GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Days after Grand Rapids Police concluded their investigation exonerating those involved in what ultimately led to a U.S. citizen and veteran being held for deportation, the ACLU of Michigan released documents that they say paint a different picture.
"We're not going to end racial profiling; we are not going to restore community trust until we can call a spade a spade," said Miriam Aukerman, an attorney with the ACLU of Michigan.
In November, GRPD arrested 27-year-old Jilmar Ramos-Gomez for setting a small fire and trespassing at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital.
The ACLU published Monday more than 60 pages of documents obtained from GRPD through a public records request. Aukerman said they have had the documents since February, but were waiting until GRPD's internal affairs unit completed their investigation. The documents contradict the official stance of the GRPD.
On Friday, Chief David Kiddle released a statement regarding the investigation.
"Contacting ICE is not a routine part of our investigative process. Rather, we did this in light of the potential risk to the public’s safety, specifically through a possible act of terrorism," Kiddle wrote in a press release.
According to the documents released by the ACLU, GRPD Cpt. Curt VanderKooi wrote an email to an ICE agent asking him to "check [Jilmar Ramos-Gomez's] status."
VanderKooi made no mention of a terrorism concern, and in a later email he wrote:
"It is not clear what mad intent was involved in this breach of hospital security," VanderKooi said to ICE officials. The subject line of that email read "Spectrum Helicopter Pad Loco," which Aukerman said was a blatant jab at Ramos-Gomez's mental health condition.
"About a disability that [he] acquired as a result of his service to our country on the battlefield," Aukerman said Monday.
"We should honor our veterans. We should respect our veterans. We shouldn't make fun of them if they come home disabled because of what they did on behalf of all of us."
"During the IA investigation, it was determined that the officer used unprofessional language in his interactions with ICE. I have addressed this issue with the officer."
Aukerman said Kiddle's release failed to acknowledge that officers did not check Ramos-Gomez's file for an ID or passport before allowing him to go into ICE's custody.
"The prosecutor says 'wait a minute, he's a U.S. citizen. Isn't he a vet? Didn't you have his passport?' and they had a sort of blasé response," Aukerman said of the email between an officer and a prosecutor attorney with the Kent County Prosecutor's office.
Kiddle was not available for further comment Monday, but he said he stands by his earlier statements on the internal investigation.
Aukerman said some institutions, like the Kent County Sheriff's Office, have corrected policies in an effort to ensure this does not happen again.
"When you have local law enforcement colluding with ICE, collaborating with ICE, entangled with ICE -- you're going to see racial profiling and that's exactly what happened here," Aukerman said.
► Emma Nicolas is a multimedia journalist. Have a news tip or question for Emma? Get in touch by email, Facebook or Twitter.
Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.