Southeast and central Michigan continue to feel the freezer burn on Friday morning.

Dangerously frigid temperatures prompted the National Weather Service to issue a cold weather advisory, and dozens of schools canceled classes.

The advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. for areas north of Interstate 96, including Michigan’s Thumb and the Bay City-Midland-Saginaw area, the weather service said.

NWS warns temperatures across the region will start at between 5 and 20 degrees below zero. Detroit had reached 3 by about 8 a.m. Friday and was expected to reach a high of 14. The city’s normal high temperature in January is 32.3.

Wind chills are expected to drop to 20 below zero north of I-96 and 15 below zero near Flint and the M-59 corridor, according to the forecast.

NWS also said the coldest conditions are expected by mid-Friday morning.

Some areas of the region may also see some snow on Friday. The eastern part of Michigan’s Thumb could get 1 to 3 inches of snow from Friday night through Saturday morning, thanks to lake effect snow showers from Lake Huron.

Light snow and flurries are possible for the rest of the region, with a dusting to a tenth or two of an inch possible, the NWS said.

Meanwhile, among the districts closed amid the extreme cold is Dearborn Public Schools.

“All Dearborn Public Schools will be closed on Friday 1/30/26. Wind chill temps for Friday A.M. forecasted between -15 to -20 depending on conditions. District uses -20 as a threshold for closing. Temps expected to rise throughout the day but out of an abundance of caution for students in the A.M. schools will be closed,” officials said in a statement on the district’s website.

The Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights followed suit.

“All Crestwood School District school buildings and offices will be closed on Friday, January 30, 2026 to address building needs due to the recent extreme cold conditions,” it said.

Detroit Public Schools Community District remained open on Friday. Earlier this week, district officials said the school system had used its sixth and final ‘forgiveness’ day for weather, but planned to petition the state for more.

The cold will stick around over the weekend. On Saturday, Detroit’s high should climb to 19, according to the weather service. The city is also looking at isolated snow showers between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.

NWS also predicts wind chills will range between 10 below zero and minus 15 for parts of southeast Michigan, the weather service said. Wind chill values in Detroit could fall as low as minus-5.

On Thursday, Detroit officials said they were keeping the city’s overnight stand-by shelters and respite locations open for an additional day due to the continued cold.

Shelters provided by the city with Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries at 13130 Woodward Ave., the Pope Francis Center at 2915 Hancock, and the Neighborhood Service Organization at 882 Oakman Blvd. will remain open until Monday. Earlier this week, officials announced the shelters would be extended through Sunday.

“Our priority is keeping every Detroiter safe and warm,” Mayor Mary Sheffield said in a statement. “During these bitterly cold conditions, the City of Detroit is making sure every resident has access to a safe and warm place.

“If you need shelter, call our Housing HelpLine at 866-313-2520, visit any police precinct, or go directly to a stand-by shelter. No one should have to face this extreme cold alone.”

NWS meteorologists predict that sunshine on Sunday will push temperatures into the lower 20s, and highs in the 20s will linger over the next week.

In Detroit, the mercury could reach 22 on Sunday. The city’s average high temperature in February, which begins Sunday, is 35.2.

As the deep freeze continues across the region, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on Friday reminded the public to be careful when venturing out onto lakes, ponds, and rivers.

The office said fluctuating temperatures and underwater currents can create dangerous, unstable ice conditions often invisible from the surface. Officials also said there is no such thing as ice that’s 100% safe.

“We want everyone to enjoy the winter season, but safety must be the priority,” Sheriff Troy Goodnough said in a statement. “Ice conditions can change rapidly. Just because the ice was safe yesterday, or appears safe from the shore, does not mean it is safe today. We urge everyone to check the ice thickness prior to venturing onto it.”

Extended Detroit Forecast

Saturday: Partly sunny; high 19, low 5.

Sunday: Sunny; high 22, low 6.

Monday: Mostly cloudy; high 26, low 14.

Tuesday: Partly sunny; high 26, low 13.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy; high 25, low 12.

Thursday: Partly sunny; high 26.

Source: National Weather Service

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Bitter disagreements and fiery exchanges marked a Michigan Senate committee hearing Thursday as lawmakers considered bills that could impede deportation efforts being carried out by President Donald Trump’s administration.

One of the measures would limit officers’ ability to conduct immigration enforcement actions in places like schools, churches, hospitals, courthouses or buildings that house organizations that assist victims of abuse. Another proposal would broadly prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees from wearing masks.

A third bill would prevent government agencies from disclosing an individual’s personal information to an entity attempting to enforce federal immigration law unless there is a court-issued warrant.

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero testified in favor of the package, contending that school attendance was down in Michigan’s largest city because some parents and children were afraid to leave their homes, due to the federal deportation campaign.

“ICE agents in our cities are clearly violating our rights,” Santiago-Romero contended. “They are manufacturing chaos and fear. This is making it so our residents are afraid to even call police.”

However, Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake Township, repeatedly criticized the bills and the way Thursday’s hearing was run by the Democrats who lead the Senate’s Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He said the meeting was an “exercise in futility” because federal policies would ultimately outweigh any changes in Michigan law.

“When federal and state laws conflict, federal law wins,” Runestad said at one point. “The state judges are bound by it.”

Regardless, the bills in the Democratic-controlled Senate are unlikely to make it through the Legislature as Republicans have a majority of the votes in the House.

The Senate committee didn’t hold a vote Thursday. Its chairwoman, Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, said she hopes to hold votes soon.

“I think it’s a top priority for a large number of us,” Chang told The Detroit News.

‘Can we control the audience?’

Thursday’s hearing showcased the nation’s divided response to the federal immigration crackdown. Every seat in the Senate meeting room was filled when the session began at noon, and more people flowed into a separate room where they could watch the proceedings on TV screens. Senate staff estimated that about 1,000 comments had been submitted about the proposals.

Runestad, the lone Republican lawmaker who took part in the hearing, accused Democrats of censoring him by not allowing him to ask all the questions he wanted of the people presenting testimony in support of the bills. And some of those in the crowd heckled Runestad as he spoke at various points Thursday.

“The Klan covered their faces too,” a person in the crowd said as someone spoke against the mask ban, referencing the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group.

At a different point, Runestad said the crowd was “snarking away.”

“Can we control the audience?” Runestad, who’s also chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, asked Chang.

Chang did ask for decorum when someone referred to Runestad as “Jimmy.”

Trump, a Republican, ran for president in 2024, vowing to launch the largest deportation program in American history.

“This is country changing,” said Trump during a campaign stop in Grand Rapids in April 2024 about a surge in migrants at the southern border. “It’s country threatening. And it’s country wrecking. They have wrecked our country.”

Since he took office in January 2025, Trump’s administration has carried out more than 650,000 arrests, detentions and deportations, according to the White House.

Trump has personally acknowledged that ICE is “going to make some mistakes.” But agents’ fatal shootings, in recent weeks, of two individuals in Minnesota, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, have set off a new surge in opposition to ICE’s tactics.

“Our country has always been a beacon and a leader for the entire world, and yet, it is crumbling right before or very own eyes,” state Rep. Mai Xiong, D-Warren, told the committee. “Our federal government is tearing families apart. ICE is making Americans feel unsafe.”

Runestad suggested that Xiong’s comments were conflating illegal and legal immigration.

“This is strictly about people here illegally,” Runestad said.

Mask ban proposed for ICE agents

Isaiah McKinnon, a former Detroit police chief, testified in support of the mask ban, which would prevent law enforcement officers from wearing masks, unless they were needed to prevent the spread of disease or for physical protection to the face. People who are safeguarding a community should identify themselves, McKinnon said.

Runestad said ICE officers wore masks because of “egregious” attacks that had been carried out against them.

“I was threatened personally,” McKinnon said of his work as a police officer. “My family was threatened. And we didn’t wear a mask. This is part of being a law enforcement officer.”

Johanna Kononen, associate director at the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, spoke in support of the bills that barred immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, like shelters for abuse victims.

“Allowing immigration enforcement in shelter spaces gives power to perpetrators … and could unintentionally trap survivors in violent relationships, successfully preventing them from seeking help,” Kononen said.

But Shari Rendall, director of state and local engagement for a national group called Federation for American Immigration Reform, testified in opposition to the bills.

Rendall argued there was no indication immigration enforcement raids were being carried out in the locations listed in the proposals. Immigration officials use their “good judgment,” Rendall said. Taking someone into custody at a courthouse could be safer for the public, Rendall said.

“Not creating a blanket prohibition is crucial,” Rendall said.

Others who spoke at Thursday’s hearing disagreed with Rendall’s claims. Chang said the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center had designated Rendall’s organization a hate group.

“Do you oppose these bills, in part, because the safeguards for people’s rights would make it harder for this current administration … to achieve the goal of less people of color in the United States,” Chang asked Rendall.

“We are not (a hate group),” Rendall said, adding that the Southern Poverty Law Center wasn’t credible.

“We are nonpartisan. We are non-political. We firmly believe in the rule of law,” Rendall said. “We do not believe that race has anything to do with it.”

Iranian Americans in southeast Michigan fear for the safety of friends and family still living in Iran amid a death toll from weeks-long protests estimated in the thousands and want Iranians to know they support their calls for regime change and demand for civil rights.

Some said they want their voices to be heard and are calling on President Donald Trump’s administration to put pressure on the Iranian government. They describe the horror they’ve heard of protesters getting killed amid an internet blackout, some shot like “cattle.”

Experts are describing it as the bloodiest crackdown on dissent since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, when the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his forces overthrew the shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, over his political repression and westernizing policies that included the empowerment of women and the promotion of the Persian language.

“We have videos that are so graphic. Every morning I wake up, I see that scene in my head,” said Shirin Harisy, 46, of Southfield, referencing images that have emerged showing bodies of dead protesters piled in Iran’s streets. “Every night I sleep, I see it in my head. … How did they see all this? My immediate family? None of them died, thankfully, but all of them know someone that got killed.”

Harisy was among about 100 people who gathered Sunday in Plymouth at the Metropolitan Seventh-Day Adventist Church to honor those killed in Iran during weeks of violent suppression of protests of the country’s leadership amid an economic collapse.

A table held candles, flowers and photos of some Iranian citizens who have died. Some attendees wore the Iranian flag used until the overthrow of the country’s monarchy in 1979, which features a lion-and-sun emblem on a tricolor background of green, white and red stripes.

Attendees said they want to show their support for people in Iran risking their lives to protest, and condemned the government’s longstanding oppression of human rights.

“We want our voices to be heard. We want to support those people in Iran and to tell them that they’re not alone,” said Anisa Afkami, who recently moved to Taylor from Phoenix, Ariz. “You know, people have been protesting, they’ve been getting killed, and we just want to say that we are supporting them. And to say that we’re supporting Iran is to say that we’re supporting all humans who are under this oppression.”

The Census Bureau said in 2023 the Lebanese, Iranian and Egyptian populations represented nearly half of the 3.5 million people in the United States who reported having Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent in the 2020 census. That year was the first census to specifically ask for MENA responses. The U.S. population during the same year was 331.5 million.

Fallout from crackdown emerges

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 at Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar, initially over the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, and then spread. Iran’s government does not recognize the right of citizens to peacefully protest.

Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, a deputy interior minister speaking on state TV on Jan. 21, acknowledged the violence began in earnest on Jan. 8.

“More than 400 cities were involved,” Pourjamshidian said.

By Jan. 9, Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Yekta, previously identified as leading plainclothes units of the force, went on Iranian state TV and warned “mothers and fathers” to keep their children home.

A violent crackdown by the Iranian government on protests across the country led to thousands of people killed and tens of thousands of arrests, though more exact estimates have varied. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency on Sunday estimated the deaths at 5,848, expected to rise. It said more than 41,280 people have been arrested.

The Associated Press reported Iran’s government has said 3,117 have died. However, the AP said Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from civil unrest in the past.

Mosques and government offices have been damaged by fires, while banks have been torched and their ATMs smashed. Officials estimate the damage to be at least $125 million, according to an Associated Press tally of reports by the state-run IRNA news agency from over 20 cities.

The estimated death toll has continued to rise since the demonstrations ended, as information emerges amid an internet blackout that has lasted more than two weeks. The organizer of Sunday’s memorial, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation against her family members who still live in Iran, said funeral homes and doctors in Iran have been reporting the deaths of protesters to human rights organizations in Europe as they’re able.

“We are recreating history right now,” Afkami said. “People are asking for freedom of the oppression and the regime that they’ve been under for 47 years.”

Trump-Iran faceoff

The government’s violent suppression of protesters has caused simmering tensions between Iran and the United States to escalate.

On Jan. 13, Trump said he was cutting off the prospect of talks with Iranian officials during the demonstration crackdown and told Iranian citizens that “help is on its way.” Trump said last week the actions by the U.S. would make last June’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites “look like peanuts.”

An American aircraft carrier and warships are approaching the Middle East, which gives the president the ability to launch another attack on Iran after bombing its nuclear enrichment sites last year.

Some local Iranian Americans would like to see the U.S. intervene to bring Reza Pahlavi, an exiled son of the last ruler of Iran’s monarchy who lives in the U.S., back to the country. He is an outspoken activist critical of the current Iranian government.

“The mindset that (demonstrators) have right now is, either Pahlavi or death,” said Afkani, who attended Sunday’s memorial. “So for them it really doesn’t matter because to end the regime is enough for the next generations.”

Zahra Assar-Nossoni, who works as a biotech director and lifestyle content creator, said she thinks the Trump administration could influence Iran’s government by not recognizing the current regime and refusing to negotiate.

“That’s all Iranians want, because we don’t see any future with this kind of regime,” said Assar-Nossoni, whose parents live in the United States, though she has family and friends still in Iran. “What I want for my people in Iran, I want peace. I don’t want any war. I don’t want them to suffer more.”

Recent health inspections in some Taylor restaurants revealed improper glove use, broken toilets and more between November 2025 and January 2026, according to Wayne County Health Department inspection reports.

Many of the violations have been corrected. The presence of violations in a past inspection does not necessarily mean the establishment has the same violations today.

Inspection reports can be found at swordsolutions.com/inspections/.

Below is a list of violations found at a few restaurants in Taylor.

La Jali Traditions Food Bar, 9411 Telegraph Road

During a routine inspection on Nov. 4, an inspector noted several problems at La Jali Traditions Food Bar.

∎ Observed that the grilled chicken was held at 122 F, not time-marked. Chicken was stated to be held for one hour and was held past the one-hour mark. Food must be time-marked and written procedures must be established when using time as a public health control. Correct by establishing written procedures and time-marking food.

∎ Observed in the walk-in cooler, sour cream, date marked for the date of 10/25/25, cottage cheese, and a container of salsa verde still in use. Items greater than 7 days past date of prep must be disposed. Dispose of items greater than 7 days.

∎ No chlorine sanitizer dispensing from the dish machine. Correct by dispensing correct amounts of chorine. 50-100 ppm.

∎ Observed raw shell eggs stored on the top shelf of the walk-in cooler above ready-to-eat foods. Raw potentially hazardous foods must not be stored above ready-to-eat foods. Correct by placing raw potentially hazardous foods below ready-to-eat foods to prevent contamination.

∎ A Y splitter is attached to the mop sink faucet with shut-off valves downstream of the atmospheric vacuum breaker. A Y splitter is attached to the mop sink faucet with shut-off valves downstream of the atmospheric vacuum breaker. Correct by removing the Y splitter.

∎ Observed employee drinking from an open container and changing gloves between different tasks without washing hands in between glove changes or after contaminating gloves. Employees must use proper hand washing methods.

∎ Observed in the employee restroom, the hand-wash sink was not providing hot and cold water under pressure. Water pressure must be sufficient at each hand washing station. Correct by fixing the pressure.

∎ No quaternary ammonium test strips for 3-compartment sink dish washing and wiping cloth solution. correct by providing quaternary ammonium test strips.

∎ Chlorine test strips not used daily to measure the concentration of sanitizer used at dish machine. Test strips must be used to determine correct concentrations. 50-100 ppm.

∎ Packaged guacamole and salsa without listed ingredients in grab and go display cooler. Ingredients must be listed when readily available to customers. Correct by listing all ingredients.

∎ Observed the outer opening door is not flush with the floor. Outer openings must be sealed. Correct by adding a door sweep or weather strip.

∎ Observed utensils in front bar area stored in sanitizer. Utensils must be stored using proper methods that ensure they are cleaned every 4 hours. Remove utensils from sanitizer and sanitize every 4 hours.

∎ No soap provided at dish machine. Soap must be provided.

∎ Observed missing light shield inside kitchen.

∎ No handwashing signage at front counter and dish area handsinks. Provide hand-washing signage.

∎ Certified Food Manager’s certificate not provided in the facility. Provide.

∎ Kitchen ceiling observed with large crack and sagging / caving. Physical facilities shall be maintained in good repair. Repair.

∎ Observed numerous employee jackets stored on the kitchen table when lockers are provided. — Lockers or other suitable facilities shall be used.

∎ Employee restroom door is not self-closing. Employee restroom doors must be self-closing. Correct by providing a self-closing door.

Benito’s Pizza, 22267 Goddard Road

During a routine inspection on Dec. 15, an inspector noted several problems at Benito’s Pizza.

∎ At the time of inspection, non-food-grade bleach was in use as the sanitation step at the three-compartment sink. Equipment and utensils must be sanitized. Corrected at time of inspection.

∎ Observed in front reach in cooler at front counter, packages of thawed frozen noodles not date marked for the day by which noodles were removed from frozen or the day by which noodles will be discarded. Marinara, garlic butter, coleslaw, Mayo and garlic spread in same cooler observed with no date marking. Observed at reach in coolers underneath the top opening of the cold holding unit, cooked and thawed wings and grilled chicken, not date-marked for the day by which the chicken was removed from frozen or discarded. Lunch meat in the top cold holding is not date-marked. Observed in a walk-in cooler with cooked chicken, cheddar cheese, provolone, turkey, and ham. Tomatoes, cream cheese dessert topping, diced bacon, and dough without date marks. All potentially hazardous foods must be labeled with the day by which the items were removed from the freezer or prepped or labeled by the day of discard. Correct by labeling all potentially hazardous foods. This will be followed up on in 10 to 14 days.

∎ Observed onions and cooked chicken wings in a cardboard box stored on the ground. Food Items must be stored at least six inches above the ground. Correct by storing six inches above the ground.

∎ Observed grates at the open top cold holding unit missing metal bars. Equipment shall be in good repair. Correct by repairing the metal bars on the grates.

Blue Agave Mexican Bar & Grill, 26747 Van Born Road

During a routine inspection on Nov. 18, an inspector noted several problems at Blue Agave Mexican Bar & Grill.

∎ The facility is using QUAT tablets for sanitizer. QUAT must be between 200-400ppm for proper sanitizer. The QUAT was at 0ppm when tested in the three-compartment sink. Ensure that enough tablets are being added so that the QUAT sanitizer reaches 200-400ppm.

∎ Single-use grocery bags with dye on them were holding tamales in the chest freezer. Single-use grocery bags may not be used for holding food. Stop using the grocery bags and get food-grade bags.

∎ Hand wash sink near the dishwashing area was being used for culinary purposes. It was holding dirty cups. Hand-wash sinks may not be used for culinary purposes and only for hand washing. Stop using for culinary purposes.

∎ QUAT sanitizers in the facility were water-damaged and no longer usable. Get a new QUAT sanitizer so that proper testing can be done.

∎ The QUAT sanitizer test kit was waterlogged and no longer usable. In addition, the QUAT sanitizer was at 0ppm when tested. Ensure that employees are testing the sanitizer daily to ensure that proper levels are being reached.

∎ Boxes of produce were stored on the floor in the dry storage area. Food must be stored at least six inches off the floor at all times. Store the food six inches off the floor.

Detroit Loves Tacos, 25750 Ecorse Road

During a routine inspection on Dec. 3, an inspector noted several problems at Detroit Loves Tacos.

∎ Sanitizers must be used at concentrations specified by their label. Observed Quat sanitizer concentration lower than 200 ppm in three compartment sink. For quat concentrations must be at 200-400ppm. Provide sanitizer at proper concentrations.

∎ Observed sprayer hose for a three-compartment sink with a leak above the nozzle. Plumbing systems must be maintained in good repair. Repair sprayer hose for three compartment sink.

∎ A sanitizer test kit could not be located at the time of inspection. A full test kit must be available for all types of sanitizers used, in order to verify concentrations. Provide a test kit.

∎ At the time of inspection, the person in charge did not answer questions correctly regarding the big five food-borne illnesses, symptoms that must be excluded from the facility, and cooking temperatures for chicken and ground beef. Also did not know the parameters for cooling foods, proper methods for cooling and reheating, and hot holding temperatures. The person in charge must demonstrate knowledge regarding the food code.

∎ The CFM manager certification could not be located during inspection. A current Certified Food Manager certification must be held by at least one person working full-time for the food establishment. Have a current CFM available for the next inspection.

∎ Hand sinks should be designated for hand washing only, and marked with a clearly visible sign reminding to wash hands. Corrected at time of inspection hand washing signage was provided.

∎ Observed missing floor tiles exposing concrete beneath by prep table and cooler across from the hot water tank. Also, missing floor tiles next to the cooler across from the cook line. Physical facilities must be maintained in good repair. Repair/ replace missing floor tiles.

∎ A mop was observed on the floor near the mop sink. Mops should be hung up or inverted to allow for air drying between uses, without soiling walls or equipment. Hang mops when not in use.

Hibachi Me 313, 26645 Van Born Road

During a routine inspection on Dec. 9, an inspector noted several problems at Hibachi Me 313.

∎ Observed reach in the cooler in the back storage area holding an ambient temperature of 50F. The cooler was tripping the breaker in the circuit box and turning off periodically. Raw chicken, cooked chicken, raw beef, and house-made yum yum sauce all above 41F (Temperatures taken at 12 PM). Person in charge stated food was placed into coolers around 9-10 AM during this time cooler was working properly. Food was moved to other coolers immediately. Cooler was working at 2 PM when the hot holding unit was moved to a different outlet. Observed homemade butter sauce in the kitchen area held at room temperature. Potentially hazardous foods must be held at 41F and below. Correct by ensuring cooler is properly repaired and enough electricity is supplied to the unit so that It is able to hold cold foods mentioned above at 41F and below. Store butter at 41F and below.

∎ Observed the toilet in the employee restroom not working. Plumbing systems must be maintained in good repair. Correct by repairing.

∎ Observed yum yum sauce held in Harbor Freight bucket in back storage area. Containers must be made of food-grade materials. Correct by providing food-grade containers.

∎ Observed an employee hand sink by a three-compartment sink and a hand sink in the bathroom with no hand drying provisions provided. Hand drying provisions must be provided for hand-washing sinks. Correct by providing hand-drying towels.

∎ Observed employee hand sink not accessible due to the hot holder and prep table blocking the path. Hand sinks must be accessible. Correct by making hand sinks accessible.

∎ Observed house-made yum yum made in bulk, white rice made yesterday, and cooked chicken prepped yesterday with no date marks. Potentially hazardous ready-to-eat foods must be clearly marked with the day on which the food will be discarded or prepared. Correct by providing proper date marking procedures.

∎ The menu did not have an advisory for the steak offered undercooked. An advisory must be included on all menus that offer raw/undercooked food. Correct by adding an advisory to all menus, including the online menu.

∎ Observed a bag of onions stored on the floor in the back storage area across from the air conditioning unit. Food must be stored at least 6 inches above the ground. Correct by storing onions 6 inches above the ground. Onions were moved to shelves at the time of inspection.

∎ Observed floors in the storage area and the kitchen area with an accumulation of debris. Walls with accumulated debris as well. Physical facilities must be kept clean. Correct by cleaning the facility.

∎ Observed fries in reach in the freezer in the back storage area not held at a freezing temperature. Fries appeared to be warm to the touch and at a temperature of 41F. The freezer and cooler in the back were on an electrical circuit that was not providing enough power to both units. The circuit kept breaking, and the power to the freezer and cooler would go on and off. When the hot holding table was moved to another outlet, the freezer was able to go back down to below 0F. Frozen foods must be maintained frozen. Correct by ensuring the freezer maintains temperature.

∎ Observed the freezer and cooler in the back storage area going out of power consistently. Both units were unable to hold the required temperatures. It was later determined that the hot holder was causing the circuit to break and was moved to a different outlet. Equipment was observed working. Equipment must be maintained in good repair. Correct by repairing to maintain temp. Make sure enough power is supplied to units.

∎ Observed two outdoor warmers stored in the kitchen area at the start of the inspection. Facilities must be free of unused items. Warmers were removed from the facility.

Sami’s Coney Island, 24444 Eureka Road

During a routine inspection on Dec. 3, an inspector noted several problems at Sami’s Coney Island.

∎ On the kitchen prep table near the dry storage, observed 4 flats of raw shell eggs out with temperature readings of 50F. Additionally, in the display cooler at the front counter, milk and dressings were measured at 44-45F. All potentially hazardous, time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods shall be maintained at a temperature of 41F or less. Keep TCS foods at 41F or less.

∎ In the mop sink, observed the hose with the sprayer attached downstream of the atmospheric vacuum breaker. Shut-off valves shall not be installed downstream of a vacuum breaker- when water is left on, the vacuum breaker receives constant pressure and will fail.

∎ In the walk-in cooler, spoiled produce was observed on the shelf. Food shall be safe and unadulterated. Discard spoiled fruits and vegetables.

∎ Observed an employee handling soiled dishware, swapping gloves, and then handling clean dishware without washing hands first. All employees shall wash their hands after handling soiled equipment or utensils, and immediately before donning gloves and working with clean equipment or utensils. Corrected: Person in charge will reeducate employees on appropriate handwashing frequency.

∎ During the initial walk-through of the facility, I observed multiple items stored in the handwashing sink basin adjacent to the cookline. Handwashing sinks shall be kept easily accessible and free from obstructions at all times. Corrected: Items were removed from the handsink at the time of inspection.

∎ In the walk-in cooler, observed soup without a proper date mark. All potentially hazardous, time temperature control for safety (TCS) foods prepared and held for over 24 hours shall be labeled clearly to indicate the date or day by which food must be sold or discarded (when held at a temperature of 41F of less for a maximum of 7 days). Correct by date marking foods in the cooler.

∎ At the time of inspection, the dishwashing machine was being actively used without the presence of detergent. When being used for warewashing mechanical warewashers shall contain a wash solution of soap or detergent according to manufacturer’s use label instructions., Corrected: Dishmachine was supplied with a new bottle of detergent.

∎ During the time of inspection, the person in charge was unable to produce a thin-tipped thermometer. Temperature reading devices shall be provided and readily accessible at all times. Obtain a suitable thin-tipped thermometer.

∎ In the back of the kitchen, near the dry storage, I observed a roll of fly tape hanging above an in-use food prep table. Insect control devices shall be installed such that they are not above food preparation areas and are not a potential source of contamination. Corrected: The person in charge was instructed to relocate the fly trap to the appropriate areas.

∎ Near the cookline, observed a handwashing sink with a drainline detached to fill the steam table. Additionally, observed garbage disposal leaking. All plumbing systems shall be maintained in good repair. Repair.

∎ In the employee restroom, I observed exposed paper towels stored near the toilet. Single-use articles are prohibited from being stored in toilet rooms in order to prevent contamination. Corrected: Paper towel was relocated at the time of inspection.

∎ Observed wet and/or soiled flooring in areas of the kitchen, cookline, and walk-in cooler. Physical facilities shall be cleaned as often as necessary to preclude the accumulation of residue or debris. Correct by cleaning.

∎ Observed wet wiping cloths stored on counters throughout the front desk and kitchen. Wet wiping cloths shall be stored in a bucket containing a sanitizing solution of appropriate concentration between uses to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Store cloth buckets containing sanitizer solution.

∎ In the kitchen under a prep table, a large tray storing dishware and tools was observed, filled with stagnant water for an unspecified amount of time. Non-food contact surfaces shall be cleaned as frequently as necessary to prevent build-up. Correct by cleaning.

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Michigan’s population grew by about 28,000 people from July 2024 to July 2025, according to census bureau estimates released this week. That growth hinged mostly on international immigration, though domestic migration from other states reached a net positive for the first time in decades.

Michigan is now home to about 50,000 more residents than in 2020, the date of the last decennial census. The state’s 0.5% population growth rate since 2020 ranks 41st among U.S. states and Washington, D.C. and trails the 1% growth across the Midwest region.

Kurt Metzger, a demographer and the founder and director emeritus of Data Driven Detroit, said the population data was “cautiously optimistic” for Michigan.

“The most important is the fact that we saw net positive domestic migration. I go back to 1991 in my data and we’ve never seen it,” Metzger said.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer celebrated the population figures, citing them as a signal that Michigan was becoming more attractive to families.

“Amid rising costs and so much national economic uncertainty, families are looking to put down roots somewhere they can still afford to live a good life,” she said.

But Metzger said the total population growth figure was less convincing. He pointed out that the Census Bureau revised its previous estimate of Michigan’s 2024 population down by 40,000 in the new numbers.

“I’d say Michigan is holding its own,” said Metzger, a former mayor of Pleasant Ridge. “Let’s not get too excited.”

Nationally, the U.S. population grew at the slowest rate since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing just 0.5%.

“The slowdown in U.S. population growth is largely due to a historic decline in net international migration, which dropped from 2.7 million to 1.3 million in the period from July 2024 through June 2025,” said Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections at the Census Bureau, in a statement.

“With births and deaths remaining relatively stable compared to the prior year, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today,” she said.

Every year, the Census Bureau estimates state population totals by modifying the latest decennial census tallies. Demographers estimate the number of births and people who moved into the state since the previous year, adding them to the count. Then they subtract the number of deaths and the number of people who moved out of the state.

Less international, more domestic migration

Michigan’s growth over the last half-decade has relied entirely on immigration, since deaths have outpaced births and domestic migration was a net negative before 2025.

“The good part for the 2025 numbers is the domestic migration,” said Metzger, the demographer. But he pointed out that international immigration to Michigan dropped dramatically.

While most of the state’s growth still came from international migration, the 30,000 people who moved to Michigan from other countries was less than half the net total from a year before. As a result, Michigan’s total population growth was slower than the year prior.

Domestic migration played a smaller role, with about 1,800 more people moving to Michigan from other states than moving out of Michigan. Still, that marked a departure from a trend of domestic outmigration from the Great Lakes State.

In her statement, Whitmer said, “for the first time since the early 90s, more people moved into Michigan from other states than moved out. Our work to get things done on the kitchen-table issues that make a real difference in people’s lives is paying off.”

The pattern of positive domestic migration was also consistent across the region. During the same period, total net domestic migration across the Midwest was 16,000, compared to migration losses in 2021 and 2022 that reached -175,000.

As President Donald Trump’s administration clamps down on legal immigration, Metzger said residents of other states moving to Michigan is the state’s best chance at population growth moving forward.

“Michigan is not going to grow from a natural increase. It’s probably not going to grow from immigration, so long as the Trump administration has its way,” Metzger said. “So, the only hope is domestic migration.”

Population growth still lags nation

Despite overall population growth, Michigan continued to lag the US and other states in the Midwest, the census bureau data showed.

While Michigan’s population has grown 0.5% since 2020, the total US population has grown by 3% and the population of the Midwest region has increased 1%.

According to the Census Bureau, the Midwest was the only region in the country where every state experienced population growth from mid-2024 to mid-2025.

Other midwestern states like Indiana (3% growth since 2020), Minnesota (2%) and Ohio (1%) have grown their populations more quickly than Michigan. Among nearby states, only Illinois, which has lost population since 2020, grew more slowly.

In her statement, Whitmer acknowledged that more needs to be done to spur Michigan’s growth.

“While this growth is a sign that our strategy is working, we have to double down,” she said.

The Police Officers Association of Michigan issued an apology Tuesday for a Facebook post that referenced sticking “it to the woke scum” and giving “the ultimate middle finger” to the “open border mob.”

On Sunday, the controversial post first appeared on the page of the association, which represents thousands of Michigan police officers. It focused on claims that conservative musician Ted Nugent was going to purchase food for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota.

The post, which was later deleted, said some restaurants in the state were refusing to serve people who work for ICE, amid a crackdown by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The post read: “TED NUGENT JUST DROPPED A MASSIVE $100,000 BOMB TO FEED STARVING ICE AGENTS IN WOKE MINNEAPOLIS!

“The Motor City Madman is flying in a METRIC TON of real Montana barbecue because these gutless, liberal-owned restaurants are straight up REFUSING to serve the heroes keeping illegals out of America!

“ICE agents are getting the cold shoulder and turned away in this sanctuary-city s—hole, so Ted said F– THAT — he’s personally bankrolling enough ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and sausage to feed an army of real American warriors doing the dirty work the left hates.

“This is the ultimate middle finger to the anti-ICE open-border mob that would rather coddle criminals than back the men and women protecting our country.

“Ted Nugent isn’t just talking – he’s delivering hot, smoky justice straight to the front lines in enemy territory!

“Pure bada– move from a legend who still has balls of steel.

“Share this everywhere if you love seeing real Americans stick it to the woke scum!”

Jim Tignanelli, president of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, authored an apology, saying a vendor had shared the Sunday post “without our prior review or authorization.”

“We recognize the language used in the post was inflammatory and want to be clear, it does not reflect POAM’s values or positions as an organization,” Tignanelli wrote. “Already, we have implemented changes to our internal review and approval processes to prevent a recurrence.

“The vendor staff member responsible for the post has been dealt with and removed from these duties.”

The post came a day after immigration agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and it drew immediate criticism from Democratic officeholders.

State Rep. Dylan Wegela, D-Garden City, called the post “truly shameless.” State Rep. Erin Byrnes, D-Dearborn, said the message from an association that represents police was disturbing.

“It makes me feel unsafe,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes added that she appreciated the apology from the association on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican candidate to be Michigan’s next governor, promised Tuesday to release detailed personal financial disclosures from himself and his top appointees, to conduct an audit of state spending and to launch a commission to study the past enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions.

The plans were part of a wide-ranging, six-page “Freedom from Corruption Agenda” that was unveiled by the James campaign, the first detailed policy plan of his bid for Michigan’s top political office.

If elected in November, James of Shelby Township said he would establish a panel to study and report on citations, fines and license suspensions that resulted from policies aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred primarily during Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s first term.

Fines against individuals and small businesses that acted in good faith would be refunded, the James campaign said in its plan. Michigan’s major COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings and mask wearing, which were a topic of intense consternation and protests, ended in July 2021, more than four years ago.

James would also seek an independent audit of the state’s voter rolls, support expanding Michigan’s open records standard to lawmakers and the governor’s office and ban “all fundraising by state officials” while the Legislature is in session. Currently, state lawmakers routinely hold fundraisers for their political accounts on session days in offices a few blocks from the Capitol.

“Lansing is a mess — an endless cycle and revolving door of corruption and dishonesty,” James said in a statement about his new plan. “Authentic freedom for the citizens of Michigan can only be achieved by restoring trust in our leaders.”

Michigan is one of two states that exempt lawmakers and the governor’s office from policies — often called freedom of information acts or FOIA — that require most government records to be available to public inspection.

There have been many attempts over the years to expand the law in Michigan, but those efforts have failed. Currently, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, has refused to consider FOIA bills that passed the Democratic-led Senate in January 2025.

The new James plan also included what the Republican candidate’s campaign called the COVID Legal Enforcement Accountability and Relief (CLEAR) Initiative. It would “confront the overreach, double standards and lasting harm caused by the government’s enforcement of COVID-19 mandates from 2020 onward,” the agenda released by the James campaign said.

“By exposing the truth, correcting past wrongs and passing structural reforms, the CLEAR Initiative aims to restore integrity to public leadership and prevent this kind of abuse from ever happening again,” the campaign statement said.

James, who is in a crowded race for the Republican nomination for governor, also contended that he is the “only candidate for governor who is a true outsider to Lansing” and vowed to “lead by example” in fighting to clean up state government.

As a second-term member of the U.S. House, James has to file detailed and annual personal financial disclosures about his investments, outside sources of incomes and travel payments funded by interest groups to screen for conflicts of interest.

If elected governor, James said he would follow the same standard from the U.S. House and would “require the same standard for all senior appointed officials in the executive branch.”

Under a ballot proposal approved by voters in 2022, Michigan officeholders have to submit annual personal financial disclosures but the information they provide, under state requirements, is much less detailed than what members of Congress have to release.

James said he would conduct a comprehensive audit of all state government expenditures for the past 10 years “to root out fraud, waste and abuse.”

That time period would appear to reach back to Republican former Gov. Rick Snyder’s second term and would cover the expenditure of billions of dollars in surplus funds during the COVID-19 pandemic by Whitmer’s administration. Republicans completely controlled the Legislature for six of those ten years.

Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has launched investigations into the use of a handful of earmarks that were provided by the Legislature in recent years.

A separate audit, sought by James, would examine Michigan’s voter rolls to “eliminate non-citizens from voting.”

In April, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office said it had conducted a months-long review and identified 15 individuals who allegedly were not U.S. citizens but still cast ballots in the November 2024 presidential election.

Benson is Michigan’s top election official and, like James, is running for governor this year.

The new plan from James also aims to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures by public entities, like cities, schools, townships and counties, and prohibit Michigan public officials from signing non-disclosure agreements in their official capacities.

Secrecy agreements signed by some public officials, covering potential economic development projects, became points of debate and topics of TV ads during Michigan’s 2024 campaign.

Richard Whitmer, the former longtime leader of health insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and father of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, has died, the governor’s office announced Tuesday. He was 85.

Richard Whitmer, who went by Dick, previously served in state government, including as commerce secretary for former Gov. Bill Milliken, a Republican, before joining Blue Cross Blue Shield. According to the Western Michigan University alumni association, he was the senior vice president and general counsel for the insurer, beginning in 1977, before becoming president and CEO 10 years later. He retired from the position in 2006.

His daughter, Gretchen, became the state’s Democratic governor about 13 years later, taking office at the start of 2019. She was reelected to her second term in 2022 and is currently in her final year as governor because of Michigan’s term limits.

“He was the one who always saw my potential and believed in me, from the first speech I gave in fifth grade to my States of the State as governor,” Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Tuesday. “He was always there, whether in the back of the classroom or in the front row of the House Chamber, cheering me on.

“He was the one who picked me up when I was down or told me to get my act together when I screwed up. When my grades were slacking in high school, he inspired me to live up to my potential. Because of his encouragement, I did.”

In a 2005 statement announcing Richard Whitmer’s upcoming retirement, Gregory Sudderth, chairman of the Blue Cross board, labeled Richard Whitmer a “wonderful and talented CEO.”

“He shaped the Blues into the successful, competitive, customer-focused organization that it is today,” Sudderth said in 2005. “We are fortunate to have had his leadership these past 17 years.”

In a statement Tuesday, Tricia Keith, current president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, said Richard Whitmer’s tenure was historic and came at a critical time for the organization, which was facing a financial crisis.

“Dick Whitmer’s leadership stabilized Blue Cross’s finances, restored our relationships and helped our company emerge from the crisis it faced in the 1980s,” Keith said. “Dick Whitmer was a leader of integrity and fortitude.

“He put Blue Cross on the path to grow, compete and serve in a new century. He championed transparency and integrity. His tenure was marked by dramatically improved relations between management and labor, founded upon mutual respect and a collaborative spirit.”

Former Gov. Jim Blanchard, a Democrat, said he first met Richard Whitmer when Whitmer was working for Milliken, who took office as governor in 1969. At the time of their encounter, Richard Whitmer was commerce secretary, a high position in state government for someone who was in his late 20s or early 30s, Blanchard said.

“Throughout his career, he was a very gracious and a very understated, modest person,” Blanchard said.

At Blue Cross, Richard Whitmer was initially the organization’s advocate with state government at a time of acrimony with some state officials, Blanchard said.

“He was able to smooth over relations, which, I think, was to the benefit of both Blue Cross Blue Shield and the state,” Blanchard said.

Richard Whitmer earned his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University and his law degree from the University of Michigan, according to the governor’s office.

S. Martin Taylor, another former state official, met Richard Whitmer at Western Michigan University and maintained a friendship with him for more than six decades.

“He was just a solid guy who had his own principles and morality,” Taylor recalled.

Asked which accomplishments Richard Whitmer was most proud of, Taylor said it was probably his three children, Gretchen, Richard and Liz.

“He was devoted to them,” Taylor said.

Blanchard said Richard Whitmer encouraged Gretchen Whitmer to consider public life and becoming involved in government. Richard, like his daughter, was an astute politician, Blanchard said.

In her statement Tuesday, Gretchen Whitmer described her dad as “my best friend, most trusted counselor and next-door neighbor until I moved into the governor’s residence.”

“I would not be where I am and who I am without my dad,” she said. “Today, I’m sad, but I’m grateful too. I’m grateful for the time we got to spend together, for the things he taught me, and the stories I’ll carry with me forever.”

©2026 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate panel that oversees the Department of Homeland Security, is looking to impose reforms on the department after its agents’ shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this month amid demands for accountability.

Peters told The Detroit News that Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security committee are drawing up a list of “critical” reforms for DHS that could involve requiring a warrant for arrests, the wearing of body cameras by officers, the retention of the body cam footage, and an independent entity that would investigate shootings and other incidents. DHS includes the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and U.S. Border Patrol.

“We’re pulling a number of ideas to do that, and basically it’s to have ICE and DHS operate like every police department in America has to operate, which they do with professionalism. They can be held accountable if things go wrong,” Peters said.

“Basically, I think the standards that we have for our outstanding local police should be the same standards for the federal government, and they should not be immune from accountability and oversight and have the kind of immunity that they have.”

The federal immigration crackdown in Minneapolis has sparked alarm and debate over the agents’ aggressive tactics in local communities, as polling shows people around the country expressing unease with the agents’ use of force against protesters, wearing masks and arresting, injuring or killing U.S. citizens. ICE has countered that its agents also have been met with violent behavior.

Even some GOP senators expressed horror at Saturday’s shooting death of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer and called for the incident to be investigated in a transparent manner.

The Trump administration had initially defended the shooting, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristin Noem saying Pretti “approached” agents with a gun and “violently resisted” after officers tried to disarm him. But bystander videos don’t show Pretti brandishing a gun.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Monday night that he had spoken to President Donald Trump by phone and that Trump agreed to have “some federal agents” leave the city, including Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino. In another change of tone, Trump also declared that he was now on a “similar wavelength” as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after a Monday call, following days of clashes between federal agents and protesters on the streets of Minneapolis.

Calling for GOP action

Peters said he’s hopeful some of his Republican colleagues who hold the Senate majority will see the need for DHS reforms, as well, and come to an agreement on the need for protections.

“I hope my Republican colleagues are also horrified by the images that they’re seeing and believe that we should put forward common-sense ideas along the lines of what local law enforcement live with every day,” Peters said.

He described the killing of Pretti as “horrific” and said there’s no evidence that he presented a weapon with any kind of threat toward federal agents, based on bystander videos.

“The images are really clear. Your eyes don’t lie. You can watch it,” Peters said. “And to have the administration respond basically with a completely different story than what everybody can watch is outrageous.”

Peters, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, wants his Republican colleagues to strip funding for the department out of a massive spending bill that will be on the floor later this week.

Without changes to the DHS bill in the package, Peters and most other Senate Democrats are prepared to vote against advancing the sprawling package, risking a partial government shutdown starting Saturday night.

Peters contended that Senate GOP leadership can amend the bill to separate out the DHS funding bill from the five other spending bills in the package, saying he supports the five others and would vote to pass them.

This is what the House did when it passed the contentious DHS legislation separately last week; however, this option in the Senate would require returning the package for approval again by the House, which is in recess.

“That certainly would not be my first choice,” Appropriations Chair Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told reporters yesterday of the Democrats’ request, according to NOTUS. “I think there might be a way to add some further reforms or procedural protections, but those discussions are ongoing and really involve the leader,” referring to Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota.

DHS funding feud

Thune and the White House have rebuffed Democrats’ calls to do what Peters is suggesting and decouple the DHS funding, moving ahead with setting up a Thursday vote on the spending package.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed this Monday, emphasizing that policy discussions on immigration in Minnesota are already happening, led by Trump.

“That should not be at the expense of government funding for the American people, which would include … FEMA funding, and we are in the midst of a storm that took place over the weekend, and many Americans are still being impacted by that,” Leavitt said. “We absolutely do not want to see funding lapse.”

Collins urged senators on the Senate floor Monday to recognize “the vast majority of the funding in this bill, more than 80%, is for non-immigration and non-border security functions.”

Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, the Republican chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, in a statement stressed the role DHS plays across the country through agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Agency, U.S. Secret Service and others.

Peters blasted the GOP’s response, claiming that Senate Republican leaders are “basically saying we don’t want to have common sense oversight of DHS, and we are unwilling to do that and we are willing to have the government shut down because we simply don’t want to have a separate vote on that issue.

“Which, to me, is outrageous,” Michigan’s senior senator added.

Peters also rejected a suggestion that Britt made to reporters that Democrats’ concerns could be addressed without amending the appropriations package, such as executive actions or orders.

Peters said the American people don’t trust the Trump administration to make the necessary reforms on their own: “Congress needs to do their job and hold this administration accountable,” he said.

Asked about calls to impeach Noem from some House Democrats, including three from Michigan, Peters demurred. He voted to confirm Noem last year.

“Right now, my focus has to be making sure we put in regulations and oversight of DHS,” he said.

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

More than 47,000 hourly workers at General Motors Co. will get profit-sharing payments of $10,500 for 2025 as the automaker posted full-year earnings of $2.7 billion despite sliding to a $3.3 billion fourth-quarter loss, according to financial data released Tuesday.

For every $1 billion GM makes in North America, the automaker’s hourly U.S. employees receive $1,000, according to the Detroit automaker’s agreement with the United Auto Workers. The company posted $12.7 billion in EBIT-adjusted earnings for the year.

The payments are down compared to last year, when GM doled out record payouts of up to $14,500. The GM workers represented by the union will receive their payments Feb. 27.

“As always, our membership performed beyond all expectations. It is our members’ skillfulness that made this profit possible, as they produce the finest products in the world, right here in the U.S.A.,” Mike Booth, a UAW vice president and director of the union’s GM Department, said in a post on X.

This year’s payouts are thanks to the profits the automaker booked last year despite uncertainty and costs related to tariffs, as well as the Trump administration’s shift away from policies aimed at supporting the still-developing electric vehicle market.

GM’s 2025 impairment charges include a roughly $4.6 billion cash impact, which covers fees for broken contracts and settlements with suppliers who had planned on helping the automaker meet ambitious electrification goals.

The company wrote off another $3 billion spent on machinery and other equipment for EV production.

CEO Mary Barra attributed the company’s profitability, despite those headwinds, to its money making gas-powered truck and SUV lineup. GM last year grabbed up a greater portion of the U.S. auto market, where the automaker is also most profitable.

Focusing too much on short-term gains in the U.S. market with trucks and SUVs also brings the risk of falling behind globally, where analysts still predict EVs will be the future.

GM executives have said the plan is to develop EV and self-driving technology as the company waits for U.S. consumer interest to pick up speed. A top priority for GM is producing lower-cost lithium-ion-phosphate batteries to bring down the price tags on EVs.

GM upped its per-share dividend by three cents and will pay a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share on March 19 to holders of common stock at the close of trading on March 6. The company also said the board of directors approved a $6 billion share repurchase authorization.