The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee voted 9-4 along party lines to advance the so-called "ICE Out Act," which would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from honoring federal immigration detainer requests, sharing information about individuals' immigration status with federal authorities, or allowing ICE agents to conduct enforcement operations in or around state facilities.

Supporters of the bill, led by Rep. Leonela Felix of Pawtucket, argued that the measure is necessary to protect immigrant communities from what they describe as aggressive and indiscriminate federal enforcement actions. "When immigrants are afraid to call the police because they fear deportation, our entire community is less safe," Felix said during the committee hearing.

But the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association filed formal opposition to the bill, arguing that it would hamper investigations of serious crimes and prevent local agencies from removing dangerous individuals from communities. "We are not asking to be immigration agents," said Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist. "We are asking to be able to cooperate with federal law enforcement when we encounter individuals who have committed serious crimes and who are in the country illegally. This bill ties our hands."

The Rhode Island State Police also opposed the measure, with Superintendent Col. Darnell Weaver noting that several individuals arrested in the state in recent years on charges of violent crime were found to have prior deportation orders that had not been enforced due to existing sanctuary policies. "The data is clear: non-cooperation with federal immigration authorities has allowed dangerous individuals to remain in our communities," Weaver said.

State Rep. Robert Quattrocchi, R-Scituate, called the bill "a gift to criminals" and vowed to fight it on the House floor. "Rhode Island families deserve to know that their government is prioritizing their safety over political ideology," Quattrocchi said.