uh 87 program is. Mr. Chair, That completes commissioner comments. We have no closed session. Entertain a motion to adjurnn.

We have a motion and support. All in favor, please say I. I. Those opposed.