Monroe County sheriff vows to defend immigration policy despite Rokita’s objections
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Despite other cities repealing their “sanctuary city” ordinances following Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s legal actions, Monroe County is continuing to fight a lawsuit over its policy.
The Herald-Times reported Monroe County Sheriff Ruben Marté said his office would defend the county’s law on undocumented immigrants.
“My office takes seriously our obligation to enforce the laws while respecting everyone’s constitutional rights. Our Standard Operating Procedure does exactly that,” Marté said in a news release.
According to MyCase, all Monroe County judges have recused themselves from the case. Greene Circuit Court Judge Erik Allen is presiding over the case as special judge.
“Democrat Monroe County Sheriff Ruben Marté is refusing to follow Indiana’s law on illegal immigration for cooperation with immigration authorities. I will continue to do my work enforcing the law and I won’t back down,” Rokita wrote on X.
According to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General, the cities of West Lafayette, East Chicago and Gary have all repealed their “sanctuary city” ordinances.
“We sent a blunt message to Gary officials that they needed to follow the law. As a result, the Gary Common Council officially voted to repeal, in its entirety, its unlawful immigration ordinance,” Rokita said in a press release. “This is a win for law-abiding Hoosiers and legal immigrants who are the ones negatively impacted by the flood of illegal aliens pouring across our southern border. We need to stand for apprehending criminals – NOT providing them with safe harbor.”