Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has initiated a lawsuit against the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff William Redman, citing a failure to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
At a press conference held in South Bend, Rokita accused the sheriff’s department of consistently ignoring requests from U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the release of undocumented immigrants and failing to honor ICE detainers.
He asserted that this noncompliance creates a “safe harbor” for criminal aliens who should be removed from the country, potentially attracting more illegal migrants to St. Joseph County and leading to increased crime rates.
Rokita emphasized his commitment to enforcing the law, stating, “I refuse as your attorney general to just stand by and watch the lawlessness happen from law enforcement officials.”
He expressed frustration over the sheriff’s department’s lack of communication and compliance with Indiana laws, despite multiple attempts to address the issue.
The attorney general indicated that he would withdraw the lawsuit if the sheriff’s department begins cooperating with ICE.
In response, Sheriff Redman refuted Rokita’s claims, asserting that his department does communicate with ICE and that there is no legal obligation for local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws.
This lawsuit emerges amid broader discussions on immigration policy, coinciding with President Trump’s recent unveiling of a mass deportation plan, which has intensified scrutiny on local compliance with federal immigration enforcement.
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