FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paige Gehlhausen, Press Secretary
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Brown's immigration enforcement act heads to governor's desk
STATEHOUSE (Feb. 25, 2026) — The Senate voted in favor of Indiana's FAIRNESS Act today, an immigration enforcement bill authored by State Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne), sending the legislation to the governor's desk.
"Law enforcement has consistently voiced to me their desire for legal support and training when addressing illegal immigration," Brown said. "My top priority while working on this
legislation was to ensure those concerns were addressed and that we are providing law enforcement with the support and training they need to safely and lawfully carry out their duties."
Senate Enrolled Act 76 aims to fight illegal immigration in Indiana by backing up the federal government's work with tools available at the state level and strengthening cooperation between Indiana and federal law enforcement.
"Hoosiers expect their laws to be enforced and their communities to be protected," said State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City). "This legislation reflects our commitment to public safety and sends a clear message that Indiana will stand firm in upholding the rule of law. I’m grateful for the thoughtful work and collaboration that made this legislation possible."
Brown says her Indiana FAIRNESS Act will help put a stop to illegal immigration in Indiana through four key components.
Bolstering law enforcement training and cooperation
SEA 76 requires police and government entities to comply with immigration detainer requests against individuals in their custody. It also requires the Indiana Department of Correction to establish minimum standards and training opportunities for county jails to ensure proper cooperation with U.S. immigration enforcement.
Clarifying Indiana's ban on sanctuary cities and campuses
The bill clarifies that government entities cannot restrict immigration enforcement by federal, state or local law enforcement agencies in any way and specifies that a government entity can violate the sanctuary ban even if its action was not done "knowingly" or "intentionally."
Prohibition on employing illegal immigrants
The bill prohibits employers from knowingly or intentionally recruiting, hiring or employing illegal immigrants and allows the Attorney General to pursue legal remedies against employers suspected of employing illegal immigrants.
Ensuring financial assistance only goes to Hoosiers who are here legally
Finally, SEA 76 requires the Family and Social Services Administration to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing information on how many non-citizens are enrolled in, or receiving benefits from, programs like SNAP, TANF and Medicaid.
"During the Biden administration, millions of illegal immigrants crossed America's borders, leading to a surge of gang violence and deadly drugs," Brown said. "While truly putting a stop to illegal immigration requires strong enforcement by the federal government, it's important that we do what we can here in Indiana to protect Hoosiers from the dangers that come from illegal immigration."
SEA 76 will now move to the governor's desk for his consideration.
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State Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne) represents Senate District 15,
which includes a portion of Allen County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
