Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | April 24, 2025 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) strongly condemns the recent raids coordinated by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office targeting pro-Palestinian student activists in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Canton. These raids, involving the FBI, Michigan State Police, and local law enforcement agencies, represent a troubling infringement upon constitutionally protected rights to free speech and peaceful activism.
The aggressive tactics employed, including early morning forced entries, physical restraints on activists, confiscation of personal electronic devices, and arbitrary detentions, highlight a deeply troubling abuse of prosecutorial and law enforcement powers. More broadly, these actions reflect a concerning trend of criminalizing pro-Palestinian activism and speech through heavy-handed law enforcement tactics and prosecutorial overreach. If there were legitimate charges to be brought against these students, they should have been pursued through an open and transparent legal process—not through pre dawn raids, covert investigations, and FBI involvement absent any federal charges. Such systemic abuse undermines the integrity of justice institutions, erodes public trust in government accountability, and threatens the fundamental democratic principle of peaceful dissent.
MPAC demands that Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office immediately disclose comprehensive details regarding the warrants, the scope and justification of the searches, and the specific basis for the use of coercive force against these activists. Comprehensive transparency is essential to determine whether these tactics comply with constitutional safeguards and to prevent future misuse of prosecutorial authority against lawful protest.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council remains vigilant and proactive in monitoring these developments, providing advocacy and legal support to those affected, and ensuring robust protection of civil rights and constitutional freedoms. We call upon community advocates, civil rights organizations, elected representatives, and oversight entities to publicly denounce these invasive and disproportionate law enforcement measures and to rigorously pursue accountability mechanisms that protect fundamental democratic principles.