CARMEL—Dozens of Hoosiers gathered Sunday evening outside the offices of Senator Todd Young (Carmel), Representative Victoria Spartz (Noblesville), and Representative Rudy Yakym (Mishawaka) to call on federal lawmakers to rethink national spending priorities.
The demonstrations were organized by the Indiana State AFL-CIO, Indivisible Central Indiana, and the Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance (IUYA), uniting in opposition to what they call a harmful expansion of immigration enforcement.
Protesters voiced outrage over the federal government's recent move to allocate $45 billion toward immigrant detention infrastructure and the tripling of ICE funding.
Many say these funds are a misallocation of taxpayer dollars that could otherwise support essential services like health care, housing, education and public safety.
“We are horrified by the images of masked ICE agents turning the country we love into a police state,” said a spokesperson for IUYA. “The majority of immigrants being arrested have little or no criminal record, yet our government is treating them like threats.”
The coordinated protests come amid growing national debate over immigration enforcement and federal budget priorities.
Organizers also criticized recent legislative efforts that would reduce health care access for millions of Americans while offering tax breaks to the wealthiest citizens.
“Hoosiers are fed up,” said a representative from the Indiana State AFL-CIO. “We want our tax dollars going to real solutions not to scapegoating our immigrant neighbors or lining the pockets of the wealthy.”
The protests remained peaceful, with speakers urging attendees to continue contacting their representatives and pushing for community-centered policies.
As the 2025 legislative session moves forward, organizers say they plan to continue public actions and lobbying efforts to pressure Indiana’s congressional delegation into opposing increased ICE funding and advocating for more humane, community-focused investments.
