Condemning Unconstitutional Tactics by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the State of Rhode Island and Beyond

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is home to over 150,000 foreign-born immigrants that are indelible to our State, and face undue risks to their safety and peace-of-mind from rogue federal law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, Undocumented immigrants and their children are longstanding members of Rhode Island's communities who contribute to the State's economy, culture, hospitals, small businesses, schools, and civic life, and whose well-being is integral to the well-being of all Rhode Islanders; and

WHEREAS, On Veterans Day, suspected United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents appeared on Water Street in Warren, Rhode Island, remaining for hours in unmarked vehicles without notifying local police. An employee of Blount Fine Foods was forcibly removed from his car and ultimately detained for removal from the country, causing distress throughout the community; and

WHEREAS, Since early 2025, ICE has conducted nationwide military-style immigration raids and arrests at work sites, public spaces, and private homes, creating a climate of fear among immigrants dropping their children off at school, going to work, attending faith services, seeking medical or emergency services, or shopping for essential needs. In addition to undocumented immigrants, ICE has unlawfully detained legal permanent residents, Dreamers (recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and full U.S. citizens; and

WHEREAS, ICE agents have detained individuals using unmarked vehicles and while wearing plain clothes and facial coverings which actions have caused deliberate confusion and eroded community trust of law enforcement. Studies show that localized immigration tactics reduce the willingness of Latino and immigrant communities to report a crime by over 40 percent due to fear of discriminate treatment and reduce trust in local law enforcement officers by undocumented individuals by over one-third; and

WHEREAS, ICE agents have increasingly conducted enforcement operations outside Rhode Island courthouses and targeted individuals, both litigants and witnesses, immediately after court appearances. This practice occurring nationwide is widely criticized by legal experts for frightening at-risk populations from attending court and harming public participation in the legal system, thus jeopardizing the comprehensiveness of Rhode Island's Judiciary; and

WHEREAS, Cruel and unusual detainment tactics and the concealment of ICE agents' identities are not requisite for effective, comprehensive immigration enforcement or public safety, as prior Presidential Administrations successfully fulfilled ICE's mission with comparable levels of deportations while prioritizing known criminals. Recent data show that the Trump Administration's approach has in fact reduced the share of undocumented detainees with criminal convictions from 65 percent in October 2024, to 35 percent in September 2025, while dramatically increasing arrests of individuals with only immigration-related violations, rising from 6 percent to 35 percent over the same period, thereby demonstrating that public safety has historically been achieved without the unconstitutional concealment tactics now employed; and

WHEREAS, Aggressive immigration enforcement tactics have placed in harm's way communities, local police officers, and ICE agents themselves. Concealment tactics make community members uncertain if ICE agents are legitimate officials or impersonators, hurting transparency, accountability, and due process, and leading to heightened fear and confrontation during encounters with law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, ICE has engaged in unrestrained immigration enforcement operations that have included the detention of juveniles and mixed-status families across the country, causing severe trauma to children, disrupting Rhode Island households, and undermining long-standing federal practices that prioritize the protection and humane treatment of minors; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby strongly condemns anonymized, violent, and unconstitutional federal immigration enforcement tactics against our communities and communities across the country, and opposes any future mass immigration raids or fear tactics against immigrant workers and families; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this House hereby affirms its commitment to safeguarding the rights and safety of all Rhode Islanders, regardless of immigration status, by upholding the fundamental principles of equal treatment, due process, and civil liberties under the law; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Governor of the State of Rhode Island, Daniel J. McKee, and the Honorable Attorney General of the State of Rhode Island, Peter Neronha, the Rhode Island Senate, and the City or Town Council of each of Rhode Island's municipalities.