Indiana Legislature set to prohibit 'sanctuary campuses'

It last week passed the Republican-controlled House, 72-26.

If signed into law, universities could not enact any regulation or policy that in any way restricts or limits any employee, including university police, from communicating with federal authorities about the immigration status of any person.

In addition, a university could not bar the enforcement of federal immigration laws on its property.

State Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, the sponsor, said it's important that the law be administered equally throughout the state.

"This is a country of laws," Young said. "If we can say the universities don't have to follow it, then we can say somebody else doesn't have to follow the law, and pretty soon the law won't mean anything."

The proposed statute would apply to every public or private post-secondary educational institution that receives any state or federal funds.

In 2011, Hoosier lawmakers also prohibited local governments from declaring themselves sanctuary cities where federal immigration laws would not be enforced.