Sen. Garten Defends Immigration Enforcement Bill
STATEHOUSE — Senator Chris Garten spoke in favor of a bill on immigration enforcement Wednesday, saying lawmakers need to act strongly to remove people living in the country illegally. The bill now waits for Governor Mike Braun’s signature.
The bill would let Indiana’s attorney general sue local governments, schools, colleges, or hospitals that block immigration enforcement. It also lets the state punish employers who hire illegal immigrants and requires local jails to hold inmates for federal immigration authorities when asked.
During debate, Garten delivered an impassioned defense of the measure and sharply criticized opponents.
“I want to be explicitly clear I don’t care how long they’ve been here they need to get out and support every method of getting every illegal alien out of Indiana today,” Garten said.
Garten said he objected to how some lawmakers characterized federal immigration authorities.
“I’ve heard members in this chamber referred ice as an armed and militia. I’ve heard claims that they’re killing people execution style in the streets. I’ve heard chaos is being sewn by ice agents. Those are quotes and I’ve heard a lot of people sitting up here today and there’s a lot of folks in the hallway that are here to defend illegal aliens but let me tell you what I haven’t heard from this chamber. I haven’t heard anybody try to defend Laken Riley not one person,” Garten said, referring to Laken Riley.
He pointed to crime numbers to support his push for stricter enforcement.
“In a recent two-year report. I arrested over 4000 illegal immigrants that are charged with homicide in this country over 4000 who’s gonna stand up for those folks or a colleague say we should be focused on big problems I’d say American citizens being murder is a pretty freaking big problem maybe the biggest that we could address but we shouldn’t because people are scared. This is insanity friends I can’t believe that this is something that we have to stand up here in debate,” Garten said.
People who back the bill say it will help the state and federal authorities work together and discourage illegal immigration. Those against it worry it could lead to lawsuits for local institutions and create tension between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
Sen. Garten Defends Immigration Enforcement Bill was originally published on wibc.com
