Indiana lawmakers are advancing a bill which would require police to notify federal authorities about certain arrests.

House Bill 1393 moved forward after lawmakers made significant changes. It applies when police arrest someone and suspect the person is in the country illegally. Officers must notify the county sheriff, who then informs federal agencies.

The amended version raises the standard from “reasonable suspicion” to “probable cause.” It also grants civil immunity to officers who act in good faith.

Rep. Garrett Bascom, R-Lawrenceburg, said the bill balances enforcement with fairness.

“I want to be very clear about the determination,” Bascom stressed. “The determination is not made just based off pulling a person off of the street. The determination is only made after an individual has been arrested for that felony or misdemeanor.”

Opponents, including civil rights groups, raised concerns about racial bias and confusion for officers. Supporters said the bill strengthens immigration enforcement and addresses human trafficking concerns.

Critics warned it could encourage racial profiling and harm immigrants with legal status.

Carolina Castoreno, executive director of the American Indian Center of Indiana, worries it will unfairly target individuals during arrests.

“I’m here to tell you that if you think this will only impact undocumented people, you are wrong,” Castoreno contended. “Historically, this has proven to be false. When they tried to do this in the 1930s, the Mexican Repatriation Act, nearly 2 million people were deported to Mexico and nearly 60% of those people were U.S. citizens.”

Lawmakers debated the changes before the vote. Some warned it could disproportionately affect refugees and others without standard documents. Despite objections, the bill continues to move forward.