ICE Contract with Indiana DOC Revealed
INDIANAPOLIS — State leaders say they are preparing to house ICE detainees at the Miami Correctional Facility starting October 1.
The Department of Correction told lawmakers on Wednesday it needs about $16 million for upgrades, including fencing to separate detainees from regular inmates, better lighting, and temporary housing for staff.
DOC Commissioner Lloyd Arnold said the federal government will pay $291 per detainee per day—much higher than the cost to house a state inmate. ICE will guarantee at least 450 detainees a day for two years, which could bring roughly $79 million to the state. “We’re housing them. We’re feeding them, giving them medical care. They’re getting their legal rights,” Arnold said.
Some lawmakers raised concerns about treatment and due process. Rep. Ed DeLaney said, “I want Indiana known as the home of people who treat people decently,” while Sen. Fady Qaddoura stressed that legal standards are key to maintaining trust.
The DOC plans to hire in-state staff and offer $28 an hour to remain competitive. Arnold invited lawmakers to visit the facility once detainees arrive, saying, “We’re going to do just as good of a job to make sure they’re taken care of before we release them back to their home countries.”
Under the deal, ICE will guarantee at least 450 beds a day for two years, bringing the state around $79 million. If the facility fills all 1,000 beds, that number could climb to more than $200 million.
