Rhode Islanders are pushing back on a bill that would essentially outlaw sanctuary cities in the Ocean State.
Introduced by Johnston Rep. Arthur Corvese, Bill H-5093 would require local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration officials in investigating reports of undocumented immigrants. The bill has been slammed by advocates like Rhode Island Jobs with Justice and has prompted a swift response from the group.
Mike Araujo is executive director of Jobs with Justice. He says Corvese’s bill and the current political climate have forced the organization to draw a line in the sand.
“We will be engaging in the defense of the community, both legal and civil disobedience if necessary, to keep it intact,” said Araujo.
Araujo said the Tuesday press conference was originally a way to announce a March community meeting for undocumented immigrants but it quickly took on additional issues to task.
“Part two is to go after local legislators that are using Trump’s anti-immigrant and pretty racist rhetoric to advance their own racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric,” said Araujo.
For that reason, Jobs with Justice held the press conference in front of Corvese’s Johnston office in the middle of the afternoon. Corvese is an optometrist and was seeing his regular load of patients.
Araujo also took the moment to address one of Gov. Gina Raimondo’s campaign promises: driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.
“The governor signed a promise to grant the same license to undocumented workers that we all carry,” said Araujo. “And she made the commitment to do it within one year, and she hasn’t made that commitment.”
A larger group gathered to protest the Corvese bill at the State House a few hours later. Protestors delivered a petition against the bill signed by over 2,500 Rhode Island residents.
