INDIANAPOLIS — About a dozen protesters gathered Thursday afternoon for “Disappeared in America”, the next official No Kings national day of action.
“I don’t like what’s happening in this country. I don’t like people being kidnapped off the streets,” said Maryjo Christian.
Christian is the granddaughter of a once undocumented immigrant.
“The people that come here are just trying to take care of their family. What could be wrong with that?” she said.
Many protesters wore all black to grieve and honor immigrants at the Community Justice Campus on Thursday.
Some brought signs or pictures of those taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to show their faces and remember their names.
Earlier this month, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to WRTV that since January 1, more than 400 ICE detainees have been held at the Adult Detention Center.
“We are not okay with this," Amy Guzman said.
Guzman was born in Colombia and later became a naturalized citizen.
She fears for her family.
“Even me, with my son being born here. We are scared. He’s scared of being profiled. He’s 21, so he fits the profile. I don’t think they understand how racist this is and how dangerous this is," Guzman said.
WRTV reached out to MCSO on Thursday to ask about its compliance with ICE.
They responded, “[We’re] bound by multiple state laws, various executive orders, and additional guidance that require it to cooperate with federal authorities, including ICE."
This response angers William Smith.
“I don’t think we should be using taxpayer money to do that. We have a huge budget deficit. We have services we should be providing for poor people, housing for example. Instead, we’re spending it to house immigrants that should be free," Smith said.
Smith is the father of two Chinese-Americans. He says anti-immigrant rhetoric hurts his children.
“We shouldn’t be doing this at all. Think about how much immigrants have contributed to this country," he said.
MARION COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FULL STATEMENT
"As a law enforcement agency, we believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is bound by multiple state laws, various executive orders, and additional guidance (see attached) that require it to cooperate with federal authorities, including ICE. ICE piggybacks on a decades-old contract we maintain with the U.S. Marshals Service – a contract that is open for use by nearly all federal agencies. The number of federal detainees housed in our Adult Detention Center has remained stable – around 90 individuals – though ICE’s share of those individuals has increased. ICE does not disclose the reasons for an individual’s detention.
We understand our community’s desire to advocate for policies that ensure due process and fairness for all individuals, even as we fulfill our legal obligations. We expect that advocacy to be both peaceful and lawful."
