Overview
- Hammond officials said officers found ICE agents setting up at the police department about 6:54 a.m. Thursday and directed them to leave city property, after which agents relocated elsewhere in the city.
- Mayor Tom McDermott and the city’s law department said Hammond has no agreements authorizing ICE to use municipal facilities.
- East Chicago leaders said ICE later used the public portion of their police parking lot for an arrest, stressed the city is not participating in enforcement, and announced a 1 p.m. Saturday protest at City Hall.
- Gary’s mayor urged calm, acknowledged residents’ fears, and said local police cannot legally interfere with federal operations but will focus on safety and civil rights.
- Officials say the actions are part of Operation Midway Blitz, which includes Lake County; the Texas National Guard was federalized and deployed Thursday, while ICE did not comment and Indiana’s state agencies hold cooperation agreements that do not extend to local municipalities.