Tensions surrounding ICE operations outside Rhode Island courthouses reached a new threshold on Thursday when a federal agent briefly detained a high school intern assigned to Providence County Superior Court by mistake. The incident, which occurred in broad daylight before protesters already mobilized against arrests near courthouses, triggered an unusual response from the state’s highest-ranking judicial officer.
According to a statement issued through a spokesperson, Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Suttell stated that “this outrageous incident underscores the concerns of the community and the judiciary regarding the methods employed by ICE in the state.” He added that, in this context, the judicial system “understands the call to expand access to virtual hearings.”
An Intern Mistakenly Targeted
The misidentification was confirmed by court spokesperson Alexandra Kriss, who specified that the young intern was only released after verification: “Without the intervention of a Superior Court judge, ICE would have taken this young person even though he was not the individual being sought,” she stated.
The incident occurred as activists gathered for a prescheduled demonstration demanding that more hearings be made accessible online, in order to prevent exposure of at-risk individuals to targeted ICE arrests.
A Tense Confrontation Outside the Courthouse
Witnesses report that an ICE agent, masked and emerging from an unmarked vehicle, briefly brandished a stun gun in the direction of protesters before getting back into his vehicle. This action provoked outrage among activists present, particularly those from the Rhode Island Deportation Defense Network, a group recently created to document apprehension operations around courthouses.
According to Maya Lehrer, an organizer with the network, volunteers have been monitoring courthouse entrances since September: “We have observed numerous arrests of people who simply came to fulfill a legal obligation,” she told local media.
Local Officials Denounce an “Ambush Strategy”
For Providence City Council President Rachel Miller, who was present at the gathering, ICE arrests conducted at courthouse doors constitute a direct threat to access to justice.
“ICE comes to courthouses to catch people because they know they must appear there. By allowing court users to participate virtually, we eliminate this danger,” she told Ocean State Media.
Under the Trump’s administration, arrest operations around courthouses have intensified, raising concerns among immigrant rights advocates and local officials.
Toward an Expansion of Remote Hearings?
The Rhode Island Deportation Defense Network officially requested this week that courts “eliminate administrative barriers” so that virtual hearings become the norm, except in exceptional circumstances.
According to the network, this single measure “would immediately reduce a major source of ICE detentions in Rhode Island.”
Chief Justice Suttell acknowledges the need to improve access to these hearings but notes that a shift to fully virtual proceedings is legally impossible: “The balance between constitutional obligations, the public’s right to information, and the integrity of testimony does not permit an entirely virtual system,” he explained.
A Precedent That Could Accelerate Reform
Rhode Island courts had already implemented widespread virtual hearings during the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating the technical feasibility of the arrangement. For elected officials and activists, it would be possible to utilize them again, at least for low-stakes or administrative proceedings.
“We did this to protect families during the pandemic. We know it’s possible,” Rachel Miller insisted.
The issue is now expected to undergo thorough examination within the state’s judicial system. Thursday’s episode, widely covered by Ocean State Media and the New England News Collaborative, could accelerate discussions around structural reform aimed at protecting the most vulnerable users of the judicial system—particularly immigrant individuals exposed to ICE operations.
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By CTN based on reporting by Ben Berke, Ocean State Media / New England News Collaborative November 21, 2025
