Last Updated 3 days by Amnon J. Jobi | Amnon Front Page

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A bill to create a grant program to train law enforcement agencies on immigration enforcement advances through the statehouse.

A House committee voted to advance legislation to create a grant program for any law enforcement agency that chooses to participate in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to carry out immigration-related enforcement actions on a limited basis. In practice, it usually involves identifying and/or serving administrative immigration warrants on removable aliens who already are in jail on other charges.

The program has existed since 1996 but no agency in Indiana ever took part until January, when the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office announced it would enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

The legislation passed the state Senate on a party-line vote in early February. It sets up the framework for such a program but does not actually make an appropriation or create a fund. Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, who is sponsoring the bill in the House, said any decisions on funding amounts or rules would be up to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The grants would offset the costs of sending someone to mandatory training for the 287(g) program.

“I think that our local agencies are going to find themselves in the middle of (immigration-related situations) regardless,” Jeter said. “And to the extent they can get trained on how to handle these situations and partner with our federal partners on these issues, I think it will make everybody better.”

The Indiana Sheriffs Association’s Mike Biberstine said depending on which type of 287(g) program agencies choose to implement, someone has to receive training lasting either one business day or four weeks, though ICE is looking into ways to shorten the training and come meet agencies where they are.

“If they have to send somebody away for four weeks, that’s four weeks where they’re down a man in the sheriff’s office, and so it helps recoup the costs they lost by paying that individual to go through training, paying the costs of the training and any travel that might be associated,” Biberstine said.

The measure comes amid a broader crackdown on illegal immigration by the new Trump administration and by President Donald Trump’s allies. Gov. Mike Braun in January ordered state-level law enforcement agencies to fully cooperate with ICE and directed the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center to share with ICE any information on someone believed to be in the country unlawfully if that person is a criminal suspect or has a prior criminal record. Trump, meanwhile, has ordered ICE to expand the use of the 287(g) program.

Rep. Renee Pack, D-Indianapolis, was the lone dissenting vote in the committee. She told News 8 afterward that she considers the bill overkill. Law enforcement in Indiana already has the tools it needs to apprehend people who are in the country unlawfully and are suspected of having committed a crime, she said. Pack also said immigrants in her district are very worried about the bill.

“If you are a violent criminal, then you need to be treated as such. That’s not what I’m worried about,” Pack said. “I’m worried about us overstretching, overreaching and maybe including some people who don’t belong in that group. I’m an educator and I’ve seen families destroyed by overreaching policies like this.”

Jeter told News 8 he doesn’t share Pack’s concerns about people being wrongfully deported. He said he believes adequate safeguards already are in place.

The bill now goes to the full House for further consideration. The committee did not make any changes, so if the full House also doesn’t make any changes, it would go straight to Braun’s desk.