Detroit City Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero joins Robyn Vincent on The Metro to talk about rising immigration enforcement, a deadly year in ICE custody, and why she’s pushing Detroit to examine where — and whether — federal agents should operate on city property and in sensitive places like schools and hospitals.

Andre “Dre” Dukes is a living example of what happens when you get a second chance in life. Dre grew up in Detroit on the eastside and watched once thriving neighborhoods collapse. 

Dre lived a rough life, growing up in Detroit riddled with gun violence and drugs. He battled addiction and spent a decade in prison. Since his release, he has changed the way he approaches life. He works at recovery centers, and with at-risk kids and teens.

He has been motivated to make an impact to ensure the next generation of young Black boys have a blueprint to follow and learn a better way to escape their issues. 

"Street-Wise & Real Talk" is an autobiographical guide for boys who simply need to feel seen and heard. It's a fictional, age-appropriate book for at-risk youth that focuses on consequences and not glorifying crime.

Dre spoke with The Metro's Tia Graham about "Street-Wise & Real Talk."

At the federal level, democracy is on its heels in America. But at the local level, despite weak participation, officials say democracy is strong. The trash is getting picked up on time, and services are being properly distributed, especially in more urban areas. 

That's what Stephanie Leiser found in a recent survey of Michigan municipal leaders. She’s the Director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, and a lecturer at University of Michigan. The Metro's Sam Corey spoke with Leiser to learn more.

Being a mom can mean a lot of different things. For people experiencing pregnancy, the whole ordeal can be stressful, daunting and quite scary.

And without the proper tools and resources, moms are often at risk after giving birth during the postpartum period, which can lead to dangerous outcomes for mom and baby. 

ROSE or The Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials program is for birthing parents. It provides pregnant people with the skills and information they need to have better outcomes after giving birth. 

Dr. Jennifer E. Johnson is the founding Chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health at Michigan State University. Dr. Johnson is a University Distinguished Professor, and the first C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at MSU. 

Safety continues to improve in Detroit. 

Recent numbers suggest that homicides fell well below 200 last year. That was the first time that happened in six decades. Mayor Mary Sheffield wants to continue the trend by creating an Office of Neighborhood & Community Safety, which will focus on mental health issues, after-school programs and resident access to jobs to further increase safety.

Shantay Jackson is the Director of the National Offices of Violence Prevention Network at the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, which will help establish Detroit's office. She spoke with The Metro's Sam Corey.

In the past few weeks, the country has experienced an onslaught of news and information that can often be hard to process. 

From the capture and detainment of the president of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro, which included multiple civilian deaths to the murder of U.S. citizens by ICE agents, it's not hard to understand why some people simply check out or take matters into their own hands.

But how much of this is learned behavior? How can it be contributed to learned helplessness, the idea that no matter what you do as an individual or group, the outcome will not change?

Joining us to unpack learned helplessness is Dr. Julia Felton, associate professor of psychology at Wayne State University. 

The Lions entered the 2025 NFL season with the highest expectations possible. Win the Superbowl. They unfortunately fell  short of those goals, missing the playoffs completely. For now, the player’s work is over, but work for the team's front office and coaches is just beginning. Changes to the staff and roster are imminent and some of those adjustments have already begun. 

Jeremy Reisman is the Editor in Chief of the Pride of Detroit publication. He joined The Metro to explain how we got here and what needs to be addressed . 

The Detroit Board of Police of Commissioners was established in the 1970s after widespread claims of police abuse. Today, after the murder of George Floyd and increased scrutiny of police, more pressure is on police commissioners to hold officers accountable and to make policing work for everyone.

Just before the new year, Detroit welcomed four new people to its Board of Police Commissioners, including Victoria Camille. She is the District 7 commissioner. Commissioner Camille joined Cary Junior II on The Metro to discuss.

It’s easy to fall into a restaurant rut. But, it’s the new year, and that means a chance to turn the page and find some new places to eat. There’s a lot to be excited about in metro Detroit's culinary world in 2026.

Melody Baetens, dining and entertainment reporter for Detroit News, compiled a list of new restaurant openings to look forward to in the coming year. She joined The Metro to take us through the list.

Ford is switching gears once again.  Last month, the company decided to pivot from its electric vehicle plans, and into hybrid cars and gas engines. The biggest signal was the phasing out of the all-electric F-150 Lightning.

Why are they pivoting again? And, what is the future for Ford and other automakers?

Paul Eisenstein is a contributing editor for Headlight.News, and a contributor to dozens of media outlets, including Japan’s Nikkei. He spoke with The Metro's Robyn Vincent