The Evansville Immigrant Welcome & Resource Center released the following statement May 2:
“The Evansville Immigrant Welcome & Resource Center (IWRC) is speaking out following a series of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions that resulted in the detention of at least 12 individuals across the Evansville and Henderson areas between Monday, April 28, and Wednesday, April 30.
Those detained include individuals with prior removal orders, as well as others who were questioned in public and taken into custody after ICE agents questioned them. Community and family reports indicate that some residents were detained at their workplaces and in public spaces, including a gas station, a sidewalk near a childcare center, and a parking lot. Others were detained at home, sometimes in front of children.
None of the detentions involved local police or sheriff departments. Several individuals were transported to Hopkins County Jail in Kentucky.
The IWRC has also received reports from detainees’ families of individuals being pressured to sign deportation orders without access to legal counsel, raising serious concerns about due process violations.
“These actions have disrupted families and instilled fear throughout our community,” said Elisabet (Ely) Sena-Martin, executive director of the IWRC. “We are hearing from parents, workers, and students—many of whom are here legally—who are now afraid to go to work or school. This kind of enforcement does more than remove individuals—it tears at the fabric of our entire city.”
The IWRC, along with partner organizations Centro Latino + Americano and the Haitian Center of Evansville, is calling attention to the broader harm caused by these operations. Entire households—often with mixed immigration statuses and U.S. citizen family members—are experiencing emotional trauma, economic instability, and uncertainty about how to locate loved ones who have been detained.
The IWRC affirms the humanity, dignity, and contributions of all New Americans in the Evansville area. Immigrant residents are workers, parents, neighbors, entrepreneurs, and taxpayers. They are integral to the success of key local industries.
“We are deeply concerned that individuals were not given access to legal representation or the chance to contact family members while in custody,” Sena-Martin added. “Our country’s legal protections apply to everyone. When they are bypassed for some, it puts all of us at risk.”
The IWRC continues to help community members understand their legal rights, connect with services, and find support. Donations and volunteers are welcome to help families who are navigating this crisis and the larger immigrant community. For more information on next steps, visit www.evvimmigrantwelcomecenter.com.
The Center encourages all Evansville area residents to remain informed, speak up for neighbors, and support families affected by detention.”
