PODCAST:
Jan. 15, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Jamie Edmonds, and Lloyd Jackson spoke with James Tate, Detroit’s new City Council president. They talked about his responsibilities.
DETROIT ~ With the ascension of Mary Sheffield from Detroit City Council president to mayor, seasoned council member Joe Tate was selected to take the mantle as the body’s president.
On Thursday, WJR spoke with Tate about how he views his responsibilities as council president and what he hopes to achieve as a leader. When asked if he agrees with removing ICE officials from the city of Detroit or declaring it a sanctuary city in response to local anti-ICE protests, Tate declined to say whether he agrees or disagrees with the sentiments of the protestors. He did say that he does not “want any enforcement entity unjustly harming our residents,” and that he is “fully confident” Sheffield will make the right calls on this issue for the city.
“A lot of things that have been going on, and the stories that we’re hearing, are horrible and terrible,” Tate told WJR. “But we have a responsibility not to just respond to public comment, but also to make sure that we listen to everyone and be mindful that the moves that we make are not just to get applause in a room. This is real life, and the actions that we take, the words that we speak, have consequences. They have ramifications.”
He also hopes to keep council meetings civil and orderly, as opposed to prior eras of the council.
“It was the greatest show on earth, some folks would say watching city council sessions,” he said. “I remember when I was not a member, I would be just like everyone else waiting for the news to pop up to see what kind of clips were entertaining from the Detroit City Council. But we don’t see that anymore.“
