ACLU of Michigan Executive Director calls for federal investigation into shooting of Detroit man, closer scrutiny of immigration agents’ role in local task forces

DETROIT – Kary Moss, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, gave the following statement in reaction to the shooting death of 20-year-old Terrance Kellom by a federal immigration agent in Detroit yesterday:

“The death of Terrance Kellom is tragic and should be immediately investigated by federal authorities. The use of excessive force by police—and the resulting tragedies that citizens experience, especially in communities of color, as a result of their interactions with law enforcement—are endemic across this country and must stop. The first step in interrupting this cycle must be urgent reforms in how police and communities interact and the de-militarization of police departments across the state. Federal authorities also need to begin questioning the role of ICE in routine criminal investigations and whether these agents are properly trained to fill this role without unnecessarily endangering the public.”