A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita from enforcing a wide-ranging civil investigative Demand against Exodus Refugee Immigration, ruling the investigation was likely an act of retaliation against constitutionally protected speech.

The court order prevents the Attorney General’s office from taking action against the non-profit organization or enforcing the civil demand while the lawsuit proceeds.

The legal dispute stems from September 2025, when Rokita issued a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) targeting Exodus as part of a broader state inquiry into organizations serving immigrant communities. The demand came shortly after Exodus notified local service providers about a potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Bloomington and temporarily closed its offices to protect clients.

The investigative demand sought sensitive records covering virtually every facet of Exodus’s operations, including information regarding its clients, corporate partners, donors, advocacy efforts, and community programs.

In granting the injunction, the federal court noted that Exodus’s protected First Amendment speech played a central role in the Attorney General’s decision to launch the inquiry. The court highlighted the suspicious timing, the extraordinary breadth of the demand, and the weak connection to Rokita’s stated intent to investigate labor trafficking.

“Exodus’s clients come to us after fleeing war, persecution, and unimaginable hardship. They trust us to help them build safe, stable lives in Indiana,” said Cole Varga, CEO of Exodus Refugee Immigration. “This investigation undermined that trust. We hope that the Attorney General will now focus on serving Indiana residents instead of targeting our immigrant neighbors and their allies.”

Attorneys with the ACLU of Indiana, representing Exodus, argued the investigation was designed to intimidate organizations that support immigrants and silence dissent.

“This investigation sought information about Exodus’s clients, partners, and work in an effort to intimidate an organization serving immigrant communities and silence protected speech,” said Stevie Pactor, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Indiana. “We look forward to seeking final judgment against the Attorney General’s unlawful actions.”

Exodus provides housing, employment assistance, legal aid, and language education to refugees and humanitarian immigrants resettling in Indiana. The preliminary injunction will remain in effect as the lawsuit seeking a permanent end to the state’s investigative demand moves forward.