(FORT WAYNE) - Protesters gathered in Fort Wayne and other cities across Indiana Saturday to oppose the detention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Miami Correctional Facility.
The demonstrations were organized by Indivisible Indiana as part of what organizers called the "End ICE Detention at Miami Correctional" protests.
Organizers said 28 protests were held across Indiana on Saturday.
Sandra Garza, founder of Fuerza Unida, said demonstrators believe detention facilities are treating immigrants inhumanely.
Garza also said the protests were intended to build community and encourage public discussion about immigration detention policies.
In a press release, Indivisible Indiana claimed more than 70 percent of people arrested by ICE had never been convicted of a crime. The group also alleged the Miami Correctional Facility lacks enough staffing to manage both state inmates and ICE detainees.
Garza said many protesters participating in the demonstrations were motivated by religious beliefs and concerns about how detainees are treated.
The protests focused specifically on ICE detention operations at the Miami Correctional Facility in north central Indiana.