Orders State Police and Prison to Work with Federal Immigration Officials
State Contractors Ordered to Verify Employees’ Immigration Status

Governor Donald L. Carcieri today signed an Executive Order designed to bolster the state’s efforts to respond to the problem of illegal immigration in Rhode Island.

In brief, the measure requires state agencies and vendors to verify the legal status of all employees, allows the state to inform people whose identity was stolen, and directs the Rhode Island State Police and the Department of Corrections to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure federal immigration law is enforced.

In remarks to reporters, Governor Carcieri emphasized his support and respect for the important role that legal immigrants play in Rhode Island and in America.

“We all know that we are a nation of immigrants and most Rhode Islanders are descendants of immigrants,” Governor Carcieri said. “My grandparents emigrated from Italy and Sweden. I fully understand the desire to come to the United States to build a better life. For generations, people have arrived on our shores from all corners of the world to realize the American Dream. But they followed the letter of the law and did so legally. We have, and always will, welcome legal immigrants to Rhode Island.”

The Governor also noted that the federal government’s failure to address the national illegal immigration problem has left individual state and local governments to bear the burden.

“Unfortunately, the federal government has not effectively addressed the complex issue of illegal immigration,” the Governor said. “That means that Governors throughout the nation must deal with the consequences. In fact, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, states have passed a record number of bills which focus on the issue of illegal immigration. Last year states enacted three times the number of illegal immigration bills than they did in 2006. And the issue is being debated in all 50 state capitols.”

“According to the Pew Hispanic Center we have approximately 40,000 illegal immigrants in Rhode Island,” Carcieri said. “That’s more than the population of 32 of our state’s cities and towns. This puts a tremendous strain upon our public schools, hospitals, state and local human services organizations and law enforcement agencies. That in, turn, has an impact upon state and local budgets. In these difficult fiscal times, we barely have enough resources to take care of the neediest amongst us who are here legally.”

“Today I am issuing an Executive Order which will enable a vast array of state government agencies to better address the issue of illegal immigration in Rhode Island,” Governor Carcieri said. “I want to make one thing very clear: I support increasing the quotas to have more legal immigrants in the United States. I also support granting more work permits. This is not about taking a hard line against immigrants. It’s about making sure that those who come here can realize their goals of economic security and a better quality of life.”

“Illegal immigrants face many hardships,” the Governor continued. “With no healthcare, no pension, and no social security they cannot fully participate in the American Dream. As long as the issue of illegal immigration remains unresolved on the national level, people will continue to suffer and taxpayers will bear the costs. The federal government has failed to act so we must take measures on the state level to bring some clarity to this complex issue.”

The Executive Order includes six provisions.

First, it requires the Department of Administration to register and use a federal government program, E-Verify, to electronically verify that all executive branch employees are legally eligible to be employed in the United States. “I would encourage all branches of government to do likewise,” Carcieri said.

Second, the Department of Administration will require all companies, contractors and vendors doing business with the State of Rhode Island to use the federal E-Verify program to ensure that their employees are working in our country legally. In recent years, a number of other states have enacted similar measures, including Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

“By ensuring that there are no illegal immigrants employed in the executive branch and that those who do business with the state do not employ illegal immigrants, we are setting an example for others to follow,” the Governor argued. “This will encourage the private sector to comply.”

Third, the Executive Order gives state agencies the authority to notify those whose identity was stolen or used improperly to receive benefits such as child care, health care or a driver’s license.

Fourth, the Rhode Island State Police will establish a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to receive training to assist ICE personnel in arresting illegal immigrants. Currently, if the state police arrest illegal immigrants they must call ICE to determine if deportation will be pursued. With this new partnership, the state police who have been trained by ICE will be able to access federal databases, process immigration prisoners and transport them to the Wyatt Detention Center.

Fifth, the Department of Corrections will also develop a Memorandum of Understanding with ICE to enable state correctional officers to have the authority and the necessary training to address illegal immigration issues at the ACI. This will allow ACI personnel to perform some of the duties of ICE agents such as investigating immigration status and preparing the necessary documentation for those who have been found to be in this country illegally. This will streamline the process and make it more efficient.

Sixth, the Parole Board and the Department of Corrections will work cooperatively with ICE personnel to provide for the parole and deportation of criminal aliens. With this new collaboration, ICE will become engaged in the process early on and provide the Rhode Island Parole Board with pertinent information on inmates prior to their parole eligibility date.

“This will speed-up deportation by getting these inmates back to their respective countries in a more timely fashion,” the Governor said. “It will also be more cost effective. We will no longer bear the financial burden of providing housing or rehab treatment to these non-violent inmates.”

Governor Carcieri also announced his support for similar legislation that has been proposed by the several members of the General Assembly. Noting that his concerns about illegal immigration are bipartisan, the Governor cited a number of different pieces of illegal immigration legislation introduced variously by Representatives Singleton, Brien, Trillo, Palumbo and Carter and by Senators Breen, Cote, Maselli and Blais.

Related links

• Immigration Executive Order