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The Weekend of Public Witness/irvington
Hoosiers feel a profound sadness and a growing fury in knowing that people in our own Indiana
neighborhoods live under the constant threat of state-sponsored terror. Seeing human beings subjected to
starvation, physical violence, and lethal neglect inside the Miami Correctional Facility is sickening. Over 70% of
ICE detainees have no criminal record, yet our state is profiting off their suffering while people die preventable
deaths from withheld medical care. This is not immigration enforcement; it is a human rights crisis occurring
right in front of our faces. We cannot look away, and we cannot stay quiet. We must turn our collective grief into
an unyielding demand for change. Governor Mike Braun must immediately cancel Indiana's contract to house
ICE detainees.” Ashlee York, Indy Resistance | Indivisible The State of Indiana currently holds approximately 800 ICE detainees at Miami Correctional Facility, a
maximum-security prison in Bunker Hill, Indiana. Despite Governor Braun’s previous declarations that
immigration enforcement should focus on "the worst first", national data reveals that over 70% of ICE detainees
have never been convicted of a crime. These detentions inflict devastating trauma on families and communities
across the state. Nearly every family supported by local mutual aid networks includes U.S. citizen children and
spouses who are left without primary breadwinners while navigating complex legal systems.
While Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) Commissioner Lloyd Arnold previously acknowledged the
partnership by stating, "We would not be doing it if there were not a built-in profit," Hoosiers reject the
monetization of human suffering. Furthermore, with potentially high litigation costs, it is increasingly possible
that the State of Indiana will lose money on this ordeal.
Here is what has already been uncovered in the first year of ICE detention at Miami Correctional:
● Severe Staffing Shortages: A Miami Correctional officer stated in March 2026 that the facility was
short approximately 34% of the staffing needed to house the number of inmates and detainees
currently on site.
● Preventable Detainee Deaths: Two ICE detainees died in custody within six weeks of each other in
early 2026. Lorth Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian refugee and diabetic, died on February 16 after being
denied his prescribed metformin. Tuan Van Bui, a 55-year-old Vietnamese national, died on April 1 after
collapsing in his unit while emergency medical assistance took up to 45 minutes to respond.
● Falsified Medical Backlogs: Investigations revealed for-profit contractor Centurion Health reported
zero weekly backlogs to avoid $5,000 weekly state fines, while internal emails showed actual backlogs
of 379 chronic care patients and 73 sick calls in a single week.
● Civil Rights & Medical Neglect Lawsuits: In July 2026, the ACLU of Indiana filed federal lawsuits on
behalf of former detainee Andranik Grigoryan, alleging that missed anti-seizure medication caused him
to suffer a severe head injury, after which correctional officers pepper-sprayed him while he was still
injured.
In response to growing public pressure and media investigations, Governor Braun ordered an internal IDOC
audit of the facility in late July 2026. However, community leaders emphasize that an audit is not enough—the
state must terminate the contract entirely.
Because Miami Correctional is the only state-run facility housing ICE detainees in Indiana, every Hoosier
carries a shared responsibility for the treatment of those inside. This weekend, communities in 60+ towns and
cities across Indiana are rising in unified public witness to demand dignity, accountability, and an immediate
end to ICE detention at Miami Correctional Facility.
# # #
Indy Resistance | Indivisible is a chapter of the national Indivisible organization. Indivisible is a nationwide
movement of millions of people working to stop the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and to demand
a real democracy. There are more than 2,500 local, volunteer-led Indivisible groups in urban, suburban, and
rural communities across every state in the country. Indy Resistance | Indivisible envisions a democracy that
delivers for all Hoosiers—not just the wealthy or well-connected. We are committed to nonviolent action,
multiracial democracy, and a government that is accountable to the people it serves.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3800335-0
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3800335-2
