The state of Rhode Islands is following in the footsteps of its neighbor Massachusetts regarding the mass deportation policy announced by incoming President Donald J. Trump.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley have announced that local and state law enforcement will not participate in the mass deportation operations announced by the Trump administration.
The decision marks a clear stance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) plans to deport undocumented immigrants residing in the United States.
In an official statement released over the weekend, Andrea Palagi, spokesperson for Governor McKee, clarified, “The Rhode Island State Police remains committed to the safety of residents and focuses its efforts on criminal investigations and the prevention of violent crime. ‘She added, ’While RISP maintains a collaborative relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding the lawful detention of violent criminals, our officers are not immigration officers and will not mobilize their time or resources to support mass deportation operations.”
Brett Smiley, mayor of Providence, also reiterated his position through his spokesman, Josh Estrella: “The Providence Police Department will not and should not become an immigration department.” Estrella clarified that “when a person is apprehended by the Providence Police Department, that information has always been available to ICE services. Nevertheless, the municipality has never and will not proactively work with ICE to share this information, and that policy will remain in effect.”
Providence, RI leaders insist they are committed to maintaining the city as a safe place for all its residents, regardless of their administrative status: “Providence remains committed to maintaining its status as a safe and welcoming city for all of our residents, regardless of their administrative status,” Estrella said.
McKee and Smiley’s statements are part of Rhode Island’s long tradition of resisting aggressive federal immigration measures. Under the Trump administration (2017-2021), similar policies had already sparked tensions with local and state officials.
In 2017, Donald Trump had issued controversial executive orders aimed at strengthening collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE. One measure specifically called on the Department of Homeland Security to enter into agreements allowing local police officers to act as immigration agents.
In the face of these initiatives, Gina Raimondo, then governor of Rhode Island, took a stand:
“It is imperative that Congress reform our immigration system. Millions of immigrants have lived on our soil since their earliest childhood and are, in every respect, Americans. It is our duty to offer them a path to citizenship.”
She had also stressed the importance of protecting all residents of the state while applying the law fairly.
In 2019, when Trump threatened mass raids on ten US metropolises, Jorge Elorza, then mayor of Providence, declared:
“We want to state clearly that the Providence Police Department will not participate in any way in these inhumane immigration operations within our community.”
Although Providence had not been targeted in 2019, these threats had caused significant panic among illegal immigrant communities in the US. Today, faced with the uncertainty of Trump’s plans, these fears are resurfacing. “We’re primarily targeting criminals, but also people who entered our country illegally without following proper procedures; they crossed a border without authorization and therefore must leave,” clarified then-President Donald Trump.
However, the distinction between criminals and other undocumented immigrants remains unclear, fueling concerns among those who fear arbitrary application of the laws.
In his second term, the leader of the MAGA movement will have greater power. His party controls all branches of government, including the Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-member majority, almost all of whom are Donald Trump loyalists.
Limited access to ICE data
According to Providence police, although ICE can access the state’s arrest information system, no information is passed directly or proactively from local authorities. This policy reflects a desire not to complicate the lives of undocumented residents while maintaining public safety.
Even so, concerns persist about ICE’s ability to execute federal directives. In the absence of local cooperation, the implementation of massive deportation operations could be limited in cities like Providence, which refuse to play an active role in the process.
Rhoide Island is one of the blues states (controlled by the Democrats) with a large number of immigrants.
Many illegal immigrants have already left the states run by Republican loyalists for the sanctuary states, where they will enjoy some protection from state and municipal authorities.
For more detailed information, we invite you to read the full article published by The Providence Journal.
This article is written by Emmanuel Paul, following a story published by The Providence Journal, which you can view by clicking on the link below. Quotations may differ slightly from the original article due to translation.