ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Diya TV) — Law enforcement officials executed coordinated search warrants at homes in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Canton Township early Wednesday in what authorities described as part of a multijurisdictional investigation into vandalism — not immigration or campus protest activity.
The raids, which took place around 8 a.m., involved the FBI, Michigan State Police and local police agencies. While officials declined to provide specific details about the targets or nature of the investigation, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office confirmed the warrants were related to a broader probe into “acts of vandalism,” not university-based protests.
“Our search warrants were not related to protest activity on the campus of the University of Michigan nor the Diag encampment,” said Danny Wimmer, spokesperson for Attorney General Dana Nessel, in a statement provided to MLive/The Ann Arbor News. “Today’s search warrants are in furtherance of our investigation into multijurisdictional acts of vandalism.”
Jordan Hall, spokesperson for the FBI’s Detroit field office, confirmed that federal agents were present in Ypsilanti on Wednesday but declined to comment on the purpose of the operation, saying only that it involved “law enforcement activity.”
No arrests were made in connection with the searches. According to Wimmer, multiple individuals were temporarily detained during the execution of the warrants and subsequently released. He also emphasized that “there is no immigration enforcement angle to the execution of these search warrants.”
The TAHRIR Coalition, a University of Michigan-based pro-Palestinian student group, issued a statement alleging that the raids specifically targeted activists who have publicly supported Palestinian causes amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
“FBI agents, the Michigan State Police, and local police officers in unmarked vehicles arrived at the homes of University of Michigan pro-Palestine activists across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Canton,” the group said.
The coalition said law enforcement briefly detained four individuals and seized personal belongings at a Ypsilanti residence. In Ann Arbor, officers detained two people and confiscated electronic devices. No detentions were reported in Canton, according to the group’s account.
The raids follow months of heightened tension in southeastern Michigan, where demonstrators have repeatedly called on the University of Michigan to divest from Israel. Last year, several individuals were arrested during an encampment protest on the university’s central campus, known as the Diag. Those cases are still pending in Washtenaw County, where some protesters could face felony charges.
In addition to protest activity, authorities are currently investigating a series of attacks on the homes of University of Michigan regents and Provost Laurie McCauley. Those incidents involved graffiti with pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messages. Officials have not confirmed whether the Wednesday searches are linked to that investigation.
Wimmer declined to comment when asked directly whether the raids were connected to the attacks on regents’ homes, stating only that “we will not be discussing the nature of the investigation at this time.”
The University of Michigan and the Michigan State Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The TAHRIR Coalition criticized the raids as an intimidation tactic, framing them as part of a broader effort to suppress dissent over the Gaza war.
The searches come amid ongoing protests and national debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East. The war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023 and has sparked widespread demonstrations on college campuses and beyond.
Despite accusations of political targeting, law enforcement has consistently stated that the investigation is focused on criminal activity, not constitutionally protected protest.
