INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Senate panel on Tuesday advanced a major immigration enforcement bill despite misgivings from both advocates and critics of immigration. The bill requires all governmental bodies that have custody of someone who is subject to an immigration detainer to comply with th e detainer’s requirements and notify any judge that has authority over the person’s release or bail. In addition, the measure prohibits knowingly or recklessly employing someone who lacks legal status. The Family and Social Services Administration also would have to provide lawmakers with data on how many noncitizens use public assistance programs including Medicaid, including the immigration status of each. Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, killed a similar bill during the last legislative session but wrote this year’s version. She told reporters her version addresses concerns law enforcement raised. “Our citizens want to understand that our immigration laws that are on the books are being enforced both federally and in the state of Indiana,” she said. Brown said her bill empowers state agencies, including the attorney general’s office and police, to look into allegations that someone is employing a person who lacks legal status. If state investigators find probable cause, they would be required to forward their findings to the Department of Homeland Security. She said any penalties would be assessed under existing laws and regulations. Immigration advocates said they are especially concerned by the immigration detainer enforcement provisions. Carolina Castoreno, co-founder of the Alliance for Latino Migrant Advocacy, told News 8 this adds to the effects of legislation passed during the 2025 session that requires sheriffs to notify federal immigration authorities if they believe someone in their jail is in the country unlawfully. She said this effectively means state and local officials are being forced to act as ICE agents. Castoreno said Indiana’s immigrant community already is losing trust in law enforcement due to the new law as well as a proliferation of 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements. “Many Latino organizations halted their Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month events because we did not want to have this impact in putting a target on our community,” she said. “People have been afraid to do their day-to-day routines for fear they could be picked up at any moment.” The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote of 6-2 but criticism of the bill did not break cleanly along liberal-conservative lines. Nathan Roberts, co-founder of Save Heritage Indiana, a nonprofit that supports stricter immigration controls, called the bill too lax. Erin Tuttle, with the attorney general’s office, offered similar criticism, saying there were too many loopholes in terms of who qualifies as an employer. She said lawmakers should add language to allow the state to sanction business licenses of employers who are found to violate the law. “If Indiana fails to adopt the one enforcement mechanism available under federal law, it cannot credibly claim to be a leader in combatting illegal immigration,” she said. The bill now moves to the full Senate for further consideration. ...read more read less