The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, signed an executive order on Monday prohibiting the city’s police officers from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The measure, titled “A Secure Providence for All,” was implemented by Mayor Brett Smiley and seeks to strengthen trust between the immigrant community and local authorities.
The decision follows an incident in July, when Providence officers were accused by community members of assisting ICE agents during the detention of an immigrant. At the time, Police Chief Oscar Perez denied the allegations.
Rhode Island Lt. Governor Sabina Matos publicly endorsed the executive order.
“It was very important for the mayor to sign this order today to remind the community that the Providence police are not acting as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and are not collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents,” Matos told Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra.
The new policy also states that Providence police officers will not be allowed to wear masks to conceal their identities, will be required to wear body cameras, and will be required to provide full identification at all times.
“We’ve never masked up,” Perez said Monday. “I think the executive order reaffirms that same mentality, that we’re not supposed to do that.”
Perez said there could be exceptions for safety reasons, mentioning undercover officers, but noted, “that hasn’t been the case.”
Additionally, local authorities reaffirmed their commitment to supporting community organizations that provide immigration services, while urging Congress to maintain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants.
David De Matteis
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