Speakers at a rally at the Indiana Statehouse raised concerns about a reported plan to house people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Camp Atterbury and urged local officials to end contracts that permit ICE use of local jails.

Carla Lopez Owens, who identified herself as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Marion County and president of the Indiana Latino Democratic Caucus, framed her remarks in personal terms and said she had come to protest what she described as federal immigration policies that separate families. “I am sick and tired of waking up every day and reading about families being ripped apart,” Carla Lopez Owens said.

Reverend (name given as Reverend Martinez) of Columbus Community United described Camp Atterbury’s recent history, saying the facility had hosted about 7,200 Afghan immigrants four years earlier and that surrounding communities had rallied to resettle families. “That camp was the place of gracious welcome for 7,200 immigrants from Afghanistan,” Reverend Martinez said, and he called plans to convert space for ICE detainees a “180 degree turnaround.”

Danielle Cooney, an organizer with Live Free Indiana, said her group and allied organizers pressed the Marion County sheriff to explain a federal contract that allows ICE to detain people and urged residents to act to end the contract. “We need everyday folks to use their voice to demand the sheriff stop collaborating with ICE and cancel the contract he has that allows the jail to be used to hold our neighbors,” Danielle Cooney said. Cooney said volunteers at the event were collecting signatures and sharing a QR code enabling people to send emails to the sheriff.

Nut graf: Speakers warned a planned detention facility at Camp Atterbury and local jail contracts with ICE risked reversing recent refugee resettlement efforts and separating local families. They urged both public pressure on elected officials and preparations to push for humane treatment and legal protections for people detained.

Speakers also presented economic and civic arguments. Reverend Martinez and others framed immigrants’ economic contributions as a basis for opposition to the proposed facility. At the podium, the Rev. Martinez cited figures, saying immigrants generate roughly $1.6 trillion in economic activity nationwide and contribute more than $579 billion in taxes; those figures were presented as part of his remarks.

Ending: Organizers asked attendees to sign petitions, send emails to Sheriff Forrestal’s office, and connect with local advocacy booths on site. They pledged to continue a campaign to urge Marion County officials to end federal jail contracts and to push for oversight if any detention activity proceeds.