U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 287(g) program, more than 223 undocumented immigrants have been arrested on Indiana highways. Of these arrests, Noem said 146 were truck drivers, including 46 semi truck drivers and 82 box truck drivers.
“With state partners like Gov. (Mike) Braun and like the state of Indiana, people will be safer,” Noem said. “People will be protected and our laws will matter.”
The actions are part of Operation Midway Blitz, the mass deportation mission in the Chicago area that also includes Lake County, Indiana, and other states supervised by the ICE Chicago field office — Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky and Kansas. Through Operation Midway Blitz, Noem said ICE has arrested about 3,000 people.
Noem told media on Thursday that no American citizens have been arrested or detained, despite various news reports that say otherwise. Noem claimed “anything different is simply a false report.”
During Thursday’s news conference, Noem called both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker “reckless” for issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Acting U.S. ICE Director Todd Lyons doubled down on Noem’s claim on Thursday.
“It’s unconscionable that illegal aliens have CDLs in driving 18-wheelers across our nation, just because sanctuary cities want to gamble with motorists’ lives,” Lyons said.
Gov. Mike Braun, ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan and Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott also participated Thursday.
Noem’s news conference — which was listed as an undisclosed location until about 6 p.m. Wednesday and was held at an Indiana National Guard hangar at the Gary/Chicago International Airport — was announced without local leaders’ knowledge, specifically Gary Mayor Eddie Melton.
“Let me be clear: the Office of the Mayor and the City of Gary have not been involved in organizing, planning or facilitating this event,” Melton’s Wednesday statement said. “The City of Gary will not be participating in this event.”
Adam Gypalo, spokesman for the Gary/Chicago International Airport, said in a Thursday morning statement that the airport was aware of the news conference held by Noem. The National Guard facility where the news conference was held is not under the scope of the airport authority, Gypalo said.
“As a reminder, the Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority plays no role in the establishment or enforcement of federal immigration policy, which is overseen by the United States government,” Gypalo said in his statement.
“Like almost all other airports, GCIA receives federal funding, and the airport’s assurances pertaining to the federal funding prohibits the airport from discriminating against flights coming into or out of the airport. This means the airport cannot stop ICE-chartered planes from using the airport. The airport itself does not have any flight servicing contracts with ICE.”
A counter protest occurred at the Gary/Chicago International Airport at the same time as Noem’s news conference.
“What’s going on right now is disgusting,” said Rafael Manzo, organizer of Thursday’s protest. “Time and time again, we’re seeing people being separated from their families.”
ICE’s 287(g) program allows the department’s Enforcement and Removal Operations to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and remove undocumented immigrants “who are amenable to removal from the U.S.,” according to ICE’s website.
Braun announced during Thursday’s news conference that the Indiana State Police plan to expand the program, assigning additional state troopers.
“This is going to take a joint effort,” Braun said. “Every state is a border state where you’ve got to contend with stuff like this. Operation Midway Blitz is working to make our highways safer.”
Scott, the ISP superintendent, told media Thursday that the action doesn’t require a new implementation of laws and said it’s what the agency does every day.
“For the Indiana State Police, this is not about immigration status alone; it’s about public safety,” Scott said. “Consistent commercial vehicle enforcement is necessary to protect the motoring public in Indiana, but it is also important to protect the overwhelming majority of lawful truckers and trucking companies who follow the rules and keep our roads safe for motorists.”
On Oct. 15 in Portage, 41-year-old Borko Stankovic of Lyons, Illinois, was involved in a fatal crash after driving a semi-trailer without a proper license, according to Post-Tribune archives. While held at the Porter County Jail, ICE filed detainer charges against Stankovic.
According to Post-Tribune archives, Stankovic is from Serbia and Montenegro and has been in the U.S. illegally since February 2011, when his non-immigration visa status expired. Portage police found that Stankovic only had an Illinois driver’s license and lacked the required CDL.
During Thursday’s news conference, Braun also thanked the Trump administration for expanding the program in Indiana, saying it impacts the Hoosier state “probably more … than any other state.”
“When many of the major interstates come through your state, you probably have more of them per square mile, and you’re going to end up with more issues disproportionately,” Braun said. “CDLs take a lot of effort to get, and when they’re handed out like places like California and others have, it puts everyone in peril.”
Braun also mentioned the action to redistrict Indiana’s congressional districts to give Republicans a 9-0 control, saying that the action is necessary as “sanctuary cities and states” house undocumented immigrants, claiming “it makes representation disproportionate in their favor.”
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, reacted to Noem and Braun’s comments in a statement to the Post-Tribune. Jackson was not present at the news conference but instead joined protestors at the airport.
“It is disappointing to see (Gov. Braun) focused on ICE raids at a time when over 500,000 Hoosiers are about to lose their SNAP benefits,” Jackson said in her statement. “We should be using surplus state resources to feed Hoosiers, but instead this governor is worried about how he can serve Washington, D.C.”
On Wednesday, Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott said in a phone call with the Post-Tribune that it’s “absolutely shameful” that local leaders and residents were not told where the news conference would take place ahead of time. McDermott also continued to say that he doesn’t support ICE operations in the region, according to Post-Tribune archives.
“Everybody’s got crime, and I know we have our crime pockets, but now the danger is coming from them,” McDermott said. “This isn’t right. This isn’t normal. There was not a problem until they showed up.”
Multiple protestors expressed their disappointment with Braun, including Jennifer Gross from Merrillville. She learned about the protest through social media, she said.
“It’s very concerning because we’re facing massive hunger issues and other issues,” she said. “(Noem) is coming on a private plane to announce an increase in areas that are going to only terrorize our communities and not put food on our tables. It’s further making things more expensive and turning each other on our neighbors.”
Rensselaer resident James Minix wore a traditional Black Plague mask to Thursday’s protest with a sign that said, “Trump’s plague is ICE.”
“If I don’t do this, then who’s going to?” Minix asked.
Minix also said he’s disappointed that Braun and Noem would host a news conference in Gary without telling local leaders or residents the location beforehand.
Cindy Grass, a Crown Point resident, said she believes that Braun and Noem’s secrecy behind the meeting is a bad sign for the direction of U.S. government. Grass also attended the protest to speak out against ICE’s actions nationwide.
“They don’t identify themselves or take off their masks,” Grass said. “They use excessive violence, and they separate families. It’s just out of control, and we need to do something about it.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
