The Michigan City Common Council unanimously passed a resolution questioning the state’s decision to reverse course and keep open the Indiana State Prison facility.
The resolution was sponsored by all nine council members.
“…the Indiana State Prison, located in Michigan City, has for decades placed a physical, economic and social burden on the city’s westside, limiting opportunities for redevelopment and neighborhood growth,” stated the resolution, which urged the state to reconsider and “honor the spirit” of a December 2024 agreement to transition the prison into a redevelopment project.
The Indiana Department of Correction planned to close the Michigan City prison and move inmates to a new $1.2 billion Westville Correctional Facility, designed to hold up to 4,200 prisoners.
In July 2025, the Michigan City prison had 2,436 inmates and Westville had 2,858 inmates, according to Post-Tribune archives.
In December 2024, the state of Indiana signed a letter of intent to transfer ownership of the prison to the city by Jan. 1, 2029. As of Aug. 19, the state rescinded that letter “due to changing circumstances at the state level,” according to the resolution.
Recent reports indicate that the state intends to continue operating the facility past 2027, according to the resolution, and there is concern that the facility could be “repurposed for federal immigration detention or other uses inconsistent with the city’s long-term vision.”
Council members believe Michigan City taxpayers shouldn’t bear the costs or consequences of a detention center, and it could come at the expense of local redevelopment, economic growth and community well-being, according to the resolution.
Michigan City Common Council President Tracie Tillman, D-5th, expressed her concerns before Tuesday’s vote.
“It’s very disheartening,” Tillman said. “I will say for any other cities that have these imprisonments already established … it’s wrong.”
The resolution states that the city has already spent significant resources on planning for the project.
Councilman Donald Przybylinski, D-at large, also expressed concerns about the prison’s future. Przybylinski said it’s not confirmed that the prison will be used as a detainment center, but he’s worried about what might happen.
“That’s the assumption,” he said. “What a nice gift from the Republican governor of the state of Indiana. I don’t really know how it will benefit the west side of the city.”
Gov. Mike Braun’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the prison’s future.
In a social media post, Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said her team is working to process the state’s decision and pivot.
“We are continuing conversations with the state today and tomorrow as the future of this property reaches a crossroads,” Nelson Deuitch said, according to Post-Tribune archives. “No final path has been determined, and our city remains committed to advocating for outcomes that benefit our residents. … We see this as a bump in the road, not an obstruction. The reimagination study we launched in early 2025 will continue, ensuring that Michigan City has a thoughtful, research-based strategy ready when decisions about the property move forward.”