Democratic lawmakers in Rhode Island have introduced legislation that would prohibit local police departments from hiring certain former federal immigration agents, marking the latest clash between state officials and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
The proposed legislation, known as the ICE OUT Act, would prevent law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island from employing individuals who were hired as sworn officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on or after January 20, 2025, the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The bill has been introduced in both chambers of the state legislature and would amend the state’s Law Enforcement Officers’ Due Process Accountability and Transparency Act by adding the new restriction.
“A law enforcement agency… shall not employ any individual who was hired as a sworn officer of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency on or after January 20, 2025,” the proposed legislation states.
If passed, the policy would take effect in October 2026 and would not apply to officers who previously worked for ICE before that date.
Supporters of the measure say the restriction would help improve relationships between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
State Rep. Karen Alzate, a Democrat from Pawtucket and the bill’s lead sponsor in the House, said during a legislative hearing that the proposal is intended to strengthen trust between residents and local police departments, according to reporting from the Providence Journal.
Advocates supporting the legislation have also raised concerns about hiring practices within the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration. A representative from the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association told lawmakers that what they described as “relaxed hiring standards” under the administration should not be replicated within the state’s law enforcement agencies.
Federal officials strongly criticized the proposal.
Acting Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Lauren Bis said the legislation unfairly targets immigration enforcement officers who she argued are working to protect public safety.
“Sanctuary politicians in Rhode Island are wrongly casting ICE agents as villains while they continue to be targeted, threatened and doxxed just for doing their jobs,” Bis told Fox News Digital.
“To most Americans, our ICE officers are heroes as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists,” she added.
Law enforcement officials within the state have also expressed concern that the broader package of police reform measures being debated could worsen existing recruitment challenges. According to testimony cited by the Fall River Reporter, police leaders warned lawmakers that restricting hiring pools could make it harder to fill open positions.
The ICE OUT Act is part of a larger set of immigration-related proposals currently under consideration in the Rhode Island legislature.
Another bill introduced by Democratic state Rep. Joshua Giraldo of Central Falls would prohibit ICE agents from operating within 200 feet of polling places. Giraldo argued during legislative debate that fears about immigration enforcement near voting locations can discourage participation among immigrant communities.
“Particularly in the current climate, immigrant communities hear a message that is aimed at intimidation,” Giraldo said.
Rhode Island’s capital city has already taken steps to limit federal immigration enforcement activity on certain municipal properties. In January, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley issued an executive order restricting ICE agents from operating on city-owned properties such as parking lots, schools, parks, and government buildings.
The order stated that the city has a responsibility to manage public spaces in a way that ensures access to services and maintains public trust.
