Marion County Jail Detained Over 1,000 Immigrants for ICE in 2025

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A WFYI data analysis of Marion County Jail records shows that more than 1,000 people from at least 55 countries were held on immigration detainers in 2025, with the majority being from Latin American countries. The findings highlight the local jail's role in the federal immigration enforcement process, as it holds individuals for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pick up.

Why it matters

The data sheds light on how the local criminal justice system in Indianapolis is being used to support the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts, impacting immigrant communities in the state. It raises questions about the role of local law enforcement in federal immigration matters and the civil liberties implications of detaining individuals beyond their release dates.

The details

The analysis found that nearly 89% of those detained were from at least 15 different Latin American countries, with the largest shares being from Mexico (38%), Guatemala (11%), and Venezuela (11%). The jail held people for an average of 22 days, with one man from India being detained for 222 days, the longest stay. Most individuals were released to federal custody, but 37 people had been booked into the jail two times. The sheriff's office says it is required by Indiana law to honor all ICE detainer requests, although the county does not have a formal agreement with the agency.

• The data analyzed was from 2025.
• In January 2026, the Marion County Sheriff announced the jail had reached capacity and would no longer hold people for ICE beyond 48 hours.

What’s next

The Marion County Sheriff's Office policy change to limit ICE holds to 48 hours could face legal challenges from the state or federal government, as Indiana has made supporting immigration enforcement a state policy.