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The Michigan Attorney General has determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when.
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In Michigan, a victim is an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.
The laws regarding expungement of criminal offenses in Michigan changed in major ways in April of 2021. This page is designed to help applicants navigate their way through the new laws, help them determine if they are eligible to have convictions expunged, to answer frequently asked questions about the new laws, and to provide links for resources and assistance.
To investigate and prosecute hate crimes by following up on every credible tip and offer departmental resources to assist local and federal law enforcement partners in this effort.
The Michigan Attorney General is leading the fight against this horrific crime by prosecuting the state's first-ever criminal cases under state law banning human trafficking in Michigan. Victims of human trafficking are in bondage through force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.
Knowing how to guard your personal information is your first line of defense against identity theft.
Michigan Attorney General's robocall initiative is leading several efforts to protect Michigan residents from the billion plus robocalls made to them every year.
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May 19, 2025
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to maintain three offices within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that are meant to oversee the agency, protect people’s civil rights, and help noncitizens with immigration matters. In March, DHS announced plans to shut down three offices within the agency – the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman), and the Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) – that were created by Congress to exercise oversight of various DHS programs. The offices’ sudden closure affects pending complaints and investigations and did not provide individuals or employers any alternative avenue for redress. Attorney General Nessel and the coalition argue in an amicus brief that DHS‘s unilateral closure of congressionally mandated offices exceeds their statutory and constitutional authority and will harm the states’ residents and employers who interact with DHS.
“These offices within the Department of Homeland Security play a vital role in investigating civil rights violations within the Department and helping immigrants obtain green cards and work and student visas,” Nessel said. “The Trump White House cannot unilaterally claw back funds that Congress has already appropriated, and I stand with my colleagues in urging the Court to keep these civil rights offices open.”
In March, despite congressional objection, DHS announced that it would unilaterally abolish three offices – CRCL, the CIS Ombudsman, and OIDO – through reductions-in-force. Attorney General Nessel and the coalition write in their brief that shutting down these offices will impact residents in Michigan and other states who rely on these offices for various services. For example, prior to its closure, the CIS Ombudsman provided direct assistance, ranging from employment authorization to naturalization for noncitizens and employers in tens of thousands of immigration benefits cases each year.
The attorneys general assert that without the services provided by the CIS Ombudsman, thousands of individuals in Michigan and other states will likely face denials or extreme delays in obtaining vital immigration benefits, such as work and student visas, work authorizations, and green cards. Moreover, the coalition argues that the closing of the CIS Ombudsman Office will be costly for many states that issue grants to fund legal assistance programs to help their residents apply for T- and U-visas, asylum, or temporary protected status.
In their brief, the attorneys general warn that without the ability to make complaints to OIDO or to rely on OIDO’s site visit and unannounced facility inspections, detained individuals are likely to face unsanitary and dangerous conditions. Prior to its abrupt closure, OIDO’s case managers conducted hundreds of monthly site visits and unannounced inspections at detention facilities across the country. At site visits, case managers provided direct, face-to-face assistance to detained individuals. The inspections allowed OIDO to identify and remedy systemic conditions such as critically low medical staffing levels, leaking roofs, and mold in living areas. The OIDO also responded to thousands of complaints from detainees annually about issues related to living conditions and medical care.
Attorney General Nessel and the coalition are urging the court to restore these offices to continue the services that employers and residents rely on and to continue oversight of various DHS programs.
Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this brief (PDF) are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
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Attorneys General Fight to Protect Funds Used for Emergency Services and Infrastructure Projects