S 2967Police & Prisons

State Affairs and Government - Limitations on Immigration Enforcement Cooperation

This bill prohibits local police from acting as federal immigration agents or holding people solely for immigration status.

Held for study

Population
Affected

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Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This bill limits how Rhode Island law enforcement agencies can interact with federal immigration authorities. It prohibits state and local police from entering into agreements (like 287(g)) that allow them to perform federal immigration enforcement tasks. The bill also bans police from arresting or holding individuals solely based on administrative immigration detainers or warrants. Additionally, it forbids the use of local funds or resources for civil immigration enforcement. However, police may still cooperate in criminal investigations unrelated to immigration status and must comply with valid judicial warrants. Agencies are required to publish annual statistics on federal requests.

For younger readers

This law creates new rules for police officers in Rhode Island. It says that local police cannot do the job of federal officers who handle immigration. Immigration is about people moving to a new country and the paperwork required to live here. The bill says police cannot arrest someone or keep them in jail just because they might not have the right immigration papers. Police must focus on solving crimes, not checking immigration status. It also stops the police from spending local money to help with immigration issues unless a judge specifically orders them to.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Undocumented ImmigrantsState and Municipal Law Enforcement AgenciesFederal Immigration Authorities (ICE)TaxpayersCorrectional Facilities

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Protects immigrant communities from racial profiling and fear of deportation, encouraging them to trust local law enforcement and report crimes without hesitation.
Ensures that local taxpayer resources are dedicated to community safety and local priorities rather than subsidizing federal civil immigration enforcement efforts.
Upholds due process and civil rights by preventing unconstitutional detentions based solely on administrative warrants that have not been reviewed by a judge.
The exception for "criminal investigations unrelated to immigration status" could potentially be exploited by bad actors in law enforcement to find loopholes for cooperation.
Lack of specific penalties for law enforcement agencies that violate these provisions may result in continued informal cooperation with federal authorities.
Does not explicitly prohibit the sharing of information or databases with federal agencies, which could still put undocumented residents at risk of surveillance.

For Conservatives

Reinforces the principle of federalism by asserting that state resources should not be commandeered to enforce federal regulatory schemes.
Protects local taxpayers from bearing the financial burden of housing federal detainees, which can be costly and legally liable for municipalities.
Ensures that local police forces remain focused on their primary mission of addressing local criminal activity rather than administrative federal tasks.
Establishes the state as a "sanctuary" jurisdiction, which may be viewed as undermining the rule of law and encouraging illegal immigration.
Prevents local police from holding individuals who are in the country illegally, potentially releasing those with criminal tendencies back into the community.
Creates a barrier between local and federal law enforcement, potentially hindering information sharing that could be vital for national security or public safety.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 26 additions

SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 42-169-1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Federal immigration authority” means any officer, employee, or agent of a federal agency charged with enforcement of civil immigration laws.

(2) “Immigration detainer” means a request from a federal immigration authority to maintain custody of an individual for immigration enforcement purposes.

(3) “287(g) agreement” means any agreement authorized under 8 U.S.C. §1357(g) delegating immigration enforcement powers to state or local officers.

(4) “Law enforcement agency” means any state or municipal law enforcement agency or correctional facility in the State of Rhode Island. 42-169-2. Prohibition on 287(g) agreements. No state or local law enforcement agency shall enter into, renew, or participate in a 287(g) agreement or any substantially similar agreement delegating federal immigration enforcement authority to a state or local law enforcement officer. 42-169-3. Detainers and administrative warrants. No law enforcement agency shall arrest or detain an individual based solely on an immigration detainer or administrative warrant. 42-169-4. Use of resources. No law enforcement agency shall use funds, personnel, property, or equipment to investigate, interrogate, or detain a person solely for civil immigration enforcement. 42-169-5. Exceptions. Nothing in this chapter prohibits cooperation related to criminal investigations unrelated to immigration status or compliance with a valid judicial warrant or order. 42-169-6. Records and transparency. Law enforcement agencies shall document any request from a federal immigration authority and publish annual statistics on the number and type of requests received.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.