Indiana’s supermajority Republican General Assembly is scrutinizing more than 10 immigration bills, most of which are still sitting in committee. The bills would expand repercussions for crimes committed by immigrants lacking permanent legal status, compel law enforcement to work with federal immigration authorities and regulate universities that admit immigrants.
Laura Wilson is a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis specializing in state and local government and American politics. She said many of the bills may still be waiting for hearings because the state’s executive branch and the federal government are already acting on immigration issues.
In January, newly elected Gov. Mike Braun signed Executive Order 25-29, which said the state of Indiana will use its law enforcement agencies, corrections officers, Department of Natural Resources personnel and others to cooperate with and support federal immigration policies.
Like Braun, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders during his first weeks in office. They address immediate deportations, designations for terrorist groups and cartels, visa and refugee status screenings, and immigration suspensions.
“It makes sense to me that given his [ideologies] and partisanship, Braun would reinforce immigration values that line up with President Trump,” Wilson said. “The state legislature is dealing with a lot of issues now in a fiscal year. … This (immigration legislation) probably feels like less of a priority.”
In May 2024, Attorney General Todd Rokita announced he would sue sanctuary cities or cities with welcoming ordinances.
A 2017 welcoming ordinance in Gary prevented the city from looking into a person’s citizenship status or helping federal agencies carry out immigration laws. After Rokita’s announcement, Gary and other blue dots with welcoming ordinances in a red state repealed them or went to court against the AG.
A few of Indiana’s immigration bills have moved from committee to the House or Senate floors.
House Bill 1393 would require law enforcement to report anyone they arrest whom they believe to lack permanent legal status. Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, attempted to amend the bill on Monday but failed.
She said she proposed the amendment because the bill creates more work for police officers that would usually be done by the federal government and does not provide them with the appropriate training or pay. She also said the bill would increase expenses in jails, which the state has not appropriated money for.
“This bill is blurring the lines between state and federal responsibilities,” Garcia Wilburn told TheStatehouseFile.com last week. “If they (police) wanted to be federal agents, they very well could have chosen that path for themselves.”
Senate Bill 430, which was referred to the House Tuesday, would institute the 287(g) grant program in Indiana, allowing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to give grants to local law enforcement.
Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, is concerned that this bill too would create more work for police officers.
“We’re talking about using law enforcement officers as ICE agents, essentially telling you guys to go and do the job of the federal government,” Pol said in Tuesday’s Senate session.