The Senate Judiciary Committee heard SB 76 authored by Sen. Brown and Sen. Alexander on immigration matters. The bill in relevant part, provides:
- If a law enforcement officer, governmental body, or a postsecondary educational institution is made a party to a civil suit and the Attorney General determines that the suit has arisen out of certain acts, the Attorney General shall defend the law enforcement officer, the governmental body, or the postsecondary educational institution throughout the action.
- A governmental body that has the custody of an individual who is the subject of an immigration detainer request shall:
- provide the judge authorized to grant or deny the individual’s release on bail notice that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request;
- record in the individual’s case file that the individual is subject to an immigration detainer request;
- comply with the immigration detainer request; and
- inform the individual that the individual is being held pursuant to an immigration detainer request.
- A judge who receives notice that an individual is subject to an immigration detainer request to ensure that the notice of the immigration detainer request is recorded in the court’s record.
The bill was amended by consent in relevant part to specify when representation by the attorney general for certain legal actions is required and when representation may be requested and removes language that provided the attorney general with additional enforcement authority concerning a potential violation by a governmental body with respect to the processing of an immigration detainer. The Indiana Department of Labor, Indiana State Police, Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, Association of Indiana Counties, Allen County Board of Commissioners and several members of the public testified in support of the bill. Save Heritage Indiana and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration testified but remained neutral. Exodus Refugee Immigration, Alliance for Latino Migrant Advocacy, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General and several members of the public testified in opposition. The amended bill passed 6-2.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/senate/76