Public commenters urge legal aid for immigrants, call out housing and policing concerns at Detroit council

Dozens of Detroit residents used the council’s public-comment period to press the city on a range of issues, from calls for legal aid for immigrant residents to complaints about housing conditions, surveillance systems and the Land Bank Authority.

Several callers urged the council to allocate local funds for legal representation and language access for people targeted in recent ICE enforcement actions. Glenn Maxwell asked the city to help Detroiters detained by ICE who cannot afford attorneys, saying many residents ‘‘cannot afford attorneys themselves’’ and need legal support. Yvonne Averette and another caller urged the council to prioritize legal aid in the city budget and pointed to models in other U.S. cities that use local funds for such support.

Housing and neighborhood concerns featured prominently. Anne Goulet, a licensed architect, asked the council to impose a moratorium on city-funded development projects until alleged charter violations and poor executive-branch decisions are resolved. Adrian Tynes and other callers described apartment conditions and landlord retaliation, asking the city for enforcement and investigations.

Complaints about the Land Bank Authority’s transparency came from a former employee, who said parcel-selection practices excluded neighborhood residents and favored outside interests. Several callers raised public-safety and nightlife-safety proposals: Denisha Roberson outlined a voluntary 'JALEN' (Justice Aligned Licensing and Enforcement for Nightlife) framework to encourage safer venue practices; Josh Mann warned against citywide permanent surveillance and urged protections for privacy and children.

Other callers announced community events or asked for cityhelp: Betty A. Varner promoted a free health fair on April 18; Brother Cunningham distributed bus tickets and sought validated parking for meeting attendees; and union leaders announced a May Day rally for workers on May 1.

Council president said staff would follow up on several items and that members may offer responses after all public comments concluded. The public-comment period ended after roughly an hour and a half of remarks, after which the council returned to committee reports and voting matters.