Great Lakes Wire

Aric Nesbitt, a Michigan State Senator, has expressed that sanctuary cities should be prohibited across the state, emphasizing the necessity for laws to be upheld. The statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Cities shouldn't have to clarify where they stand on this," said Aric Young Nesbitt, State Senator for Michigan. "Sanctuary Cities should be BANNED ENTIRELY from Michigan. The law is not a suggestion."

Michigan's debate over sanctuary city policies has intensified in 2025 as Republican lawmakers advanced House Bill 4342. This bill aims to ban sanctuary designations and cut funding to communities that do not comply. According to Michigan Advance, cities such as Ann Arbor and East Lansing remain on federal sanctuary jurisdiction lists, which has fueled disputes over local autonomy and immigration enforcement.

As of May 2025, six counties in Michigan—Oakland, Wayne, Kalamazoo, Wexford, Kent, and Washtenaw—and two cities, Ann Arbor and East Lansing, have been identified by the Department of Homeland Security as sanctuary jurisdictions. Michigan Public reports that these areas limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Several states including Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Tennessee have enacted laws banning sanctuary cities. According to Wikipedia, these measures often include financial penalties or funding cuts that have largely prevented local adoption of sanctuary policies in those states.

Nesbitt is the Republican Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate and has represented the 20th District since 2019 after serving in the state House. Wikipedia notes that he has served as Senate President Pro Tempore and chaired the House Energy and Technology Committee while focusing on tax cuts, budget discipline, and family-centered policies.