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Rhode Island House of Representatives Republican Caucus

Minority Leaders Call for Clarity from Governor McKee

2/22/2024

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Press Release | Printer Friendly View
State House, Providence, RI – In response to a public statement by Governor Daniel McKee alluding to the possible influx of illegal migrants who entered the country bypassing our immigration laws, House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale and Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz requested a meeting with the Governor in early January of 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to seek clarification on the Governor’s plan should a large group of migrants arrive at our doorstep and a definitive answer or repudiation as to Rhode Island’s status as a “sanctuary state.”
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The Governor was too busy to entertain a meeting but did offer a meeting with two of his staff members which was accepted by the Minority Leaders.  The Governor’s staff relayed a 48-hour plan for the arrival of unlawful migrants.  However, a post-48-hour plan is currently nonexistent.  Despite continued requests to the Governor’s office to make clear the state’s policy regarding an influx of undocumented migrants, we received no further clarification and a refusal to declare that Rhode Island either is or is not a sanctuary state.

Leader Chippendale stated, “As long as 113 Rhode Island Military veterans and 1,800 Rhode Island residents are sleeping on the streets, we should not be accepting any migrants shipped into our state. Our citizens must be assured that our already overburdened healthcare, housing and social services will not be further impacted by the arrival of migrants into our state while our citizens are suffering.  Rhode Islanders deserve immediate clarification of the state’s policies and should demand such from Governor McKee.”

“Now, we have learned that a Guatemalan national, with an active ICE detainer was released on surety following charges of first-degree child molestation, raising serious questions regarding public safety.  He was captured by ERO Boston after 10 months,” commented Leader de la Cruz. “This massive failure significantly increases the need for clarification of the state’s policy regarding illegal migrants with active detainer orders.  Was this incident an egregious error or a matter of policy?   According to the RI Department of Corrections, they still follow the 2014 directive of then-Governor Lincoln Chafee of not honoring federal immigration detainers.”

We call on Governor McKee to act in the best interest of Rhode Islanders by immediately clarifying the state’s policies and sanctuary status regarding illegal migrants and to end the very real threat to public safety from a decade old mandate stifling collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. 

​​-30-​ ​

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About rhode island house republicans


​In 1636, Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, established the first working model of Democracy after being banished from Massachusetts for his “extreme views” concerning freedom of speech and religion. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams publicly acknowledged Williams as the originator of these concepts, along with the freedom of public assembly, in the First Amendment in the United States Constitution. Today, Rhode Island House Republicans uphold the liberties designed by our Founders and preserved in our Constitution, and are the primary legislative body promoting lean government, fighting for lower taxes, and advocating for initiatives and policies that improve the economy and in turn, the lives of Rhode Islanders.  As members of a part-time assembly, we are small business owners, retired educators, community activists, lawyers, farmers, military service veterans, volunteers, former local officials, retired social workers, coaches, musicians, churchgoers and board directors -- bringing these community engagement and professional experiences to our work, on your behalf, at the Rhode Island State House.

​2025 Rhode Island State House Republicans | 82 Smith Street, Room 106 Providence, RI 02903 | 401..222..2259 | Email Us
  • Home
  • Reports
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    • Minority Report >
      • 2023 Minority Report
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    • Gaming Contract >
      • Gaming Study Report
    • State of the State >
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      • 2022 State of the State
      • 2024 State of the State
  • Representatives
    • Michael W. Chippendale
    • David J. Place
    • Richard R. Fascia
    • Marie A. Hopkins
    • George A. Nardone
    • Brian C. Newberry
    • Christopher G. Paplauskas
    • Robert Quattrocchi
    • Sherry Roberts
    • Paul M. Santucci
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  • News & Media
  • Contact Us
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