Gov. Mike Braun Orders Law Enforcement To Cooperate With ICE

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Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order directing Indiana law enforcement agencies to “fully cooperate” with feds on immigration.

This order comes after President Donald Trump’s new federal immigration policies have started to take effect. On Inauguration Day, Trump signed an executive order titled “Securing Our Borders” to address the negative effects of “unlawful mass migration.” The order states that the federal government would work with state and local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration policy is implemented.

The order will also allow law enforcement agencies to “perform the functions of immigration officers” to investigate and detain individuals who are illegally in the United States.  

Indiana law already states that law enforcement officials must cooperate with federal officials on immigration laws. Braun’s executive order goes into more specifics on information sharing with the federal government and directs the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to coordinate any requests from Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, such as the use of the Indiana National Guard.

“We’re going to do what the federal government asks us to do that’s reasonable to help find the most egregious examples of illegal immigrants that have committed egregious crimes,” Braun told reporters Tuesday. “I’m going to direct any of our authorities to not resist, and hopefully they’ll be compliant on their own, and I think a large part of the jurisdictions across our state will be without any push from this office.”