IBLC: ‘It’s time to move on and fight for Hoosiers’

Today, Dec. 11, the Indiana Senate rejected a congressional map proposal that would have carved up the state of Indiana for the sole purpose of benefitting the Republican Party. House Bill 1032 was voted down by 31-19.

 State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement following the vote:

"Now that the issue of redistricting is finally behind us, it's time to move on and fight for Hoosiers. This has been a distraction for months, and now, I'm looking forward to working with my caucus and the IBLC to make life better for people throughout the state. The cost of living is simply too high, utility rates are soaring and child care is completely unaffordable – if you can find child care at all. There's no shortage of issues that Hoosiers are facing every day, and it's time we get to work to fix them."

IBLC comments on Martin University pausing its operations

Today, Dec. 9, officials from Martin University announced the college would be pausing its operations. State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"Since 1977, Martin University has served as a leader in the Indianapolis community, providing quality education and preparing the next generation of leaders for the workforce. As the state's only Predominately Black Institution for higher education, Martin has played an important role in narrowing the achievement gap and opening doors for minority, first-generation and non-traditional college students.

"At a time when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts are being demonized throughout the country, it's disheartening to see an institution like Martin University struggle to keep its doors open for the community it has so diligently served for decades. On behalf of the IBLC, I hope the board can find a solution that allows Martin to continue its great work in the near future."

"To see Martin University go would be an atrocity for the state of Indiana," IBLC member Rep. John L. Bartlett (D-Indianapolis) said. Rep. Bartlett previously served as board chair for Martin University and earned a degree from the institution in 2015. "This is directly out of Trump and Gov. Braun's agenda. I hope the community is able to save Martin University; it's a vital part of our city and state."

Harris: ‘Indiana Republicans have put politics ahead of Hoosiers’

Today, Dec. 5, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032, their gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. The map carves up like-minded communities to make elections less competitive to benefit the Republican Party. HB 1032 heads to the Senate for their consideration next week.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), issued the following statement:

"There is nothing positive I can say about this map proposal or how House Republicans have conducted themselves this week. Democrats gave them every opportunity to reverse course and focus on issues such as health care, utility bills, child care – and other problems impact Hoosiers every day. Instead, they rushed their map through our chamber because they believe there would be political consequences if they didn't. They have put politics ahead of Hoosiers, and there is no forgiving that.

"If the Senate passes this map, it will have a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown Hoosiers, especially in Lake and Marion counties. As a lawmaker, I take great care to 'do no harm' when it comes to governing. The supermajority heard our concerns about the harm this map would do and voted for it anyway. This isn't leadership, it's a dereliction of duty.

"Beyond the suppression of Black and brown votes, we have no idea how much this map would end up costing local governments and counties. Yesterday, I offered an amendment to simply look at how much mid-decade redistricting would cost Indiana, and House Republicans couldn't even pass that. This is one of the most irresponsible pieces of legislation I have ever seen passed through this chamber. It's a sad day for Indiana, and I hope my colleagues in the Senate do the right thing and reject this power-grab."

IBLC condemns passage of House Bill 1032

Today, Dec. 5, Indiana House Republicans passed House Bill 1032, their gerrymandered congressional map, after months of pressure from Washington, D.C. and Gov. Mike Braun. The map carves up like-minded communities – disproportionally impacting communities of color – to make elections less competitive to benefit Indiana Republicans' longstanding one-party rule. HB 1032 heads to the Senate for their consideration next week.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement on behalf of the bicameral caucus:

"This week, IBLC members in the House of Representatives sat and listened to our colleagues in the Republican caucus tout the need for a congressional map wholly favoring their party. Beyond the fact that this is disenfranchising the over 40% of Hoosiers who don't identify as a Republican, the bill's author admitted in committee that he didn't factor in the potential impact for Black and Brown Hoosiers while proposing the map. He also refused to tell his fellow committee members how much involvement officials in Washington, D.C. had in making the map. Disregarding the harm your legislation could pose to already marginalized people throughout the state is a horrific way to yield power. Members of our caucus offered several amendments on Dec. 4 to try to mitigate some of these harms, all of which were voted down by the supermajority. Other amendments to study the financial cost of mid-decade redistricting and alleviate the financial burden that will be faced by local governments and counties were also rejected by House Republicans. They are legislating with the misguided belief that they don't have to answer to Hoosiers.

"And for the last several months, our offices have heard from Hoosiers throughout the state. The overwhelming majority of the calls and emails our members have received have been in fierce opposition to mid-decade redistricting. Hoosiers don't want new maps. They want more affordable health care. They want someone to reign in the utility companies charging egregious rates each month. They want to be able to afford to feed their families without having to ration their medication. Members of the House Democratic Caucus offered House Republicans countless opportunities to focus our efforts on creating a stronger economy and quality of life for our constituents. Instead, Republicans remained committed to working for D.C., regardless of what Hoosiers need.

"As this bill heads to the next chamber, IBLC members in the Senate will remain committed to fighting back against this power grab and work toward a state where everyone has a chance to thrive. We hope that the Senate Republican Caucus prioritizes Hoosiers above political games and rejects this map. The future of Indiana depends on them."

Harris amendment to study cost of mid-decade redistricting rejected by supermajority

Today, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) offered an amendment to House Bill 1032, which would have created a study to determine the true cost of mid-decade redistricting for state and local bodies. The amendment failed along party lines by a vote of 65-28.

Harris issued the following statement:

"What happened to Republicans being the party of fiscal responsibility? All this amendment would have done is examine the cost of mid-decade redistricting on local governments, including counties thrown into chaos by the creation of these new district lines.

"Here's the simple truth: Indiana Republicans rejected this amendment for the same reason they're rushing these new maps through our chamber. They know mid-decade redistricting is unpopular, and a study on the cost might force them to admit that their policies are both unpopular and costly to Hoosiers. Redistricting every 10 years, as we're supposed to do, can cost the state millions of dollars, much of which is shouldered by local governments. Now, Indiana Republicans are trying to push through two maps in less than five years. If they actually cared about fiscal responsibility, mid-decade redistricting would have been a non-starter. This should tell Hoosiers everything they need to know about where House Republicans' priorities lie. They don't care about saving taxpayer dollars, and they don’t care about the confusion that voters will face with these cracked and packed new districts.

"This week, Indiana Republicans have shown us that they don't care what Hoosiers want, they don't care about the process and they don't care about the cost if it means they get to retain power."

IBLC calls on General Assembly to reject new maps, prioritize needs of Hoosiers

Today, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), led a press conference following the first meeting of the Indiana House of Representatives to discuss mid-decade redistricting. House Republicans did not release their map proposal until the morning of Dec. 1.

Harris issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"For months now, we in the IBLC have been speaking out about the dangers of mid-decade redistricting. If passed, these new maps will weaken our democracy and silence the voices of countless Hoosiers. We've also been calling on the Republican supermajority to address the issues that are facing Hoosiers: an egregious cost of living, rising utility rates and a lack of access to child care, just to name a few.

"Instead of using this time to help Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans have called us back here early to vote on new congressional maps. Will these new maps help Hoosiers put food on the table? Will they help the Hoosiers who are forced to decide between rationing their medication or growing to the grocery store? The answer, of course, is no. This new map proposal is nothing more than a political game meant to appease the fringes of their base. Hoosiers don't want new maps. They want help making ends meet.

"It's worth noting that being back at the Statehouse in December will limit the amount of time during the regularly-scheduled session to address the real issues impacting our state. If Republicans aren't going to use this time to help improve our state, they're wasting our time, and, more importantly, Hoosiers' time."

IBLC condemns Indiana Republicans’ continued redistricting push

Today, Speaker of the House Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tem. Rodric Bray announced the Indiana General Assembly will reconvene early for the 2026 session to discuss redistricting, starting December 1.  

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement:

"Every day, we hear from constituents who are struggling to keep their lights on and put food on the table. Many of them are straddled with health care debt and rising utility costs. None of our constituents have called or emailed to tell them how excited they are about new congressional maps. Hoosiers don't want redistricting; they want a better quality of life. Instead of working to make life more affordable for Hoosiers, Indiana Republicans are focusing their efforts on appeasing Washington, D.C.

"The only thing they're doing by convening early is cutting into valuable time we could have come January to address the cost of living, health care costs and other issues impacting Indiana. If the state were to pass new congressional maps, the move would cause chaos for county clerks and local governments and unnecessary confusion for voters. Come Dec. 1,  I hope House Republicans take the time to consider the potential ramifications of mid-decade redistricting on Hoosiers and not move forward with any new maps."

IBLC focuses efforts on 2026 legislative agenda

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC regarding Indiana Senate Republicans not moving forward with redistricting efforts: 

“We in the IBLC are looking forward to focusing our efforts on our 2026 legislative agenda, which will focus on lowering the cost of living and giving every Hoosier a fair shot at economic security.”

Indiana Black Legislative Caucus prepared to fight for fair maps, Hoosiers ahead of early session

Today, Indiana Republicans announced the Indiana General Assembly will convene early for its 2026 session, gaveling in on Dec. 1-12. In his announcement, Speaker of the House Todd Huston said lawmakers can discuss "any time sensitive issues," though he did not specifically mention redistricting. Mid-decade redistricting has gotten significant attention throughout the state following pressure from Washington, D.C.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement regarding next month's convening:

"This announcement came just moments after the IBLC finished our rally in the Statehouse to stand against redistricting. Today, we heard the same thing from Hoosiers that we've been hearing since earlier this summer: They don't want new maps. Even Republican Hoosiers have voiced their opposition to redistricting. With specific dates now nailed down, we in the IBLC urge Hoosiers to continue reaching out to their elected officials to urge them not to redraw Indiana's congressional maps.

"When we come back for session, I hope we can focus on the issues that really matter to Hoosiers. In a time where the cost of living continues to rise, Hoosiers need higher wages, lower utility bills, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and accessible, affordable child care. Too many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet, and redrawing our maps won't help them and their families. We have an opportunity here to truly help our constituents, and the IBLC will prioritize Hoosiers over political games. We hope our colleagues in the Republican Party will do the same in December. If they do move to redistrict, we will do everything we can to amplify the voices of the many Hoosiers we've heard from to advocate for fair maps."

Redistricting won’t help Hoosiers make ends meet

As a long-time legislator and chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), I know first-hand the issues plaguing Hoosiers. Every day, Indiana residents are struggling with rising costs of living, higher utility bills and sky-high health care costs. Local governments are set to lose huge chunks of revenue due to Senate Enrolled Act 1, which could lead to an increase in local taxes. Many Hoosiers are forced to leave work due to unaffordable or inaccessible child care.

However, when Gov. Mike Braun called for a special session of the Indiana General Assembly earlier this week, he didn't call it to focus on any of these problems. Instead, he bowed to Washington, D.C. in an attempt to help the national Republican Party rig the 2026 midterm elections.

The last time we redrew our congressional maps in 2021 – when we were constitutionally required to following the census – Indiana Republicans touted the maps as "fair" and "beautiful." With seven of Indiana's nine congressional seats safely held by their fellow Republicans, they saw no issue with the maps they created.

And, it seems, Hoosiers largely agreed. Before Vice President JD Vance visited Indiana the first time earlier this summer, no one in our caucus received any calls or emails in favor of creating new maps. Again, Hoosiers have bigger fish to fry – from needing rental assistance to help handling medical debt and everything in between. The fact is, Republicans throughout the country know their policies are not popular with the American people and causing financial stress. If their policies were really helping improve the quality of life for Americans across the board, they wouldn't have to play these political games to ensure they maintain their power. Unfortunately, Indiana Republicans seem far too willing to play ball to help the folks in Washington.

Let's be clear, mid-decade redistricting is not about helping Hoosiers, it's about disenfranchising them. Roughly 40% of Hoosiers align with the Democratic Party, and they deserve fair representation in Congress and in the Statehouse. I'm not just saying this as a Democrat; I'm saying this as a lawmaker and Hoosier who values fairness and equity. Without balanced representation, a large swath of Hoosiers will not have their voices heard, and that is unacceptable.

Mid-decade redistricting will also do a major disservice to civic engagement in Indiana. In the 2024 general election, only 61% of registered voters cast a ballot in Indiana, with 97,000 fewer Hoosiers participating in our democracy than in 2020. If Indiana Republicans go through with this redistricting scheme against the wishes of their constituents, why would Hoosiers be compelled to vote in future elections? Both Reps. Frank Mrvan and Andre Carson – who are being targeted by this effort – have won reelection in their districts multiple times. It's clear to me that their communities are happy with the work they're doing. If that should change, it's the community who should be able to vote them out, not the Indiana General Assembly deciding for them. I'd like to remind my Republican colleagues: Real leaders aren't afraid of their constituents.

It's important to note that just because Gov. Braun called a special session does not mean the General Assembly is forced to convene to redistrict. Our Republican colleagues still have an opportunity to stand up for Hoosiers and their real-world economic concerns and tell the folks in Washington, D.C. that they don't work for them. For anyone concerned about redistricting, the cost of living and the state of our democracy, we in the IBLC urge you to call your elected officials to share your thoughts.

If we do convene to draw new congressional maps and not deal with the real issues Hoosiers are facing, we in the IBLC plan to work with our respective caucus members to fight for Hoosiers and for fair maps, because democracy doesn't get redrawn.

IBLC condemns special session to redistrict Indiana congressional maps mid-decade

Today, Gov. Mike Braun called legislators back to the Statehouse for a special session to redraw Indiana's congressional maps mid-decade. Lawmakers are set to hold session starting Monday, Nov. 3.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago), chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC), issued the following statement on behalf of the IBLC:

"Since President Donald Trump first began pressuring Republicans across the country to redraw congressional maps earlier this summer, Hoosiers have made one thing clear: they do not want new maps. Gov. Braun's decision prioritizes political games over the will of the people he was elected to serve. The question is simple: Does Braun serve Hoosiers, or Washington, D.C.?

"Indiana residents deserve fair and balanced representation in Congress. When the maps were redrawn in 2021, as required by the Constitution, our Republican colleagues repeatedly assured us that they were fair. So why the sudden change now? It's not because constituents demanded it – it's because President Trump and Vice President JD Vance successfully pressured them into submission.  

"There's a misconception that Indiana is a solidly 'red state.' In reality, President Trump only received 58% of the vote here in 2024. Indiana is a purple state with challenges in voter turnout. Calling a special session to redraw maps will only further discourage Hoosiers from participating in elections. Reps. Frank Mrvan and Andre Carson have repeatedly earned the trust of their constituents. Yet instead of listening to local communities, Indiana Republicans are disenfranchising them.

"Hoosiers don’t need new congressional maps—they need higher wages, affordable health care, accessible childcare and housing, and lower utility costs. These are the real issues affecting people’s daily lives. Yet the governor and Republican supermajority are wasting time—and taxpayer dollars—bowing to President Trump. This isn’t just disappointing—it’s an embarrassment to our state.

"We urge all Hoosiers to sign the petition set up by Common Cause Indiana to make their stance on redistricting clear to lawmakers. Call your state representative, senator and Gov. Braun to share your concerns. On the first day of special session, the IBLC encourages everyone to come to the Statehouse to make their voices heard and to understand the potential impact of redistricting.  

"The IBLC will stand alongside our Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate to fight this blatant power grab. Hoosiers are worth defending, and we will do everything possible to ensure congressional maps remain fair and balanced—because democracy should not be redrawn for political gain."

Harris, Jackson respond to ICE agents operating in Northwest Indiana

Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were seen throughout Northwest Indiana, including in Hammond and East Chicago. Multiple videos on social media show ICE agents pursuing individuals in parking lots and restaurants. Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott forced ICE agents off the grounds of a police department earlier today, calling their presence in the city “deeply concerning.”

Two Northwest Indiana state representatives, State Reps. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) and Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond), are monitoring the situation in their respective communities. 

“I am deeply worried to see that ICE agents were attempting to use property of the City of Hammond to stage their terror operation,” Jackson said. “I am thankful to Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott for promptly making the public aware that ICE is present in the city and making sure they are not permitted to use Hammond facilities to intimidate members of our community. 

“What we have seen across the nation in terms of the treatment of immigrants, many of whom immigrated legally or have obtained their citizenship, has been cruel and downright inhumane. Just this week in Chicago, ICE agents have been deploying increasingly violent tactics such as using a Black Hawk helicopter to raid an apartment complex in the middle of the night, dragging children away from their families screaming and crying. Innocent men, women and children are being treated like violent criminals simply because of their appearance. I am devastated for all of the people in my community fearing for their safety and the safety of their friends and families.”

“Everyone deserves the right to due process,” Harris said. “When people can be picked up off the streets based on racial profiling, it is not only a gross injustice to them as an individual, but a signal to everyone that all our rights, too, can be violated with impunity. Across the country and right here in Indiana, immigrants have helped build and shape our communities. A poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, which has greeted countless immigrants to this nation, reads, ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ I truly believe that this sentiment is the great promise of America and, because of this belief, I can’t view these ICE raids as anything other than un-American."

See these resources from the National Immigration Law Center to know your rights if ICE is encountered in the community.