A recent event urged policy change on immigration detention in Indianapolis.

The 2017 city ordinance was one of several around the country that, among other things, directed city officials and law enforcement not to share information with federal immigration authorities.

The Midwest is home to tens of thousands of immigrants -- including refugees from countries like Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq. And it's been a challenge to provide information about COVID-19 and vaccines to those who don't speak English.

Immigrants in Indianapolis are relying on local food pantries during the pandemic to help stock shelves with different options.

DACA protects undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. Approximately 640,000 immigrants have enrolled in the program nationally, around 9,000 of those in Indiana.

A new database is available to support accessibility to resources for central Indiana's immigrant and refugee populations.

The ordinance barred city employees from asking about someone's immigration status or denying them services or benefits without being forced to by a court order.

As we conclude our series on young activists, we meet Maria Duenas Lopez, a first generation Mexican-American who advocates for immigrants. Side Effects Public Medias Darian Benson interviewed her about the importance of an inclusive democracy.

As national and state leaders struggle to get COVID-19 under control, minority groups are at a higher risk for the virus. And that includes Indianapolis' Burmese refugees.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Side Effects is answering questions from our audience about the virus. To reach a larger audience, weve translated some of this material into Spanish. And now, we're partnering with Indiana University linguistics professor Kelly Harper Berkson and the Chin Languages Research Project to provide information to the Burmese-American community.