House passes Bascom's bill promoting law enforcement cooperation with ICE after certain arrests

House Bill 1393 would require individuals who are arrested for a misdemeanor or felony offense to be reported to ICE

STATEHOUSE (Feb. 10, 2025) – The Indiana House of Representatives passed State Rep. Garrett Bascom's (R-Lawrenceburg) bill requiring law enforcement officers to report suspected illegal immigrants that have been arrested for a crime to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency.

Bascom said House Bill 1393 would require individuals who are arrested for a misdemeanor or felony offense to be reported to ICE if the arresting officer has probable cause to believe the individual was here unlawfully.

"It is always our hope that those who come to this country are here in good faith to work, learn and thrive," Bascom said. "Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and we need to be able to identify those bad actors so that we can make our communities safer for everyone."

Bascom said this bill could work in tandem with recent federal laws, including the Laken Riley Act, which recently passed through Congress. He also said that by sharing information with ICE, both state and federal law enforcement officials can work together to find and potentially remove bad actors from Indiana communities.

House Bill 1393, which passed out of the House with bipartisan support with a vote of 67-26,  now moves to the Senate for further consideration. To learn more about the bill and follow session, visit iga.in.gov.