Indiana immigration arrests surge despite stalled ICE partnerships

Federal immigration authorities have arrested increasing numbers of people suspected of being in Indiana illegally — but have yet to deputize officer nominees from at least two Hoosier counties in President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign.

And Indiana’s state police agency has no plans to seek such U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement duties for its officers, despite a directive from Gov. Mike Braun promoting participation.

Nearly 1,400 people in Indiana have been subject to ICE administrative arrest since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, as of June 26. That’s almost an 80% increase over the same period last year, according to ICE records obtained by the Deportation Data Project and published July 15.

About a quarter of those apprehended in June had no criminal convictions or charges, prompting Braun to remark, “If that data is correct, I’d say that should raise eyebrows. Because I’ve been clearly on record: the worst, first. And there are many of them out there.”

The tally comes as the Hoosier State is tapped to bulk up the nation’s deportation infrastructure.

Amid a capacity crisis in federal immigration facilities, Camp Atterbury will be used to hold immigrant detainees. The federally owned military installation is licensed to and operated by the Indiana National Guard.

Meanwhile, the crusade has revealed cracks among Trump’s Hoosier backers and forced immigrant advocates to adjust.

Enforcement-boosting agreements idle

More than 866 state and local law enforcement agencies have entered formal partnerships with ICE to help identify and remove people in the U.S. illegally, particularly those with criminal histories — but only four are Indiana agencies.

The program, authorized in Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, lets ICE delegate certain immigration enforcement powers to state or local officers. There are three active program models: jail enforcement, task force and warrant service officer.

Although available since 1996, the first memorandum of agreement wasn’t signed until 2002, according to a 2021 Congressional Research Service report. The total increased to 72 in 2011, declined to 35 by the end of former President Barack Obama’s administration, and shot back up to 150 in late 2020, near the end of Trump’s first term in office.

As of Friday, ICE’s records of 287(g) participants listed four Hoosier law enforcement agencies.

All signed up this year, after Braun issued an executive order in January directing Hoosier law enforcement agencies to “fully cooperate with ICE, and, to the maximum extent permitted, enter into (287(g)) agreements.”

They include sheriff’s offices in Hamilton, Jasper and Noble counties, as well as the town of Greens Fork’s police department.

But officers nominated by at least two of them haven’t yet been activated.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office turned in a jail enforcement agreement dated Feb. 24. ICE signed it March 3.

Under that model, select officers would be able to serve and execute administrative arrest warrants for immigration violations; interrogate and process suspected arrestees; serve warrants of removal; prepare charging documents; transport arrestees to ICE-approved detention facilities; issue immigration detainer requests and more.

But before officers are conferred those powers, they must complete delegation of immigration authority training and score at least 70% on related exams.

Five members were identified for training, which has been scheduled, Hamilton County Sgt. Bryan Melton said Thursday; they’re “waiting to attend.” ICE has also granted access to its systems and software.

“We have a good working relationship with ICE,” Melton added. His office has held 74 people for transfer to ICE custody so far this year, after holding just 77 across the entirety of 2024.

ICE signed the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office’s warrant service officer deal on March 17.

“To date, that training has not yet occurred,” Chief Deputy Jason Wallace said Wednesday. “As such, we currently have zero deputies/jail officers participating in the program, and it is my understanding that we are not considered active participants until the required training is completed.”

“I am unsure why the training has not yet taken place,” he added. “All necessary paperwork was submitted; however, we have not received any follow-up or communication from ICE regarding next steps.”

His agency has recorded 14 transfers to ICE custody so far this year.

The Noble County Sheriff’s Office and Greens Fork Police Department didn’t return requests for comment on their participation in the 287(g) program. They have memorandums of agreement effective March 25 and April 10, respectively.

ICE also maintains a log of pending partnerships. As of Friday, it listed no Hoosier agencies.

The Indiana State Police indicated that it won’t be among those seeking ICE powers.

“ISP has no plan to enter into a 287(g) agreement of its own,” Capt. Ron Galaviz said.

He directed the Capital Chronicle to Braun’s order, adding, “The Indiana State Police works very closely with all its law enforcement partners at the local, county, state, and federal levels.”

Conservative dissent

As the Trump administration pushes for a daily arrest quota of 3,000, splinters have emerged among the president’s supporters.

“I have people they call me. They’re like, ‘I’m not sure if my crew is going to show up for work Monday morning, because if there’s a raid, or something like that, right?” U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana said last week, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“If you try to deport all of them, you’re gonna crash the economy,” Stutzman, a rancher, continued. He represents the Third District in northeast Indiana.

The House Freedom Caucus member later wrote on X that he’d “never support giving someone who crossed our border illegally citizenship, amnesty, or the right to vote.” Then, he quoted Trump: “If a farmer is willing to vouch for these people, in some way, we’re going to have to say that’s going to be good.”

Stutzman’s office didn’t return interview requests. But his remarks — and cosponsorship of a bipartisan immigration reform bill — prompted hundreds of critiques from conservative commenters and others.

Micah Clark, the executive director of the American Family Association’s Indiana chapter, called on Stutzman to “remove his name” from the bill while the “national security risks, criminals, traffickers, and other problems facing us from 4 years of an open border are addressed first.”

“This congressional majority should govern with the mandate voters gave them on this issue and set aside what some special interests seem to want — cheap labor,” Clark wrote in a Wednesday newsletter.

When asked about any impacts of the deportation push on Indiana Farm Bureau members, National Affairs Director Brantley Seifers emphasized the value of a temporary agricultural worker visa program, particularly to specialty crop growers.

“The workers our members employ via the H-2A program are essential to that goal, and INFB will continue to advocate against the overregulation that continues to burden farmers who participate in the program,” he continued.

The Indiana Farm Bureau “ha(s)n’t heard of any of our members being impacted by raids, but that’s not to say it hasn’t happened,” spokeswoman Heidi Gant added.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce declined to provide an interview or comment.

ICE files detainer requests across Indiana

State-level officials have largely applauded stepped-up immigration enforcement.

“For too long, Hoosier communities have borne the burden of open-border policies, facing increased crime, human trafficking, and strain on our schools, hospitals, and other taxpayer-funded resources,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a statement last week. “Using Camp Atterbury to securely detain illegal aliens pending immigration proceedings or deportation sends a clear message: Indiana will not tolerate lawlessness.”

Rokita said his office “stands ready” to back up federal efforts.

Advocates mobilize

The Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus began as a way to encourage political participation but has pivoted to “coordinat(ing) a statewide response to the emergency needs of the Latinos,” according to organization President Karla Lopez-Owens.

“Everybody feels it: this is different,” she said. “It’s unforgiving. It’s cruel.”

The group published a bilingual “Find an ICE detainee” guide, she said, and in the weeks since, they’ve been printed out and distributed to churches, coffee shops and other community spaces.

Lopez-Owens is also a cofounder of the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance, which recently launched a rapid response team. About 250-300 volunteers have been trained on best practices when encountering or spotting ICE officers, she said.

The alliance also plans to publish a list of reputable immigration attorneys to combat scams. And it maintains a legal defense fund, which Lopez-Owens dubbed a “very small lifeline.”

“The need far exceeds what’s available, and it wasn’t like this before,” she said. “… It’s not even about preparation, because we’re way past that point. It’s about mitigation and supporting the needs on a day-by-day basis.”

The alliance isn’t the only group struggling to meet need.

Immigrant Welcome Center Executive Director Gurinder Kaur said some clients who are self-deporting have requested travel aid, but there is no funding to support them.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.