UAW Local 598 Cancels Anti ICE Protest In Flint After Organizing Demonstration

UAW Local 598 in Flint canceled a planned anti ICE demonstration that had been scheduled for February 28, 2026, at the union hall located at 3293 Van Slyke Road. The demonstration was organized to protest tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and was publicly announced before union leaders decided to call it off.

In a public statement, the union said the cancellation followed internal discussions among leadership. The protest was intended to oppose ICE enforcement practices, placing the local labor union into the broader national debate over immigration policy and federal law enforcement.

UAW Local 598 represents workers and retirees throughout the Flint area and has long been tied to the local auto industry. The decision to organize an anti ICE protest, and then cancel it days before it was scheduled to occur, has drawn mixed reactions from the community, including questions about whether labor unions should involve themselves in immigration related activism.

Should a local labor union be organizing protests against federal immigration enforcement, or should its role remain focused on representing workers and workplace issues?