Before the 11 a.m. news conference at which Tlaib spoke, the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center released a statement signed by several other immigrant advocacy groups slamming Duggan. The mayor used the word "illegal" or "illegally" a few times in remarks to reporters on Friday.

Detroit mayor Mike Duggan faced backlash from groups that work with migrants for using what they called the "i-word," or "illegal," to describe immigrants here illegally.