Four Way Fail

Applying Rotary's Four-Way Test to ICE Enforcement in Northern Michigan & Beyond

by Carlton Ketchum

Because our absentee Congressperson turns a deaf ear to his constituents, we need to add more voices to the chorus calling for community over cruelty. In the Grand Traverse region, like many others, Rotary is a model for civic engagement.

Rotary’s Four-Way Test of the things we think, say, or do is a secular, non-political, moral code for personal and business relationships. When applying the test to the operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) in general and as befits the First Congressional District of Michigan, the results are deeply troubling.

The Four-Way Test

1. Is it the TRUTH?

ICE often claims to target “the worst of the worst.” However, data from the Cato Institute and leaked DHS documents reveal a different reality. Between 67% and 74% of individuals currently in ICE detention have no criminal convictions. Nearly half of those booked this fiscal year have neither a conviction nor a pending charge.

Furthermore, of the roughly 393,000 arrests made between January 2025 and January 2026, 40% were “administrative arrests” for simple civil violations. Only 5% of detainees have a violent criminal conviction. The rhetoric of “public safety” does not align with the data of mass detention.

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

In Michigan’s First District, our economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, timber, and tourism. Sudden raids create labor shortages and economic instability for local business owners. While a few Michigan counties profit from lucrative federal detention contracts, the broader community suffers the loss of essential workers and local spending power.

Most unfairly, ICE operations often brush aside the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendment rights of the community at large. When racial profiling is used to intimidate and round up residents, fairness is the first casualty.

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

ICE’s presence in northern Michigan fosters fear, not friendship. When enforcement sweeps prevent people from going to work or participating in community life, the social fabric of our rural towns begins to fray. This climate of suspicion forces even naturalized citizens to retreat from public institutions, eroding the mutual trust necessary for a cohesive society.

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Economically, mass enforcement is counter-productive for District 1. Michigan’s job postings recently increased by 33.5%; removing workers during a labor crisis is self-sabotage. Sectors like healthcare, hospitality, and agriculture rely on stable labor pools that ICE disrupts. Nationally, mass deportations are projected to cut GDP by 7% over three years—a fiscal blow that will be felt acutely in our rural district.

Conclusion

ICE operations are a Four-Way Failure:

TRUTH: The “dangerous criminal” narrative is statistically unsupported.

FAIRNESS: Detaining people without charges is not justice.

FRIENDSHIP: Fear-based tactics destroy community bonds.

BENEFIT: These actions damage our local economy and alienate legal residents.

Our congressional leadership’s unquestioning support of ICE is a failure of principle. Indivisibles in Northern Michigan are encouraged to reach out to Rotarians and similar community organizations. Ask them to join with us to restore community and reject cruelty.