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Immigration advocates call for collaboration as new state laws start coming online

WFYI News | By Samantha Horton

Published March 26, 2026 at 12:16 PM EDT

Speakers (L to R) Indiana Undocumented Youth Alliance's Wendy Catalán Ruano, Indiana Organizing Project representative Stuart Mora, Common Ground Christian Church Midtown member Vanessa Cruz Nichols, Fuerza Unida founder Sandra Garza and community advocate Karla López Owens discuss how they are responding and taking action to recently passed immigration policies.

Governor Mike Braun signed into law a broad immigration bill backed by the Trump Administration earlier this month. With some provisions going into effect immediately and others July 1st, community advocates from across the state met Saturday to discuss the implications of the new policies and plan a path forward.

In a community room at the Indianapolis Public Library's Glendale location, community advocate Karla López Owens said people should be concerned and come together to navigate a path forward.

"The most important thing is making sure that we're building those lines of communication, strengthening these relationships, because ultimately, that's how we're going to keep moving forward," López Owens said.

The immigration legislation (SEA 76), also known as the FAIRNESS Act, includes provisions that require schools, local governments, police and sheriffs offices to comply with federal immigration enforcement.

It also requires businesses operating in the state to verify the legal status of their employees.

Lawmakers also passed a provision (HEA 1343) that authorizes the governor to deploy the Indiana National Guard with policing powers. Many voiced concerns about changes that could bring to immigration enforcement in the state.

Fuerza Unida founder and immigration advocate Sandra Garza says she forged a wide range of partnerships in her Allen County community, including with local law enforcement.

"We can only get so far as the allyships that we have, right? We can't do this alone, and so we want to make sure that we hold them accountable and that they are with us in these streets if something does happen," Garza said.

Garza said some of the conversations include training officers on how to engage with immigrants they pull over. She also asked officers to reduce the number of unmarked vehicles on the streets because they make local immigrants nervous.

Vanessa Cruz Nichols is a member of Common Ground Christian Church Midtown and its newly formed Love and Action collective. She researches immigration activism and political behavior.

"History repeats itself, and as I follow immigration policies across the U.S., there are a lot of copycat bills," she said, "but one thing that's tried and true is that the resistance in the community always finds ways to stay resilient, always finds ways to fight back."

As one of the event organizers Cruz Nichols said it's important to come together and highlight people and groups fighting for immigration rights.

"When you see the grassroots organizing efforts come together, people can then, you know, take multiple steps to push for more accountability; start to change the landscape," Cruz Nichols said.

Cruz Nichols said she is encouraged people across the state are standing together for immigrants rights.

Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org or on Signal at SamHorton.05.