Immigration

This awful crime brought into focus the technologically retarded procedure whereby the Providence police check the immigration status of people who come into their official custody. We should note here that it was the Mayor of Providence, not the police department, who arranged and ordered this procedure. Arlene Violet did some research and determined exactly…

In Edward Fitzpatrick and W. Zachary Malinowski’s story on the fallout from the Marco Riz case in today’s Projo, Providence Mayor David Cicilline states his basic position on the enforcement of immigration law…“Let me be clear,” Cicilline said, “anyone who is in this country illegally and breaks the law should be deported. That’s why Providence…

The Mayor of Providence continues to insist that illegal immigration is a matter for federal officials. In response to Bill Malinowski’s story in Saturday’s ProJo about the City of Providence’s prior official encounters with Marco Riz, the Mayor released this statement: I will not let the Providence Police pick up the slack or take the…

In light of the Marco Riz case, I am confused as to Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman’s position regarding assisting Federal authorities with the enforcement of immigration law. Marco Riz is the illegal immigrant accused of rape who was taken into custody by Providence police twice last year, but released both times, despite being under…

Helen Glover reported this morning that e-verify legislation has stalled on Smith Hill because it contains monetary penalties for businesses which fail to comply. Apparently, the General Assembly has the power under these circumstances to pull a company’s license but not to fine it. In the meantime, President George Bush has mandated e-verify for companies…

Terry Gorman of RIILE (Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement) was on Dan Yorke’s show this afternoon and explained that neither he nor any RIILE members have been invited to participate on the Governor’s 27 member Immigration Advisory panel (no documentation or press release yet). According to Gorman, he had gotten the impression that he…

Add Senator Larry Craig to Donald’s list of Republicans who have gotten off track, in this case, by participating in the attempt to pass amnesty piecemeal. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday added to an Iraq spending bill a controversial provision to help pave the way for undocumented agriculture workers to win legal status, a…

The ProJo wonders why there are fewer immigrants showing up at immigrant rallies, but Rev. Robert Beirne, a priest at St. Anthony’s in Providence has the answer: The estimated 300 people in attendance were but a fraction of the participation seen at immigration-rights rallies in years past. “I’m very disappointed,” said the Rev. Robert Beirne,…

The Department of Homeland Security posts on their website updated information of border enforcement activity. Coast Guard Repatriates 24 Dominicans, 1 Colombian April 22, 2008 (San Juan, Puerto Rico) – The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague repatriated a Colombian and 24 Dominican migrants to La Romana, Dominican Republic, following an at-sea interdiction by Department…

Bishop Thomas Tobin’s latest Without a Doubt column (still not yet online), which he frames as a Q&A on the Church’s teachings with respect to [illegal] immigration, avoids the questions in which Roman Catholics who disagree with the bishop are most interested. Indeed, the answers stop frustratingly short of the actual dispute, veering aside with…