GiaQuinta comments on Indiana Republicans visiting White House to discuss redistricting

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) released the following statement reacting to the news that President Donald Trump has invited Indiana Statehouse Republicans to the White House to discuss a number of topics, likely including redistricting:

"I am thankful for the ten or so Republican lawmakers who have already spoken out saying that redrawing our congressional maps this year is wrong. I echo their sentiments. If President Trump is so afraid of the voters, he should have passed popular legislation instead of a law that will kick Hoosiers off their health care, make kids go hungry and give billionaires a huge tax break.

"Not a single Hoosier Republican was asking for redistricting before the White House forced the issue. All we've heard from our constituents since this became an issue is that they are opposed. To my Republican colleagues, I ask: Are you going to listen to Hoosiers or are you going to bow to Donald Trump?"

Garcia Wilburn stands with disability advocates against Medicaid waiver service cuts

Today, Aug. 15, State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) held a press conference with disability advocates to oppose the State of Indiana's proposed Medicaid waiver service cuts to recreational therapy.

Recreational therapy allows individuals with disabilities to build confidence, strengthen social connections, reach greater independence and more. The State is proposing capping recreational therapy service hours to just six hours a month for individuals on the Medicaid Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) waiver, which would be a devastating blow to the Hoosiers who use these services and their families. Public comment for these changes closed last week after dozens of Hoosiers submitted testimony asking for the cuts to be reversed.

Garcia Wilburn was joined by Ashley Searcy, the mother of Sadie, a waiver recipient; Tyler Neimeyer, a certified recreational therapeutic specialist (CTRS); and Lori Schweyer, a CTRS. Advocates also attended the press conference to show their support for recreational therapy services.

"Recreational therapy services are not optional," Garcia Wilburn said. "Rather, they are a vital part of ensuring Hoosiers of all abilities lead their richest, most vibrant possible lives. The need for continued access to recreational therapy is urgent, and we simply cannot 'do more with less' when we essentially have been left with nothing. 

"My constituents with disabilities and their families benefit directly from recreational therapy and other disability services, especially when their child “ages out” of their parents’ health insurance and find themselves now in an income-qualified situation. They will be reliant on Medicaid for these services.

"For our disability community, health care is an issue that transcends income. If these cuts go through, families will need to start choosing between these vital services and other essentials like groceries and gas. That is unacceptable.

"These proposed caps may not even be legal. Previously when the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration tried to implement caps on therapy services, the proposal was found to be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The court found that these arbitrary limits would cause people with disabilities to be segregated from their community.

"Finally, I want to talk about misplaced priorities and how this issue presents an opportunity for Indiana to find our way again. You will probably hear from the administration that these cuts were necessary amid a budget shortfall and the Medicaid shortfall from two years ago. However, we continue to find and use state dollars for creating more government oversight, and governmental roles in the executive branch.

"The money is there – it's just a question of whether we have the bravery to spend it where Hoosiers really need it or whether we will continue bending to the will of special interests. My friends in the disability community today have presented a compelling case for why they need to be a priority. Today, I call on Gov. Braun and his administration to do the right thing and prioritize Hoosiers. We can have a state where Hoosiers with disabilities lead their fullest possible lives – but only if we have the courage to put them first."

Campbell strongly opposed to mid-decade redistricting

State Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) released the following statement regarding a potential special session to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps: 

“I am strongly opposed to mid-decade redistricting. It’s unconstitutional, costly and flat-out wrong. 

“As a legislator, I never imagined the sitting Vice President of our nation would visit Indiana’s leadership and outright ask for more Republican seats. I would be shocked and opposed if either party did this. It’s a power grab that puts politics before Hoosiers. Voters have the right to tell Trump what they think of his policies in the 2026 midterms. It’s telling that national Republicans are afraid they'll lose seats in the next election. 

“Certain beliefs and opinions are no less important simply because they’re in the minority in Indiana. Unfortunately, we've come to a standoff between states, with blue states trying to protect democracy by fighting fire with fire. 

“Democrats need to fight back against this move to consolidate power, but I hope our nation can return to the ideal of one voter, one vote. Gov. Braun promised to listen to legislators about this issue, and we’ve been a resounding ‘no.’”

Porter questions cost of the IDOC’s ‘Speedway Slammer’

Today, Aug. 11, State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) inquiring about its 287(g) agreement with the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Indiana will detain immigrants at Miami Correctional Facility, which DHS has called the “Speedway Slammer.”

“Besides being adamantly opposed to this detention center, I’m confused about where we’re getting the money,” Porter said. “IDOC was short on funds for this budget. They’re still paying our counties for the $12 million owed in back payments. The IDOC and our law enforcement are walking on a fiscal tightrope. 

“The DHS has promised to fully fund the facility, but it’s hard to believe they’ll use no state dollars. That means they can’t use our correctional officers, cars or a single bed sheet. I want to see the receipts. And I don’t want to see a penny of the $300 million we saved used for this purpose. We were $2 billion short for the budget; hundreds of people have been laid off and social services were slashed. Hoosiers should come before Trump. 

“Finances aside, I’m outraged by the inhumanity of the moniker the ‘Speedway Slammer.’ People deserve to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect. The name is also a slap in the face to IndyCar, which is trying to grow its fan base. It puts the Indianapolis 500 at risk, which contributes a billion dollars annually to our economy. For all his supposed business acumen, Braun's comfortable with inserting controversy into our state's biggest event. 

“Hoosiers deserve to know where their money is going, and everyone deserves respect.” 

Pryor denounces attempt to silence democracy

Today, Aug. 7, members of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus were joined by Indiana Senate Democrats and U.S. Representatives André Carson and Frank J. Mrvan to denounce Gov. Mike Braun's work with Vice President JD Vance to redraw Congressional districts maps. Vance was in Indianapolis today to meet with Braun, who has hinted that he may call a special session of the Indiana General Assembly to redistrict congressional maps at the urging of President Donald Trump. This follows a similar move in Texas, where Democratic state lawmakers left and did not vote on new maps that could turn our democracy on its head. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), Minority Floor Leader and member of the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment, issued the following statement:

“The idea of calling a special session to rig our electoral maps and suppress Hoosier voters is a disgrace. Our nation was founded on the principle that voters choose who is in power, not the other way around. This move will only serve the interest of power-hungry politicians, not Hoosier communities. Plain and simple this is a power grab that throws out the US Constitution.  Republican policies are failing and hurting Americans.  Redrawing Congressional maps is the only way Republicans can stay in power.

“The two congressional seats held by Democrats represent some of the most diverse parts of the state. Targeting those two districts is a deliberate move to silence marginalized communities and ensure that they do not have a say in our democracy. It would be a betrayal to Hoosiers across the state to rig the election before it even happens. Our focus should be on increasing voter participation not rigging elections. 

“Hoosiers deserve leaders that fight to make their lives better. While Indiana Democrats do not have the ability to break quorum that the Texas Democrats do, we will do everything within our power to stop this power grab. The Texas Democrats are fighting to save democracy as we know it and Indiana is the next target.

“I want to thank all the people who came to the Statehouse today to make their voices heard and demand our electoral maps be left alone.” 

IBLC decries GOP attempts to rig Indiana elections

Today, Aug. 7, Gov. Mike Braun met with Vice President JD Vance regarding the possibility of a special session to redistrict Indiana's congressional maps. This meeting comes after President Donald Trump called for Republican-led states to redistrict to increase the number of GOP seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Indiana House Democrats were joined by Indiana Senate Democrats and U.S. Representatives André Carson and Frank J. Mrvan for a press conference this afternoon condemning any possibility of redistricting.

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

"The only two Democrats from Indiana serving in the federal government – Congressmen Frank J. Mrvan and André Carson – represent areas with some of the largest minority populations in the state. This GOP rush to redistrict congressional maps is not just a pathetic attempt to strip voters of their right to a free and fair election; it's a direct attack on Black and minority voters in Indiana.

"The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been drastically stripped down over the last decade, making minority voters even more susceptible to be stifled by unfair and unjust changes to the election systems. I have little confidence in our governor and our Republican supermajority's will to consider the voices and circumstances of minority and disenfranchised Hoosiers in their rush to appease Donald Trump.

"I should also point out that a special session would cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. This session, Indiana Republicans have created drastic cuts to SNAP, Medicaid and passed Senate Enrolled Act 1, which will raise local income taxes for many Hoosiers. In 2022, when we were called back for a special session to address abortion access, the two-week session cost taxpayers $240,000. Making taxpayers foot the bill for this is egregious by itself, but doing so in the wake of these benefit cuts and local tax hike is, frankly, a slap in the face to Hoosiers."

Andrade stands with national Democrats in fight against Republican gerrymandering at Boston capital

Today, State Rep. Mike Andrade (D-Munster) joined Democrats from across the country in Boston, Mass., to stand against Republican gerrymandering efforts threatening fair representation in states like Texas - and potentially, Indiana.

Attending a bipartisan policy conference, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Andrade joined Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) at a press conference to call out the national Republican Party’s attempts to manipulate congressional maps for political gain.

Vice President J.D. Vance is expected in Indianapolis tomorrow, Aug. 7, to meet with Gov. Mike Braun regarding a potential special session to redraw Indiana’s congressional districts - a move Andrade calls a direct attack on Hoosier voters.

“Although I am in Boston standing with Texas Democrats, this fight has now reached our doorstep,” Andrade said. “This is pure gerrymandering disguised as redistricting. It is a blatant power grab from the national level that has trickled down into Indiana and Hoosiers don’t want it.”

Andrade warned that redrawing Indiana’s maps to favor the majority party would strip Hoosiers of their voice.

“This will take power away from the people,” Andrade said. “Instead of voters choosing their representatives, the party in power will choose its voters. That was never how our democracy was intended to work.”

“This hits home for me,” Andrade said. “My neighbor and friend, Congressman Frank Mrvan, represents The Region, and his district is being targeted. There is no clearer natural division between communities of interest in Indiana than there is between the communities that border Lake Michigan and the rest of the state, but Republicans don't care about keeping our community united in our congressional representation. National Republicans already hold the majority in Congress, yet they’re reaching even further and abusing their power to try to silence communities like ours. To them I say: ‘Get off our lawn.’”

Pierce comments on national push to gerrymander Indiana’s congressional districts

Today, Aug. 5, Gov. Mike Braun did not rule out calling a special session to redraw Indiana’s congressional maps. Braun’s statement follows national pressure from President Donald Trump, who has called for Republican states to redistrict to increase the number of GOP seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Vice President J.D. Vance is visiting Indianapolis to discuss redistricting on Thursday. 

State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) released the following statement: 

“President Trump is clearly running scared. He fears the voters who are rejecting his unpopular policies: raising prices for American families with his import taxes, taking health care away from millions of Americans and increasing the number of hungry children, all to give tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. And now I hear he wants to put a 250% tax on many prescription drugs.  No wonder he wants to thwart the will of the people by rigging the next election.

“President Trump and Vice President Vance are so desperate that they are scraping for every seat they can get through gerrymandering. You have to be pretty desperate to decide that having seven of the nine seats in Indiana held by Republicans is not enough. 

“Most shocking of all, President Trump and the Congressional Republicans are so arrogant that they don’t feel any need to hide their political power grab. They are up front about the fact that they are willing to cheat to win the midterm elections.

“The question is, will Gov. Braun and the leaders of the General Assembly go along with it?  

“Will they put the interests of Hoosiers before the Congressional Republicans or cave to the demands of President Trump.  We will soon find out if they have the courage to tell President Trump, ‘No.’ Democrats are in a knife fight for democracy, and we’ve got to act like it.” 

Campbell calls for ICE to release Purdue student from detainment

On Thursday, July, 31, a South Korean student enrolled at Purdue University, Yeonsoo Go, was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Go was arrested outside of court in Manhattan after her immigration hearing. She was placed in federal detention nearby before being transferred to a facility in Louisiana. 

State Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette), who represents Purdue, released the following statement: 

“This is absolutely horrifying. Yeonsoo Go is a young woman who came to the U.S. on a legal, religious worker’s dependent visa. An attorney for the Episcopal Diocese in New York, where Go’s mother serves as a priest, says that her current visa doesn’t even expire until December. Go is trying to update her paperwork; she’s following the law, but ICE grabbed her outside of court. 

“Arresting people outside of the courthouse proves that this isn’t about legal immigration. It’s even more concerning that her parents found out about her transfer to Louisiana from online records. It’s cruel. 

“Go is enrolled in the Purdue College of Pharmacy. She doesn’t have a criminal record, and she’s an active part of her community. We are lucky she’s pursuing her education at Purdue University. 

“I urge for the release of Yeonsoo Go, and a proper review of her immigration status. Treat people with dignity regardless of their status.” 

Errington reacts to EPA Admin and Braun’s historic deregulatory initative

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited Indianapolis to announce their proposal to repeal the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, which determined that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. 

This move, which they touted as “one of the largest deregulation efforts in U.S. history,” would eliminate the foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, including tailpipe emissions and threatens decades of progress on clean air and climate protections.

State Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie), Ranking Minority Member of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, issued the following statement:

“Today’s announcement from Gov. Mike Braun, made in collaboration with the nation’s top environmental officials, was nothing short of troubling. Calling this ‘deregulation’ is misleading. This is deletion. By repealing the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the EPA is erasing the protections that ensure our air is breathable, our summers bearable and communities safe.

“We are in the middle of a heat wave. Summers in Indiana are already hotter, longer and more dangerous than they were a decade ago. Eliminating greenhouse gas standards will only accelerate climate change and harm public health. Why would we take actions that make climate change worse and Hoosiers more vulnerable?

“Federal officials love to visit Indiana and talk about ‘commonsense’ reforms for health — whether it’s nutrition, health care or wellness programs. But how are Hoosiers supposed to stay healthy if they cannot even breathe clean air? Individual responsibility matters, yes, but when our institutions remove the basic safeguards for air and water, they are actively making people sicker.

“Indiana already faces significant environmental challenges, from industrial pollution to the growing water supply demands of data centers moving into the state. Weakening these protections will not make our communities safer, our air cleaner or our water more drinkable. It only benefits polluters while leaving taxpayers and future generations to bear the costs.

“Environmental protections, long supported on a bipartisan basis, are now being used as a political tool. Hoosiers deserve better than short-term political gain at the expense of our land, water and health.

“I strongly urge the EPA and Gov. Braun to reconsider this misguided effort and to prioritize public health, scientific integrity and environmental responsibility over following political whims. Indiana deserves more than greenwashed policies. Hoosiers deserve solutions that strengthen our communities, not jeopardize them.”

The EPA’s proposal is now open for 45 days of public comment. Hoosiers are encouraged to speak out against this dangerous rollback by submitting their comments at regulations.gov.

Garcia Wilburn calls for dignity and respect in immigration conversations, enforcement

Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that Camp Atterbury, a military training facility licensed to the Indiana National Guard, will soon be used as an immigrant detention facility. Nationally, concerns have been raised about inhumane conditions at a Florida detention center, raising the question of whether federal authorities will treat detainees with dignity at Camp Atterbury.

In the wake of the Camp Atterbury announcement, State Rep. Andrew Ireland (R-Indianapolis) posted on X celebrating the news and suggested that Indiana's detainment facility be called "Cornfield Clink," a nod to President Trump's decision to refer to the Florida facility with inhumane conditions as "Alligator Alcatraz." In a follow-up post, he made a meme out of the supposed joke.

State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers), a law-and-order advocate, daughter of migrant farmers and person of faith, released the following statement calling on State Rep. Ireland to uphold the decorum of his office:

"As elected officials, we are tasked with upholding the Indiana Constitution and the U.S. Constitution as well as a standard of decorum befitting a public servant elected to represent over 60,000 Hoosiers. Given the reports out of Florida and elsewhere about inhumane, overcrowded conditions in immigration detention centers, it's disappointing to see State Rep. Ireland making a tasteless joke applauding another one of these facilities opening south of Indianapolis.

"I'm sad that one of my colleagues believes it appropriate to laugh at families being torn apart with no respect for the due process afforded to all people in our country. I believe in law and order carried out with care, concern and dignity. The casual dismissal of due process by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in arresting and deporting people without cause is a gross betrayal of our judicial system, institutions and the Constitution we are tasked to hold dear as public servants. New reporting from Axios released today showed that ICE has significantly increased its arrest of people with no criminal charges in Indiana over the past six months, up from 6% of arrests in January to 23% of arrests in June.

"Unfortunately, this hateful, anti-Christian attitude seeped into the legislative process this year during the discussion of immigration enforcement legislation. During the House Judiciary Committee's discussion of House Bill 1531, one testifier said that he was opposed to all immigration, not just undocumented immigration. At the time, I sounded the alarm that the tenor of this discussion would bear out unintended consequences for our state and precipitate hate against all immigrants, and I am sad to have been proven correct.

"I am generations of Americans. My family grew up poor, and my parents, if they were working today, could have been in Indiana's farm fields amid the ICE arrests of migrant farm labor. As American citizen stories of careless deportation are emerging, my parents could have been among them. I have been told time and time again by my legislative colleagues that Indiana is a pro-life, Christian state. I struggle to understand how belittling the real and devastating challenges faced by immigrants is befitting of any lawmaker representing a supposed pro-life, Christian state.

"I call on Rep. Ireland and my other General Assembly colleagues to recommit to a culture of respect for human dignity, civility and decorum befitting the office. We have many debates about tough topics at the General Assembly in which lawmakers can have legitimate, principled disagreement, but there is no need for those conversations to be cruel and hurtful.

"Finally, I want to close by sharing remarks from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). As a Catholic, I appreciate his moral call during this difficult time for immigrants and those who know and love them:

"'Law enforcement actions aimed at preserving order and ensuring community security are necessary for the common good. However, the current efforts go well beyond those with criminal histories. In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent. The situation is far from the communion of life and love to which this nation of immigrants should strive. …

"'On behalf of my brother bishops, I want to assure all of those affected by actions which tear at the fabric of our communities of the solidarity of your pastors. As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour.'"

DeLaney comments on Indiana’s declining college-going rate

Recently, the Indiana Commission on Higher Education (CHE) quietly released the updated report of Indiana’s college-going rate to their website. The report shows that for the 2023 cohort of high school seniors, only 51.7% of them went to college, which is down from the poor but steady rate of 53% from 2020-2022. This comes just six-months after new high school degree requirements were approved by the CHE that shifts emphasis to work-based learning. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis), a member of the House Committee on Education, released the following statement:

“The startling drop in our college-going rate yet again can be credited to the lack of two things: money and morale. 

“Ball State University professor of economics Michael Hicks reports that Indiana students can no longer receive the financial aid they need to be able to go to in-state institutions thanks to the decrease in state support. While our governor has been taking a victory lap for getting our state universities to freeze tuition, he has failed to guarantee that his move will not decrease financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Any lack of opportunity for tuition support will lead to more Hoosiers not being able to afford college and being forced to choose a different path. 

“At the same time, the supermajority has made attacking colleges and universities the centerpiece of their culture war agenda – from policing what can be taught in the classroom, to forcing institutions to eliminate hundreds of degree options, to creating an entirely new high school diploma that emphasizes the path directly into the workforce. Republican leaders have been devaluing the opportunities that our colleges and universities can offer students. 

“Trying to bury this report in a website and not send a press release is a telling sign that the Commission on Higher Education knows this does not look good, and does not act to fix it. It simply isn’t important enough to them. They are busy eliminating college courses and creating new tests. This is what the legislature has asked them to do.

“In the past, we had reached a college-going rate of 65% and we set a goal to get it back when it slumped. Now, it doesn’t seem like we care to address the issue. That is a shame for our students, a shame for our economy, and a shame for our state.

"The supermajority has been in power for 20 years and this is their achievement. At some point we have to ask ourselves: is a declining college-going rate not the result they want?"