Michigan
Nessel leads coalition urging court to maintain invasive species protections for Great Lakes
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel led a coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief (PDF) with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Final Standards on ballast water discharges from large vessels, including ships operating on the Great Lakes. The coalition argues that the standards unlawfully weaken long-standing protections by eliminating ballast water uptake requirements, which prevented vessels from taking up water in areas with invasive species.
“The harms caused by invasive species spread through ballast water are catastrophic, well documented, and felt by the people who live and work around the Great Lakes,” Nessel said. “Our communities have already paid the price for these species, and Congress acted to prevent even greater damage. The law is clear, and it is my hope that the Court acts now to maintain these protections before another invasive species causes irreversible damage to one of our most important natural resources.”
“The Great Lakes are part of who we are as Michiganders and protecting them is something we all share. Strong safeguards against invasive species are critical to keeping these waters clean and healthy for our communities. EGLE is committed to supporting efforts that uphold these protections,” said Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Director Phil Roos. “By keeping invasive species out, we’re helping ensure these waters remain a source of pride and opportunity for future generations.”
Ballast water can carry harmful organisms from one port to another. Without adequate safeguards, vessels can transport invasive species into new waters, where they can establish and cause lasting environmental and economic harm. Invasive species, such as zebra mussels, have already damaged infrastructure, threatened native ecosystems, and cost the Great Lakes region an estimated $200 million a year.
In 2018, Congress amended the Clean Water Act by adding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), directing the EPA to issue ballast water discharge standards that are as protective as the existing permit, unless new information – unavailable at the time of the permit – demonstrated that a requirement was unnecessary. The coalition argues the EPA ignored this clear direction and relied on justification not permitted under VIDA, despite evidence from states showing the uptake requirement had been successfully enforced. Following the EPA changes, golden mussels, an invasive species that could cause damage on the same scale as zebra mussels, were discovered at a California port and could reach the Great Lakes through contaminated ballast water.
The coalition urges the court to reject the EPA’s unlawful weakening of protections and require standards that fully safeguard the Great Lakes from invasive species.
Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this amicus brief are the attorneys general of Illinois and Vermont.
Michigan
Oak Park man arraigned on charges related to Shelby Township mobile home park shooting
Keshawn Webster, 24, of Oak Park, Mich., was arraigned on charges related to an alleged shooting at a Shelby Township mobile home park, according to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
It is alleged that on Friday, December 26, 2025, Webster fired multiple shots from a handgun into an occupied mobile home. The individuals inside were not injured. It is alleged that Webster had a dispute with one of the occupants of the mobile home.
On December 30, 2025, Beattie was arraigned before visiting Magistrate Jean M. Cloud in the 41A District Court in Shelby Township, MI on the following charges: Two Counts: Assault with Intent to Murder, a life or any term of years felony; One Count: Weapons – Firearms – Discharge from Vehicle, a 10-year felony; One Count: Weapons – Firearms – Discharge in or at a Building, a 10-year felony; Four Counts: Weapons Felony Firearm, each a felony with mandatory consecutive 2-year sentences.
These are the maximum charges available under the law based upon the evidence presented to date.
Magistrate Cloud set Webster’s bond at $1,000,000 cash/surety, no 10%. He must wear a steel cuff tether if released. Webster is scheduled for a Probable Cause Conference on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 9 a.m., and a Preliminary Exam on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 9 a.m. before Judge Stephen S. Sierawski at the 41A District Court in Shelby Township.
Michigan
Four locations in Oakland County Courthouse test positive for Legionella bacteria
On Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, The Sixth Circuit Court and Oakland County Probate Court learned that 4 locations in the Oakland County Courthouse tested positive for strains of the Legionella bacteria. Working with internal and external stakeholders, the Courts each responded to this notice in a manner that ensured that availability of the Courts and access for court users, while protecting the welfare of all users of the Courthouse.
On Tuesday, the court provided the following updates on the Courthouse. The County began installing medical-grade water filters on Friday. These efforts will continue throughout the week. All public restrooms in the Tower have filters installed or, when there are dual sinks, some have a filtered sink and a decommissioned sink. Restrooms in restricted areas will have filters installed by the end of the day. All public water fountains in the Tower have been taken out of service. The water system for the entire Courthouse has been flushed. The County and its water consultant, HOH, will complete a second round of samples today. Testing is scheduled through April 2026 in accordance with county, state, and federal health recommendations.
The Courts and County will continue to work together to provide timely updates regarding the presence of Legionella bacteria at the Courthouse and the steps taken to protect all Courthouse and campus users. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. Based upon the recommendation of the Oakland County Health Department, Facilities, and Risk Management, we will return to regular operations following the holiday on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Tennessee
Judge: Justice Dept. pushed to prosecute Abrego Garcia only after deportation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A newly unsealed order in the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia reveals that high-level Justice Department officials pushed for his indictment, calling it a "top priority," only after he was mistakenly deported and then ordered returned to the U.S.
Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Tennessee to charges of human smuggling. He is seeking to have the case dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution is vindictive — a way for President Donald Trump's administration to punish him for the embarrassment of his mistaken deportation.
To support that argument, he has asked the government to turn over documents that reveal how the decision was made to prosecute him in 2025 for an incident that occurred in 2022. On Dec. 3, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw filed an order under seal that compelled the government to provide some documents to Abrego Garcia and his attorneys. That order was unsealed on Tuesday and sheds new light on the case.
Earlier, Crenshaw found that there was "some evidence" that the prosecution of Abrego Garcia could be vindictive. He specifically cited a statement by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on a Fox News program that seemed to suggest that the Department of Justice charged Abrego Garcia because he had won his wrongful deportation case.
Rob McGuire, who was the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee until late December, argued that those statements were irrelevant because he alone made the decision to prosecute, and he has no animus against Abrego Garcia.
In the newly unsealed order, Crenshaw writes, "Some of the documents suggest not only that McGuire was not a solitary decision-maker, but he in fact reported to others in DOJ and the decision to prosecute Abrego may have been a joint decision."
DOJ officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The human smuggling charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding. There were nine passengers in the car, and state troopers discussed the possibility of human smuggling among themselves. However, he was ultimately allowed to leave with only a warning. The case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations, but there is no record of any effort to charge him until April 2025, according to court records.
The order does not give a lot of detail on what is in the documents that were turned over to Abrego Garcia, but it shows that Aakash Singh, who works under Blanche in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, contacted McGuire about Abrego Garcia's case on April 27, the same day that McGuire received a file on the case from Homeland Security Investigations. That was several days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Abrego Garcia's favor on April 10.
On April 30, Singh said in an email to McGuire that the prosecution was a "top priority" for the Deputy Attorney General's Office, according to the order. Singh and McGuire continued to communicate about the prosecution. On May 15, McGuire emailed his staff that Blanche "would like Garcia charged sooner rather than later," Crenshaw writes.
On May 18, Singh wrote to McGuire and others to hold the draft indictment until they got "clearance" to file it. "The implication is that 'clearance' would come from the Office of the Deputy Attorney General," Crenshaw writes.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss the case on the basis of vindictive prosecution is scheduled for Jan. 28.
Nessel leads coalition urging court to maintain invasive species protections for Great Lakes
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel led a coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief (PDF) with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Final Standards on ballast water discharges from large vessels, including ships operating on the Great Lakes. The coalition argues that the standards unlawfully weaken long-standing protections by eliminating ballast water uptake requirements, which prevented vessels from taking up water in areas with invasive species.
“The harms caused by invasive species spread through ballast water are catastrophic, well documented, and felt by the people who live and work around the Great Lakes,” Nessel said. “Our communities have already paid the price for these species, and Congress acted to prevent even greater damage. The law is clear, and it is my hope that the Court acts now to maintain these protections before another invasive species causes irreversible damage to one of our most important natural resources.”
“The Great Lakes are part of who we are as Michiganders and protecting them is something we all share. Strong safeguards against invasive species are critical to keeping these waters clean and healthy for our communities. EGLE is committed to supporting efforts that uphold these protections,” said Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Director Phil Roos. “By keeping invasive species out, we’re helping ensure these waters remain a source of pride and opportunity for future generations.”
Ballast water can carry harmful organisms from one port to another. Without adequate safeguards, vessels can transport invasive species into new waters, where they can establish and cause lasting environmental and economic harm. Invasive species, such as zebra mussels, have already damaged infrastructure, threatened native ecosystems, and cost the Great Lakes region an estimated $200 million a year.
In 2018, Congress amended the Clean Water Act by adding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), directing the EPA to issue ballast water discharge standards that are as protective as the existing permit, unless new information – unavailable at the time of the permit – demonstrated that a requirement was unnecessary. The coalition argues the EPA ignored this clear direction and relied on justification not permitted under VIDA, despite evidence from states showing the uptake requirement had been successfully enforced. Following the EPA changes, golden mussels, an invasive species that could cause damage on the same scale as zebra mussels, were discovered at a California port and could reach the Great Lakes through contaminated ballast water.
The coalition urges the court to reject the EPA’s unlawful weakening of protections and require standards that fully safeguard the Great Lakes from invasive species.
Joining Attorney General Nessel in filing this amicus brief are the attorneys general of Illinois and Vermont.
Michigan
Oak Park man arraigned on charges related to Shelby Township mobile home park shooting
Keshawn Webster, 24, of Oak Park, Mich., was arraigned on charges related to an alleged shooting at a Shelby Township mobile home park, according to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
It is alleged that on Friday, December 26, 2025, Webster fired multiple shots from a handgun into an occupied mobile home. The individuals inside were not injured. It is alleged that Webster had a dispute with one of the occupants of the mobile home.
On December 30, 2025, Beattie was arraigned before visiting Magistrate Jean M. Cloud in the 41A District Court in Shelby Township, MI on the following charges: Two Counts: Assault with Intent to Murder, a life or any term of years felony; One Count: Weapons – Firearms – Discharge from Vehicle, a 10-year felony; One Count: Weapons – Firearms – Discharge in or at a Building, a 10-year felony; Four Counts: Weapons Felony Firearm, each a felony with mandatory consecutive 2-year sentences.
These are the maximum charges available under the law based upon the evidence presented to date.
Magistrate Cloud set Webster’s bond at $1,000,000 cash/surety, no 10%. He must wear a steel cuff tether if released. Webster is scheduled for a Probable Cause Conference on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 9 a.m., and a Preliminary Exam on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 9 a.m. before Judge Stephen S. Sierawski at the 41A District Court in Shelby Township.
Michigan
Four locations in Oakland County Courthouse test positive for Legionella bacteria
On Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, The Sixth Circuit Court and Oakland County Probate Court learned that 4 locations in the Oakland County Courthouse tested positive for strains of the Legionella bacteria. Working with internal and external stakeholders, the Courts each responded to this notice in a manner that ensured that availability of the Courts and access for court users, while protecting the welfare of all users of the Courthouse.
On Tuesday, the court provided the following updates on the Courthouse. The County began installing medical-grade water filters on Friday. These efforts will continue throughout the week. All public restrooms in the Tower have filters installed or, when there are dual sinks, some have a filtered sink and a decommissioned sink. Restrooms in restricted areas will have filters installed by the end of the day. All public water fountains in the Tower have been taken out of service. The water system for the entire Courthouse has been flushed. The County and its water consultant, HOH, will complete a second round of samples today. Testing is scheduled through April 2026 in accordance with county, state, and federal health recommendations.
The Courts and County will continue to work together to provide timely updates regarding the presence of Legionella bacteria at the Courthouse and the steps taken to protect all Courthouse and campus users. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. Based upon the recommendation of the Oakland County Health Department, Facilities, and Risk Management, we will return to regular operations following the holiday on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Tennessee
Judge: Justice Dept. pushed to prosecute Abrego Garcia only after deportation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A newly unsealed order in the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia reveals that high-level Justice Department officials pushed for his indictment, calling it a "top priority," only after he was mistakenly deported and then ordered returned to the U.S.
Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Tennessee to charges of human smuggling. He is seeking to have the case dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution is vindictive — a way for President Donald Trump's administration to punish him for the embarrassment of his mistaken deportation.
To support that argument, he has asked the government to turn over documents that reveal how the decision was made to prosecute him in 2025 for an incident that occurred in 2022. On Dec. 3, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw filed an order under seal that compelled the government to provide some documents to Abrego Garcia and his attorneys. That order was unsealed on Tuesday and sheds new light on the case.
Earlier, Crenshaw found that there was "some evidence" that the prosecution of Abrego Garcia could be vindictive. He specifically cited a statement by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on a Fox News program that seemed to suggest that the Department of Justice charged Abrego Garcia because he had won his wrongful deportation case.
Rob McGuire, who was the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee until late December, argued that those statements were irrelevant because he alone made the decision to prosecute, and he has no animus against Abrego Garcia.
In the newly unsealed order, Crenshaw writes, "Some of the documents suggest not only that McGuire was not a solitary decision-maker, but he in fact reported to others in DOJ and the decision to prosecute Abrego may have been a joint decision."
DOJ officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The human smuggling charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding. There were nine passengers in the car, and state troopers discussed the possibility of human smuggling among themselves. However, he was ultimately allowed to leave with only a warning. The case was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations, but there is no record of any effort to charge him until April 2025, according to court records.
The order does not give a lot of detail on what is in the documents that were turned over to Abrego Garcia, but it shows that Aakash Singh, who works under Blanche in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, contacted McGuire about Abrego Garcia's case on April 27, the same day that McGuire received a file on the case from Homeland Security Investigations. That was several days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Abrego Garcia's favor on April 10.
On April 30, Singh said in an email to McGuire that the prosecution was a "top priority" for the Deputy Attorney General's Office, according to the order. Singh and McGuire continued to communicate about the prosecution. On May 15, McGuire emailed his staff that Blanche "would like Garcia charged sooner rather than later," Crenshaw writes.
On May 18, Singh wrote to McGuire and others to hold the draft indictment until they got "clearance" to file it. "The implication is that 'clearance' would come from the Office of the Deputy Attorney General," Crenshaw writes.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss the case on the basis of vindictive prosecution is scheduled for Jan. 28.
