Prohibits state or local authorities from voluntary participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. It would not prohibit compliance with a judicial warrant or court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would prohibit Rhode Island state and local government agencies — including police departments, courts, and other public offices — from voluntarily helping federal immigration authorities enforce civil immigration laws. In practical terms, this means state and local employees could not, on their own initiative, detain someone on behalf of federal immigration officials, share personal information with immigration authorities, or use state or local resources to assist in civil immigration enforcement activities.

However, the bill includes an important exception: state and local authorities would still be required to comply if a judge issues a legal warrant or court order related to immigration enforcement. This means the bill limits *voluntary* cooperation but does not allow state or local officials to ignore lawful orders from a court.

The bill would primarily affect law enforcement agencies, jails, and other government offices that sometimes receive requests from federal immigration authorities (like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE) to assist with immigration-related activities. Immigrant residents of Rhode Island could be affected, as this bill would limit how state and local officials interact with federal immigration enforcement. The bill has been introduced and sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers will review and debate it before deciding whether to move it forward.