A few members of the Pierceton community stood with large signs, made by Pastor Anna Lisa Gross’ father, to stoically protest the mistreatment of detainees in the Miami Correctional Facility. Photo by Haylee Gardner, InkFreeNews.
By Haylee Gardner
InkFreeNews
PIERCETON – A call to action was seen by many passing along US 30 in Pierceton on Saturday, May 16, as members of the community held signs in protest of the Miami Correction Facility.
According to a press release from The Indiana Organizing Project, “…Indiana currently holds approximately 600 ICE detainees at Miami Correctional Facility…in Bunker Hill. Over 70% of ICE detainees have never been convicted of a crime.”
“The goal is to inform those who don’t know about what is going on in these detention centers,” said Pastor Anna Lisa Gross, who organized the event. “Families are in crisis…these are usually the wage earners for their families; not only here, but abroad as well.
Miami is not the only correctional facility in Indiana, there are at least four that are known. Gross noted that the Federal Government and the Department of Homeland Security are pursuing more grants for facilities like Miami Correctional.
“Already this year, four detainees have died at Miami,” Gross said. “All of the reports have been stating that they did not receive medical attention quickly enough. The idea that they would add more detainees there is unconscionable when already, it’s not safe.
“We are rural Hoosiers. This isn’t an urban versus rural debate. Some of us are farmers and this is a really important issue for us. We wanted other places to know about this issue.”
The Day of Action will occur at 28 unique locations across Indiana, calling on Governor Braun to End ICE Detention at Miami Correctional and to protest the mistreatment of many in the correctional facilities within the state.
For more information on the Day of Action and locations that they will be, visit their website here.