This article highlights a civil investigative demand issued by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita to the city of Seymour, Indiana, as part of an effort to ensure compliance with state immigration policies. Seymour officials, including City Attorney Christina Engleking, were surprised by the 14-page demand, which requires the city to provide three years’ worth of immigration-related documentation and data.
This includes policies on immigration enforcement and statistics on specific crimes, such as driving without a license.
Rokita’s investigation is aimed at determining whether Seymour is acting as a sanctuary city, although Engleking emphasized that the city has not enacted any sanctuary policies and maintains cooperation with immigration enforcement.
The demand follows recent legislation granting Rokita authority to investigate local governments for non-compliance with state immigration laws. Other Indiana cities, such as East Chicago, have faced similar scrutiny, with some backing away from sanctuary policies in response.
Seymour’s large Hispanic population, comprising about 13% of its residents according to 2020 census data, is likely a contributing factor to the investigation.
The demand has sparked mixed reactions from residents, with some supporting transparency and others expressing confusion about the need for such an investigation. Seymour and another city, South Bend, have until November 8 to comply with the demand.