CAMP ATTERBURY – Federal officials are currently evaluating Camp Atterbury as a potential temporary holding site for immigrant detainees. Homeland Security has confirmed it is “exploring all options” to address increasing nationwide deportation efforts and a growing scarcity of detention space. This consideration comes as Indiana has also intensified its state-level immigration enforcement measures.
Camp Atterbury, a federal installation operated by the Indiana National Guard, spans parts of Bartholomew, Brown, and Johnson counties. The base has a history of involvement in significant national operations. Most recently, in 2021, it was repurposed during Operation Allies Welcome to temporarily shelter over 7,000 Afghan refugees evacuated following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. This large-scale humanitarian mission utilized 82 lodging structures across six distinct, fully serviced neighborhoods, complete with dining and medical facilities, offering a range of accommodations from family dormitories to individual barracks, all climate-controlled and equipped with plumbing.
The potential use of Camp Atterbury for immigrant detentions could offer federal cost savings, a critical factor given recent think tank reports estimating between 11 and 12.2 million unauthorized immigrants nationwide, which drives the need for such facilities.
