Indiana AG sues sheriff for refusal to cooperate with ICE

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) announced that his office filed a lawsuit against the St. Joseph County Police Department and Sheriff William Redman (D) over the department’s refusal to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

During a Friday press conference, Rokita said, “I filed a lawsuit against St. Joseph County Sheriff Redman and his department over their persistent practice of refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.”

‘Sherrif Redman is part of the problem.’

“This includes refusing to notify ICE properly about the release of illegal aliens and also refusing to honor ICE detainers,” Rokita continued. “This deliberate decision to not cooperate with federal immigration authorities is giving safe harbor to criminal aliens that need to be removed from our country and this county.”

“I refuse as your attorney general to just stand by and watch the lawlessness happen from law enforcement officials,” he declared.

He argued that the department’s refusal to comply with ICE detainers has acted like a “magnet,” attracting more criminal illegal aliens to the area.

The lawsuit seeks to “compel compliance” with Indiana laws that require local governments to cooperate with the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The AG pledged to “eliminate all sanctuary jurisdictions throughout Indiana.”

ICE designated Redman’s department as a “non-cooperative law enforcement agency” last year, Rokita’s complaint claims. Between March and September 2024, SJCPD ignored nine of ICE’s detainer requests.

In October, Rokita sent a letter to Redman inquiring about the department’s potential violation of state law for refusing to cooperate with ICE.

According to the lawsuit, Redman’s office responded nearly a month later, insisting that the department complies with Indiana laws. However, the response reportedly did not address the ignored detainer requests.

Rokita sent a second letter in December but reportedly never received a response from Redman.

SJCPD replied to the AG’s lawsuit in a post on social media.

“The Indiana Attorney General once again decided to hold a press conference before even making us aware of the lawsuit. At the time of this posting, we have yet to even receive a copy of the lawsuit,” the statement read. “He stated he talked to Sheriff Redman multiple times, which is false. The Sheriff has never even spoken to Todd Rokita.”

“He stated that we do not cooperate with ICE, which is false. We regularly communicate with ICE. When the jail receives a detainer or request from ICE, staff promptly informs immigration officials when that individual will be released on their criminal charges for detainment by ICE,” the statement added.

“Sherrif Redman is part of the problem. A big part. And we will hold him accountable,” Rokita wrote in a post on X.

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