The Indiana Department of Correction is seeking $15.79 million in capital funding from the State Budget Committee to ready the Miami Correctional Facility for use under a proposed federal immigration and law enforcement agreement.
The budget committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday to consider, and possibly approve, the request.
DOC officials requested funding for “capital improvements necessary to operate a proposed detention facility at Miami Correctional Facility in order to facilitate the federal immigration and law enforcement activity,” according to the committee’s agenda.
The request would cover a series of infrastructure upgrades and equipment acquisitions, including “enhancements to perimeter fencing and lighting, temporary housing structures, modifications to the intake and processing areas, installation of drug detection and drone prevention systems, and x-ray screening equipment.”
No new construction: Feds to use 1K empty Indiana prison beds to house immigration detainees
Earlier this summer, DOC announced that the federal government plans to use up to 1,000 empty beds at Miami Correctional Facility — existing but unused capacity — to house immigration detainees.
DOC spokeswoman Annie Goeller previously said there will be no new construction or expansion of the existing Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill and that the north-central Indiana prison is simply making 1,000 existing, but unused, beds available to the federal government to increase its detention capacity.
DOC’s latest figures for August showed that Miami Correctional Facility was housing 1,845 inmates in 1,862 available beds, putting it at about 99% of its capacity.
Goeller said the prison site has a total capacity of more than 3,100 beds when fully operational.
Gov. Mike Braun acknowledged concerns about potential costs to the state when he spoke about the issue last month — but he said his “goal” is that “anything we’re doing for (federal immigration officials), that we get compensated for it.”
The budget committee agenda notes that the upgrades are needed “upon execution of the agreement with the Federal Government.” It’s not clear, however, if that agreement has already been finalized, however.
In addition to DOC’s deal to provide detention space, state police and other agencies have also entered agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to collaborate on enforcement efforts across the state.
DOC also revised its long-term prison consolidation plans. Officials confirmed last month that the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City will remain open “for some time” after the new $1.2 billion Northwest Indiana Correctional Facility opens in 2027, backing away from earlier plans to shutter it.
Westville Correctional Facility, located just 14 miles south, will still close as originally planned.
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