By Andi Anderson
State Representative Alex Burton of Evansville has urged Indiana leaders to adopt humane and practical immigration reforms that strengthen the state’s workforce and economy rather than enforce divisive measures.
His comments come as federal officials, including “Border Czar” Tom Homan, promote tougher immigration enforcement in the state.
Burton criticized the current approach, saying Indiana’s focus should shift from detention and enforcement to addressing real issues like workforce shortages in health care and agriculture.
“Indiana is failing our people and its economy,” Burton said. “Our state is drifting away from the values that built our communities with hard work, compassion and common sense.”
He emphasized that political tactics are replacing real solutions at a time when families face rising costs for basic needs like energy, groceries, and child care. “The legislature must stop taking orders from Washington, D.C., and start focusing on everyday hardworking Hoosiers,” Burton added.
Burton warned that expanding immigration enforcement beyond violent offenders could worsen existing economic challenges.
He said such policies disrupt families, strain local resources, and increase grocery prices by threatening the agricultural workforce. “This is not immigration reform — it’s political theater that ignores real solutions,” he said.
He also cautioned that this “mean-spirited” approach could further burden law enforcement and local governments already struggling with limited resources. With communities still adjusting to the effects of SEA 1, Burton argued that additional strain on schools and local agencies would be “unconscionable.”
Concluding his remarks, Burton called for unity and compassion in policy-making. “Hoosiers deserve solutions that uplift our workforce, keep families together and move our economy forward, not policies that pit neighbors against one another,” he said.
Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic
Categories: Indiana, General, Rural Lifestyle