Representative Morales issues a FOIA seeking info on ICE activities in the state and urges an end to state law enforcement’s use of unmarked vehicles

"...what is happening to our immigrant neighbors is inhumane. People have been kidnapped off the streets, families have been torn apart, and there are immigrants being deported with no due process."

State Representative David Morales (Democrat, District 7, Providence) held a press conference to announce the filing of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)¹ request seeking public records related to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activities in Rhode Island. He also urged Governor Daniel McKee and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley to take immediate action to end the use of unmarked vehicles by state law enforcement.²

The press conference followed growing concern from community members, especially among immigrant and mixed-status families, over recent incidents involving unmarked vehicles and armed officers in residential neighborhoods, including a disturbing presence near Nathanael Greene Middle School earlier this week. These tactics, said Representative Morales, have created confusion, fear, and a chilling effect in communities already feeling targeted by federal immigration enforcement.

[The AMOR Defense Line Against Deportation & Police Brutality, 401-675-1414, is a multilingual (currently English & Spanish) line that connects community members to AMOR’s Case manager and community support network.]

Here’s the video:

Representative David Morales: I would like to thank everyone, including our friends in the media and some of our fellow advocates from PrYSM, the Olneyville Neighborhood Association, and AMOR, for joining us for this very important press conference. As we have seen across the country, what is happening to our immigrant neighbors is inhumane. People have been kidnapped off the streets, families have been torn apart, and immigrants are being deported with no due process. ICE and the Trump Administration are on a rogue mission to deport as many immigrants as possible, even if it means breaking the law, and this is not theoretical. This is not happening in some distant border town. It is happening right here in Rhode Island, in our neighborhoods, at our schools, in our courtrooms, and on our streets.

It’s the parent who was detained outside of an elementary school in Central Falls in front of their children. It’s the father in Cranston who never made it home after clocking out of work. It’s the husband and provider, a 20-year-old Rhode Island resident, who was taken after a routine appearance in traffic court. And it is the countless others whose stories do not make the headlines, but whose absence tears at the fabric of their families, leaving behind children, partners, and communities in grief.

There is growing violence against our immigrant communities and families, and they’re feeling the hardship. Too often, the response from our state and local leaders has been silence, and that silence must come to an end. Just the other day, I received a call from a neighbor who was driving to work on Chalkstone Avenue and saw several unmarked SUVs with tinted windows parked in front of our local middle school. Sure enough, when I arrived, I saw armed men in plain clothes in the parking lot during student drop-off hours.

That is the image I was met with in front of the Nathaniel Greene Middle School on Wednesday morning. When I approached [the officer], I was told that they were Rhode Island State Police working with the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Refugee Task Force, and that they were using the school parking lot to coordinate for the day. It’s essential to note that since January 22nd of this year, U.S. marshals and their task forces have been authorized to conduct immigration raids. Therefore, let me be clear: what we are witnessing right now is not normal. It is unacceptable, and it is not what public safety is about.

This is not a movie. These are our neighborhoods. These are our schools. They are our families. To use unmarked vehicles and unidentified officers near children without community notice, transparency, and any understanding of the trauma this creates is reckless, dehumanizing, and just plain dangerous. Rhode Island cannot claim to be a safe and welcoming state while allowing state law enforcement to pull up into our neighborhoods with unmarked cars, alongside a federal task force that has a record of enforcing immigration law.

That is why today I’m announcing that I am filing a Freedom of Information Act request with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is not symbolic. It is a lawful demand for answers because I’m tired of seeing images from the urban core of our state, where neighbors have to frequently ask what is happening. Unmarked vehicles are pulling up with armed men with masks and unidentified clothing, knocking on doors in predominantly Latino neighborhoods.

In the FOIA request, we are seeking documentation about the scope of immigration enforcement actions in our state. We are requesting documentation of any legal orders or authorizations that permit these detentions, a list of individuals who are currently or have been recently in custody, and a record of whether they have access to legal counsel. We are doing this because transparency is not an option. Rhode Islanders deserve to know when immigration enforcement is happening, how it’s being carried out, and who among us has been impacted.

I want to reiterate that many of the detainments that have happened in our city and across our state have gone unreported. These are not stories that make the headlines in our local paper. What they become instead are live streams on Facebook where we see community members freaking out as to why there are unmarked vehicles near their schools and in their neighborhoods, and why they are seeing their neighbors being detained.

As I file this request, I am proud to stand with our immigrant community, with our organizations that are often on the ground whenever there are sightings of ICE, such as AMOR, the Olneyville Neighborhood Association, and PrYSM. These are the advocates who respond immediately once they have been notified that ICE is in the area. But again, they are then met with silence from state and local leaders after the fact. I believe that a request for information and transparency should be the job of the Providence Mayor. It should be the job of our governor. But since they have refused to act, I will.

After filing the FOIA request, I will be delivering a letter to the governor’s office urging that he prohibit the use of unmarked vehicles by state police, because during these times of terror, the last thing we need is further confusion and actions that mirror those of ICE. And I say all this because we are not going to protect our immigrant neighbors by hiding and remaining silent. This moment demands the courage to speak out with conviction and to stand up for our immigrant neighbors. Our values—love for our neighbors, justice, and community—are worth fighting for.

I want to thank everyone for their time today, particularly the community advocates who continue to do the work to ensure that whenever ICE is detected in any neighborhood, neighbors receive immediate notifications. Together, we will stop any raids from happening in our communities. I’ll keep us all updated on the status of the FOIA request and what we receive back from the federal government. I’ll keep us all informed as to how the governor responds as we urge him to stop allowing state law enforcement to use unmarked vehicles.

Councilmember Miguel Sanchez: I’m here as a Providence City Councilor to support these two requests, demands, by Representative Morales and our state partners—a big shout-out to the organizations that are on the ground fighting this fight every day. I agree with Representative Morales. As local elected officials, we need to step up and do more. These two demands are steps in the right direction. A few of us on the city council are still exploring the possibility of making a similar request to the mayor and the police chief regarding the use of unmarked vehicles. We should leave absolutely no space or oxygen for confusion for these types of terror actions that we’re seeing by our federal ICE agents.

We also want to highlight some of the other work that we’re doing on the local level. The City of Providence has partnered with Dorcas to provide a 24/7 hotline [401-784-8607] related to immigration legal questions.

We are also preparing to send a citywide mailer outlining basic rights. That’s an important reminder. Even if you’re undocumented, in this country, you still have rights. Our neighbors in Providence must be aware of these rights.

The last thing I want to highlight is for our neighbors to have plans in place. Currently, we’re witnessing a significant response by ICE and other federal agencies. We’re seeing kidnappings. We’re seeing these agents visit places of worship and hospitals. We want everyone to not only be aware of their rights but also to have plans in place for their immediate family and support system.

Christopher Gavin, Boston Globe: How does calling on state law enforcement not to use unmarked vehicles make a difference in what ICE chooses to do? Is this about avoiding unnecessary anxiety in the community because ICE will still use unmarked vehicles if they want to?

Representative Morales: That is exactly true. We want to ensure that whenever an unmarked vehicle is seen, we know immediately that it is ICE. But unfortunately, we cannot do that if our state police are also engaging in similar practices, which is why we need to prohibit that practice completely.

Christopher Gavin: Do you have any concerns that the state police could be using these vehicles for non-immigrant-related matters and other undercover investigations? Could there be repercussions from a move like that>

Representative Morales: During normal times, I would say yes, but unfortunately, we are living during very dangerous times where unmarked vehicles are being used to kidnap immigrants. So I would say it is necessary that state law enforcement not use unmarked vehicles.

Steve Ahlquist: To be clear, your understanding is that U.S. Marshals and DHS agents are working in collaboration with ICE in Providence?

Representative Morales: That would be correct. Yes.

Steve Ahlquist: How is an average person supposed to tell the difference between a masked-up law enforcement officer and, let’s say, a criminal up to no good?

Representative Morales: That is the concern right now. There is no way to tell the difference, which is why, anytime an unmarked vehicle is seen, it is safe to presume that it has to do with immigration law enforcement. It is better if an individual finds themselves in a vulnerable position to get out of the area and notify their neighbors immediately.

Steve Ahlquist: Are we aware of any time when the mayor or the governor has instructed law enforcement to make sure that these are ICE agents? What does that communication look like?

Representative Morales: This highlights a broader issue. We have seen complete silence from our local and state leaders. I have not heard much from the Mayor of Providence regarding the incident that occurred this past Wednesday at Nathaniel Greene Middle School. I have not heard much from the governor’s office regarding the incident of having unmarked vehicles in front of a public school. That is, unfortunately, a continuous cycle. There’s a photo right here that was taken earlier this week in the Olneyville neighborhood, but I cannot provide further context as to what it meant or represented. All we see are rogue agents with masks, unidentified, knocking on the doors of a predominantly Latino neighborhood. We’re not hearing any answers or reassurances from our local and state leaders, which is why the FOIA request is desperately needed.

Christopher Gavin: Do you know if state police are currently working directly with ICE?

Representative Morales: The governor has previously said that the state police are not working with ICE. However, this is why we are submitting the FOIA requests: to confirm whether that is the case, and also to better understand if the state police are circumventing this by instead collaborating with the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Fugitive Task Force, thereby still enforcing immigration law.

Steve Ahlquist: There are other ways to work with ICE. I’ve seen local and state law enforcement directing traffic around an ICE raid. I’ve seen them securing a hospital when a man was leaving with ICE and making sure that people would not be able to protest near them. They are at least guarding ICE, if not actively working with them.

Representative Morales: I agree. I think we’re at a point right where our staying local leaders have enabled ICE. Given the lack of pushback, we’re putting forward this FOIA request and also making a demand to ensure that no unmarked vehicles are used moving forward, as this will demonstrate a real commitment to whether or not we protect our immigrants here in Rhode Island.

1. RE: FOIA Request Concerning Federal Immigration Enforcement Activity in Rhode Island

Dear Officer Pineiro and Liaison Edgington,

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, I hereby request that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement produce the following records, which are of public concern:

Under Subsection(a)(1) of 5 U.S.C. § 552, I request the following:

1. A description of all United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in Rhode Island during the past eight months, including enforcement operations, arrests, detentions, and any related administrative actions.

2. A list of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel carrying out arrests in Rhode Island, including their names, roles, and details on the specific operations they are involved in.

3. Data on processing times for individuals detained in Rhode Island by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including the average duration from arrest to transfer to release or formal charge.

4. Detailed information on the process by which the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is granted authority for detention in Rhode Island, including any relevant legal or procedural guidelines.

5. Incident reports or logs detailing United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Rhode Island, including dates, locations, individuals arrested, and charges filed.

6. Records related to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s collaboration with the "Violent Fugitive Task Force" or similar task forces working with local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island. Please provide documents that describe the formation of these task forces, materials outlining their scope and objectives, and the criteria for selecting enforcement targets.

7. Internal policies or procedures governing the wearing of face coverings or the concealment of agents’ identities during detentions in Rhode Island. If there are general policies regarding the concealment of identity during law enforcement operations, I request those as well.

8. Training materials and any internal documents that explain the policies and ethics for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers working in Rhode Island.

Under Subsection(a) (2) of 5 U.S.C. $ 552, I request the following:

1. A record of administrative decisions regarding the detention of individuals who were living in Rhode Island at the time of the decision, whether or not they were formally arrested.

2. Documentation of which detainees were provided access to legal counsel during detention, including records of legal representation for individuals detained in Rhode Island.

3. A copy of any manual or policy document used to instruct United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel on the detention process for arrests made in Rhode Island.

Under Subsection (a) (4) of 5 U.S.C. § 552, I am willing to pay a reasonable fee for costs associated with processing this request. If the fees exceed $100, I request that you contact me to discuss the amount before proceeding.

Under Subsection(a)(6) of 5 U.S.C. $ 552, I request that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement FOIA Office acknowledge and provide a response on the feasibility of the request within 20 business days.

I request that any records that exist in electronic form be provided in their native electronic format on a compact disc, digital videodisk, or equivalent electronic medium. I request that any documents stored in Portable Document Format ("PDFs") be provided as individual files in a searchable PDF format.

Thank you for your attention to this request. Please inform me if further clarification or modification is required to process this request.

2. Dear Governor McKee,

Over the last several months, there have been numerous reports of unmarked vehicles who identify themselves as State Police, most notably across neighborhoods in Central Falls and Providence. The most recent incident was the morning of Wednesday, June 18th right across the street from Nathanael Greene Middle School. I can personally attest to the presence of several unmarked Black SUVs and armed officers stationed outside while parents were dropping their children off for the school day. This was a chilling presence that sparked fear among students, families, teachers, and community members. While these officers later claimed to be with the State Police in collaboration with the "U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force," their presence near a school with unmarked vehicles was deeply traumatizing to our community.

Considering all these incidents and the escalation of fears being felt by our immigrant communities, I am writing to express my deep concerns about the use of unmarked vehicles by our state law enforcement. For many immigrant Rhode Islanders, especially undocumented residents or those with mixed-status families, the presence of unmarked vehicles and unidentified officers sparks immediate fear of detention, deportation, or family separation. These tactics mimic the methods of terror deployed by ICE and federal immigration authorities. To protect the safety and wellbeing of all Rhode Islanders, I urge you to take immediate action and direct the State Police to cease the use of unmarked vehicles.

Furthermore, I am concerned about the lack of public information and transparency about the Rhode Island State Police’s collaboration with the "U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force". While primarily tasked with pursuing fugitives, this Violent Fugitive Task Force has become entangled in immigration enforcement.

Under directives from the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year, Marshals have supported ICE operations by targeting and arresting undocumented residents. This overlap between criminal and immigration enforcement seriously threatens our values of due process and transparency. Rhode Islanders deserve to know whether and how our state police are cooperating with federal agents whose operations may ensnare residents in the immigration enforcement system. Our constituents deserve the right to feel safe in their neighborhoods and know that their local and state governments are not complicit in secretive or harmful federal operations. I am demanding full transparency around any current or past collaboration between the Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service throughout 2025. This includes a clear public accounting of whether such cooperation has involved migration enforcement.

In a moment where public trust in law enforcement is already fragile, continued secrecy and tactics that evoke fear only deepen the divide between our communities and those sworn to protect them. No Rhode Islander, especially a child walking to school, should have to fear whether an unmarked vehicle and unidentified officers represent safety or the threat of family separation. Our immigrant communities deserve better. I am calling on you to immediately end the use of unmarked vehicles by the Rhode Island State Police, disclose the full extent of any collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service, and ensure that our state is not aiding or abetting immigration enforcement under the guise of public safety.