In his first week back in office, President Donald J. Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration, establishing it as a top priority. The Trump administration also terminated a policy barring arrests of undocumented residents at locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are now allowed to make arrests at such “sensitive locations” to carry out the president’s promise of mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
During Biden’s presidency, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One app was launched to organize the entry of migrants to the United States. The Trump Administration did away with the app and following an executive order, “border patrol agents have been instructed to turn people away without granting them asylum hearings,” according to BBC News. This has led to an expected increase in migrants from Mexico, prompting them to build migrant shelters along border cities.
The Trump Administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement comes amid heightened debates over crime and border security. According to a White House Fact Sheet from January 22, one case that fueled this shift was the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley, whose killing by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant sparked national outrage. In response, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law on January 29, his first bill of the new term, allowing ICE to detain undocumented individuals with criminal records for deportation. This law specifically targets non-U.S. citizens currently incarcerated in both state jails and federal prisons. Riley’s case raised concerns over how undocumented immigrants with criminal histories are handled by federal authorities, especially after reports surfaced that her killer, José Antonio Ibarra, had been allowed into the U.S. despite previous offenses.
While 263 Congress representatives voted to pass the Laken Riley Act, 156 voted against the bill. Opponents point out how the bill lacks due process protections, which are essential in ensuring fair legal proceedings, and congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan spoke up about that being the reason she voted against the bill.
“The Laken Riley Act is one of six high-priority GOP bills written to address the deportation of those here illegally who have committed crimes,” Houlahan said in her opinion article for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I voted ‘yes’ on the other five, but ‘no’ on this one. The big difference is that the Laken Riley Act, as written, is unconstitutional while the rest are not.”
Houlahan emphasizes that the five bills she supported include due process protections and require a conviction for deportation. The Due Process Clause, found in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, states that no one shall be “deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” According to critics, the Laken Riley Act fails to uphold this constitutional safeguard.
“The Laken Riley Act alone allows states to sue the federal government over immigration policies they don’t like,” Houlahan said. “The U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 ruled this was unconstitutional.”
Houlahan’s concerns highlight the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement and due process protections. While federal lawmakers grapple with the balance between security and constitutional rights, local governments are beginning to implement new enforcement measures in response to the administration’s policies.
Hamilton County has also taken steps to jump-start these newly issued laws that impact undocumented, incarcerated individuals. The Hamilton County’s Immigration Commission was established to strengthen the partnership between law enforcement and ICE. Particular law enforcement staff will receive specialized training in identifying and detaining illegal residents. The status of the immigration commission is currently pending but once approved, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will be Indiana’s first enforcement agency to partake in this collaboration with ICE. In an interview with Fox59, Hamilton County Chief Deputy, John Lowes, reassured the community that this commission specifically focuses on illegal residents who are currently incarcerated at the Hamilton County Jail.
Despite these enforcement measures, superintendent Pat Mapes thinks that, realistically, Hamilton County will not see a lot of change. He believes that ICE’s focus is elsewhere, remaining on large cities rather than suburban communities like Fishers, and residents are not going to see a sudden influx of ICE officials.
“I think this is a bigger metropolitan issue rather than a Fishers issue. [There are not many] undocumented or illegal people who have committed crimes in other countries [living] in our community,” Mapes said. “We’re a long way down the food chain before they’re going to be coming into Hamilton County.”
Families raised concerns about ICE’s new ability to enter “sensitive locations,” including schools. To address these concerns, HSE Schools released a statement on January 31 reaffirming its commitment to student safety and outlining how the district will handle any potential ICE operations on school grounds.
We understand that recent questions have arisen about how we protect student rights. We want to reassure you of our commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students. Our policies and procedures have not changed.
If law enforcement officials need to conduct their work, we request that it take place off school property and outside school hours, consistent with proper legal documentation. To date, we have had no instances of immigration enforcement activity in our schools, nor have we been informed of any planned investigations.
HSE Schools will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of students and staff while complying with all legal requirements.
Thank you for your trust and partnership as we serve our students and community.
HSE Schools
“We still consider our school a safe haven. Our first and primary duty every day is the safety of the students,” Mapes said after being asked about how ICE can conduct operations on school grounds. To even enter a school, an ICE official will need a judge-signed warrant. Obtaining a judge-signed warrant to access a school would be extremely difficult. Additionally, school counselors are not mandated to report if a student is or knows someone who is undocumented.
Noblesville Schools have not released a public statement regarding this terminated order and have simply “shared communications with [their] staff and parents as questions have come up,” as Marnie Cooke, the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, put it. Though, they are handling the dilemma in a similar way to HSE, meaning that their safety procedures remain the same.
“No individual, including law enforcement officials, can interact with or take a student out of school without proper authorization,” Cooke said via email.
As immigration policies continue to evolve under the Trump Administration, local schools and law enforcement agencies are adapting to new federal mandates. While some communities may see immediate effects, others, including Hamilton County, are preparing for potential changes while maintaining existing safety protocols. These adjustments are subject to change, however, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest changes, both government and local.
