Overview

The Michigan Solidarity Bail Fund is a project developed in the aftermath of the mobilization against white supremacists in Lansing in March 2018, when people from around the country generously donated to support those who had been arrested in defense of their communities. Since the spring of 2020 and the George Floyd Rebellion, we have been operating as a revolving bail fund in multiple counties across Michigan.

We stand with those who put their bodies on the line in struggles for liberation and radical change, and, as much as possible, we also aim to bail out people whose charges may be less obviously political but who are still targeted by an oppressive and racist cash bail system. We are open to requests from around the state, focusing on areas with unmet needs—recognizing, for example, that the Detroit Justice Center’s Bail Project handles many cases in Detroit, and that others may set up fundraisers for specific situations. You can read more about us below, or donate (thank you!) by clicking the button above. We encourage anyone with information on a need for support with pretrial detention to contact us at: michigansolidaritybailfund [at] protonmail [dot] com.

Bail Assistance

The Michigan Solidarity Bail Fund (MSBF) is a “revolving fund” that is intended to support people who have been arrested and charged with crimes in Michigan. Bail money is returned once a case is concluded as long as the person charged appears at their court dates, which means that ideally the same money can be reused later on to bail someone else out.

Due to external constraints (like the availability of funds and the turnover time of the legal process), we may find ourselves in a situation in which we have to make choices with limited resources. Borrowing from and building on other bail funds around the country, we have developed the following criteria to guide these decisions about who to assist. Although there is no clear formula for making these difficult if not impossible decisions, we will weigh these interactive factors as best we can to determine our capacity to support those who request bail assistance. In developing these criteria, we have borrowed from and built on the foundational work of other similar projects around the country, especially in Chicago, Atlanta, and Oakland.

Logistics

  • Amount of bond
  • Charges
  • Court location/travel needs

Infrastructure/support

  • Ability to pay bond, including access to family or community resources
  • Support system, such as assistance making court dates
  • Willingness to assist with raising money to cover any anticipated court costs, fines, or fees that will not be refunded to the bond fund

Vulnerabilities

  • Risk of victimization in jail, including but not limited to gender, sexuality, race, disability, age, etc.
  • Health needs, such as pregnancy, chronic medical conditions, or ongoing mental health treatment
  • Immigration status and potential immigration consequences of detention or criminal conviction
  • Dependents or other family members who may be exposed to harm, including risk of custody loss or Children’s Protective Services (CPS) involvement
  • Potential impact of detention on applicant’s employment, housing, education, and/or custodial rights

Politics

  • Political character of arrest and charges, and possible implications within the broader political context
  • Referral from trusted comrades/organizations