Stricter immigration enforcement in Indiana nears final vote

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – If Indiana’s Republican-backed immigration enforcement bill passes, it would require schools, police, and local governments to coordinate and cooperate with federal immigration officials.

Senate Bill 76 has passed both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly, but it requires one final vote of concurrence before it moves to the governor’s desk.

The bill would require government bodies to refrain from impeding federal immigration enforcement. It would also require law enforcement to inform judges if the suspect is undocumented during bail decisions and allow jails to detain people for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform supports this legislation. “This is someone who is already on their radar scope, and there’s no real reason other than defying federal law for local government to refuse to cooperate in these situations,” said Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

But the Indianapolis Liberation Center and other organizations think this will create a chilling effect and perpetuate unnecessary fear in the community. “What we’re seeing is this is an opportunity Senate Bill 76, to villainize immigrants to give the state more authority to police the people,” said Cecilia Gomez, a volunteer at the Indianapolis Libera...