(La Porte County, IN) - The number of La Porte County Jail inmates released to U.S. immigration authorities for allegedly being in the country illegally has about doubled over the past six months.

 

La Porte County Police Capt. Derek Allen said 76 inmates since November 19 of last year have had detainers placed on them by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.)

 

Inmates with detainers are held until picked up by I.C.E. to verify whether they’re in the country illegally and, if so, deport them.

 

Allen said 69 of the suspected illegal alien inmates since booked into the jail have been released to I.C.E.  Typically, I.C.E. places them into a holding facility in Chicago until there’s a decision on whether to return them to their country of origin.

 

Allen said the seven others held in La Porte County Jail on I.C.E. detainers were transferred to other counties and states to face pending charges in those jurisdictions.

 

The total number of suspected illegal alien offenders booked into the jail from late last year to the end of May stood at 34. In comparison, Allen said I.C.E. placed holds on just two suspected illegal alien inmates from the jail in 2024.

 

I.C.E. has been more aggressively enforcing U.S. immigration laws under the direction of President Donald Trump, who’s following through on his promise of mass deportations since taking office on January 20.

 

In following standard procedure, Allen said the sheriff’s office notifies ICE whenever an arrest is made of an individual believed to be in the country illegally.

 

He said it is then up to ICE to decide whether to place a hold on the inmates and later pick them up to investigate their legal status in the country.