By GARRETT BERGQUIST
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
All governmental bodies would have to comply with immigration detainers under a bill that the Senate gave final approval to Wednesday evening.
In its final form, the bill requires all governmental bodies, including school corporations, to comply with immigration detainers and inform judges in writing about the immigration status of anyone who is subject to a detainer. The bill prohibits employers from knowingly recruiting, hiring, or employing someone who is not authorized to work in the United States. In addition, the bill authorizes the attorney general to defend any agency that faces a lawsuit over its enforcement of immigration laws.
The Department of Correction would work on training requirements for county jails on how to deal with immigration cases.
The House added language to require monthly reports to the State Budget Committee on federal reimbursements from use of the Miami Correctional Facility by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Senate Democrats said the bill would erode community trust in law enforcement and open up schools and other agencies to legal liabilities. Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, who is a former school principal, said she fears forcing schools to divulge student information to ICE agents would violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
“We can’t get this wrong when it comes to kids. I can’t imagine for a moment coming to school to pick up my child and them not being there and me not knowing where they are,” Hunley said.
Republicans pointed to recent high-profile instances of deaths of U.S. citizens at the hands of undocumented immigrants as proof of the bill’s need. Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, invoked the names of several Americans who have been murdered in cases in which the suspects were persons who lacked proper documentation.
“I heard a colleague say we should be focused on big problems. I would say American citizens being murdered is a pretty freaking big problem. Maybe the biggest that we can address,” he said. “But we shouldn’t because people are scared? This is insanity, friends. I can’t believe that this is something that we have to stand up here and debate.”
The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Braun, who has indicated he will sign it.
This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/politics/indiana-immigration-bill-approved.