ONLY ON ABC57: No decision in motion to dismiss Attorney General Todd Rokita’s Lawsuit against SJCPD

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Courtroom arguments were heard today in the ongoing legal battle between Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and the St. Joseph County Police Department.

Rokita is accusing the department of acting as a sanctuary jurisdiction and refusing to cooperate with immigration authorities, an accusation Sheriff Bill Redman strongly denies.

In a statement, the St. Joseph County Police Department said:

“The Sheriff and the Jail remain focused on keeping the citizens of St. Joseph County safe. This is in large part due to our continued collaboration with ALL federal law enforcement agencies.”

“We maintain the Sheriff is committed to following the law and is confident the judge will see that in the case findings. At this point, we defer to our legal counsel regarding any specific questions about the legal proceedings or hearing.”

Rokita first filed the lawsuit in January, claiming the department failed to cooperate with ICE.

The department responded in March with a motion to dismiss the case, stating the Attorney General's office lacked the legal standing to bring the suit forward. Rokita’s team opposed that motion, and Wednesday in court both sides presented different interpretations of state policy to support their claims.

While neither Rokita nor Redman were in court today, ABC57 we did speak with attorneys representing both sides after the hearing, Adam B. Jones on behalf of the Sheriff, and Blake Lanning on behalf of the Attorney General.

Now, it’s up to Judge John Broden, who has until August 18 to issue a decision on whether to dismiss the case or allow it to proceed.