DHS Announces Increased ICE Detention Capacity in Indiana
Homeland Security Secretary Christa Noem shared on Tuesday that her agency aims to limit detention space and staffing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in an effort to enhance enforcement initiatives.
A recent press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights a partnership with Indiana that will raise ICE detention capacity to 1,000 beds. This agreement with the Indiana Department of Corrections permits the federal immigration service to utilize beds at the Miami Correctional Facility.
DHS has dubbed this expanded detention space “Speedway Slammer” and credits a significant legislative bill for making it feasible.
As per a report, ICE has been capable of detaining approximately 41,000 individuals daily since January. Previously, former Border Patrol Chief Tom Homan expressed plans to increase ICE’s bed capacity to 100,000.
The Speedway Slammer initiative is the second state agreement aimed at enhancing ICE detention facilities, following Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” arrangement.
Indiana Governor Mike Brown (R) announced the partnership with the federal government last week.
“Indiana is not a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. We are fully aligned with federal immigration authorities to enforce the foundational laws of our country,” remarked Brown.
He referenced the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Indiana Police Department’s 287(g) contract, which empowers state officers to undertake immigration enforcement tasks, including arrests and maintaining custody in collaboration with ICE.
“Today, we’re thrilled to announce this partnership with Indiana, which expands our detention capacity by 1,000 beds,” Noem stated. “We appreciate Governor Brown’s support in helping us address the most pressing issues in our country. If you’re in America illegally, you might find yourself in Speedway Slammer in Indiana. So it’s best to avoid arrests and utilize the CBP Home app for assistance.”
On Wednesday, Noem also revealed that DHS has removed age limits for new ICE applicants to ensure that “more patriots are eligible to join.”
DHS reiterated the advantages presented by this significant legislative bill, which facilitates competitive packages for federal law enforcement positions, offering bonuses of up to $50,000 and options for student loan repayment or forgiveness.
“The recruitment drive to bring in 10,000 new ICE officers has yielded remarkable results,” Noem remarked in a Fox News interview on Wednesday.
She mentioned that over 80,000 applicants have shown interest in joining ICE.
“The support from the American public is heartening; they want to be a part of this initiative. The response we’ve received from potential ICE officers is quite overwhelming,” Noem concluded.
