INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced early Wednesday morning that he has entered an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The deal comes as part of the “Delegation of Immigration Authority” section of the Immigration and Nationality Act, or Se ction “287(g).” ICE says the section is designed to “authorize ICE to delegate state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight.” Rokita said in a statement that his office’s entry into the agreement will broaden the resource pool for his investigators and “take stronger action to protect Hoosiers.” The attorney general also encouraged Indiana sheriff’s offices to sign their own deals with ICE, describing the partnerships as “missed opportunities.” “Agreements like these do not take away from local law enforcement; they only add to their ability to keep communities safe,” Rokita said. “The fact that only six of our 92 sheriffs have signed an agreement like this shows there are missed opportunities for Indiana to enhance the tools they have to protect and serve. The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association should be working to make sure all 92 offices are in this program.” According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, law enforcement agencies from 29 Indiana counties have made similar agreements with ICE. This includes police and sheriff’s departments, town marshals’ offices, prosecutors’ offices, and federal agencies. The ACLU also states that there are seven sheriff’s offices with active 287(g) pacts. The sheriff’s offices are in Blackford, Dearborn, Hamilton, Jasper, Noble, Rush, and Spencer counties. Full statement from Rokita Partnering with federal law enforcement is a key part of how we deport illegal aliens under the FAIRNESS Act, which we helped write and support. A 287(g) agreement with ICE does exactly that—giving our investigators greater ability to work side by side with them and take stronger action to protect Hoosiers. By the way, every county sheriff across the state should be—and can be—doing what we’re doing. And what sheriffs across the nation are doing. Agreements like these do not take away from local law enforcement; they only add to their ability to keep communities safe. They also open up opportunities to obtain federal funding to enhance public safety, so it helps with your local property taxes. The fact that only six of our 92 sheriffs have signed an agreement like this shows there are missed opportunities for Indiana to enhance the tools they have to protect and serve. The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association should be working to make sure all 92 offices are in this program. If your elected official is not partnering with ICE through 287(g), you should ask them directly why that is. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita ...read more read less