Hammond city officials shut down ICE staging at police department, mayor says: 'Deeply concerning'

Thursday, October 9, 2025
HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- Hammond officials said they stopped U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from staging at their northwest Indiana police department on Thursday.



Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. made the announcement on social media.

The mayor said federal agents began staging operations at the parking lot of the Hammond Police Department.

Thomas McDermott Jr./Facebook



"It is deeply concerning that federal agents would enter and use Hammond's property without permission-especially when the Federal Courthouse is located just one block west of our police headquarters," the mayor said.

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McDermott said the city of Hammond does not have an agreement with ICE that authorizes the use of city facilities.



Once city officials told the federal agents they weren't allowed to stay, the mayor said the left.

"To their credit, the agents complied and relocated their operation elsewhere within the city," McDermott said.
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