An ICE officer’s badge is seen as federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on Tuesday, June 10 in New York City. The Trump administration has ordered officials to increase detentions to 3,000 per day.

By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — 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 Pres. 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 Gov. Mike Braun promoting participation.

Nearly 1,400 people in Indiana have been subject to ICE administrative arrest since Trump’s Monday, Jan. 20 inauguration. That’s almost an 80% increase over the same period last year.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun weighed in on immigration arrest data during a Statehouse scrum on Thursday, July 24. Photo by Whitney Downard, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

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.

As of Friday, July 25, 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 haven’t been activated.

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

These arrests are based on administrative warrants, issued by agencies rather than judges, that authorize federal immigration officers to arrest people suspected of immigration violations. Data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, via the Deportation Data Project. By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz.

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, July 24. ICE has also granted access to its systems and software.

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

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

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

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.

Then-congressional candidate Marlin Stutzman talks to supporters in Fort Wayne. Photo by Nathan Gotsch, Fort Wayne Politics.

Stutzman’s remarks — and cosponsorship of a bipartisan immigration reform bill — prompted hundreds of critiques from conservative commenters and others.

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.

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.

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.

A protester holds an American flag and a sign denouncing ICE, during a demonstration Indiana’s Statehouse on Thursday, July 17. Photo from Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Lopez-Owens is also a cofounder of the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance, which recently launched a rapid response team.

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 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.

Capital Chronicle Reporter Madelyn Hanes and Senior Reporter Whitney Downard contributed.