Routine traffic stops by local police in Michigan are increasingly leading to federal immigration enforcement actions and deportations, a consequence tied directly to the state’s driver’s license policies for migrants.
In spring 2025, a Brownstown Township police officer, Matthew Lyles, stopped a black SUV for a broken headlight after it exited a parking lot. When the driver presented a Colombian license, Officer Lyles contacted Border Patrol to “validate” it. Federal agents subsequently arrested the driver, who lacked legal status and therefore was unable to obtain a Michigan driver’s license.
Local police departments are generally not required to assist with federal immigration enforcement. Attorneys and some police chiefs advocate for officers to issue a citation or impound a vehicle without involving Border Patrol, noting that Michigan typically recognizes foreign driver’s licenses. However, some police advocates maintain that contacting federal immigration enforcement is necessary for identity verification, warrant checks, and road safety.
This dynamic is shaped by state policy. Michigan lawmakers, in March 2025, rejected a bill that would have expanded driver’s license eligibility for migrants. Just a month later, the incident in Brownstown Township underscored the concerns raised by immigrant advocates for years. These advocates argued that allowing migrants to obtain licenses, following driving tests and inclusion in state databases, would prevent routine police interactions from escalating into federal enforcement actions. An investigation found that local police reported migrants to Border Patrol at least 388 times since 2021, often for minor violations that could have resulted in a warning or a ticket.
Shahad Atiya, an immigration attorney in metro Detroit, explained that clients are often detained after being pulled over for violations like running a stop sign. When they cannot produce a Michigan driver’s license, it is “used as evidence that someone might have a legal status issue.”
For decades, Michigan politicians have debated the issue of driver’s licenses for migrants. In 1995, Democratic Attorney General Frank Kelley made licenses accessible to anyone who passed a driving test and proved state residency. This policy was reversed in 2007 by Republican Attorney General Mike Cox, who cited concerns about state and national security and potential fraud. A 2008 law then mandated applicants provide proof of valid immigration status. This means a person with a visa can get a license, but someone who entered the country without authorization, even if applying for asylum, cannot.
More than a dozen states across the country currently allow migrants access to driver’s licenses. Some of these states have also implemented policies designed to separate local policing from federal immigration enforcement. For instance, a 2017 Illinois law prohibits police from transferring individuals to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without a criminal warrant signed by a judge. Michigan lawmakers, however, have largely left these decisions to individual municipalities.
When Democrats gained full control of the Michigan government in 2022, immigration advocates renewed their efforts to pass driver’s license reform. The coalition behind these efforts, known as Drive SAFE, argued that unlicensed drivers pose a danger to everyone on the road. Despite their efforts, the bills stalled in the state House in late 2024, amidst a session described as dysfunctional and a long list of other Democratic priorities that failed to pass. State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), a proponent of the legislation, noted that some Democrats considered the Drive SAFE bill too “controversial.” She questioned how many deportations have occurred due to the state’s failure to pass the bill in 2024.
In 2025, Republicans regained control of the state House. The driver’s license bill was again brought to a vote, but it failed 39-64, with six Democrats voting against it. This vote took place as former President Trump intensified his anti-immigrant campaign. State Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) voiced opposition, stating that if the bill passed, Michigan would become “a destination state for every illegal alien and prospective illegal alien all over the world.”
Senator Chang emphasized the increased urgency of these reforms, particularly with the prospect of another Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. She warned that if Border Patrol is called today, “there is no question — even if there is no warrant at all, no history of criminal behavior — Border Patrol is coming.” The ramifications of not having a driver’s license or state ID are now “that much greater,” she added. Danny Celaya, a community organizer involved with the Drive SAFE campaign, criticized the Democratic “no” votes as “cowardice.” Both Chang and Celaya expressed belief that Michigan will eventually pass these reforms, especially if Democrats reclaim the state House next year. Until then, Celaya cautioned, it will remain common for "a grocery trip to lead to a family separation."
