Relatives of Indianapolis Residents Detained by ICE Now Say Their Family Members Have “Disappeared in the System”

As Indianapolis deals with the aftermath of last week’s massive ICE enforcement surge, some families are now desperately trying to figure out where their detained loved ones are and how to reach them.

In one new social media plea, Indianapolis resident Devin Smith says his brother-in-law, identified in the comments as Xavier Blanco, was detained by ICE in Indianapolis last week and that the family has had “no way of contacting him.”

Smith says Blanco currently has no legal counsel and is scheduled for his first court hearing Friday.

He is now publicly asking for legal assistance and help navigating the system.

The report comes as detainees arrested around Indianapolis can be transferred out of Marion County quickly.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed that ICE detainees housed at its jail are generally moved elsewhere within 48 hours, potentially leaving families scrambling to determine where their loved ones were transferred.

Important distinction: the family’s inability to contact Blanco does not mean ICE has literally lost him. “Disappeared in the system” describes what families say they are experiencing as detainees are moved through federal custody.

For many Indianapolis families, the ICE sweep may have slowed down, but the search for what happened to the people taken into custody is just beginning.