Immigration Done Right

Rhode Island will protect its people, uphold the law, and treat every person with fairness and respect. Law and Humanity can coexist. Rhode Island will prove it.

Let me be clear: illegal immigration through criminal activity is not acceptable.

Gangs — MS-13 and others — and anyone engaging in violent or felonious behavior will be prosecuted and removed. Public safety matters. Rhode Islanders deserve safe streets and neighborhoods.

But we have to do this the right way. We cannot drag people off ladders, tackle them in the street, or treat people like criminals simply because they speak Spanish or look different. That’s not who we are — and I won’t tolerate it in Rhode Island.

Many immigrant families have lived here for 30, 40, even 50 years. They’ve built lives, paid taxes, raised children, and strengthened our communities. Due process matters.

If someone has a serious criminal record — felonies — they should be deported. But if not, they deserve a fair hearing.

The system is broken. It can take years — sometimes six or more — to get proper documentation because of red tape. That’s unacceptable.

We must fix it by creating efficient, humane vetting stations at the border and working with federal partners to speed up the process. If someone qualifies, they’re welcomed legally. If not, we turn them away — swiftly and respectfully.

As governor, I’ll focus our resources on real threats: gang-related crime and violent offenders. We know where the problems are, and we’ll go after them aggressively.

But we will not tolerate blanket, inhumane round-ups of hard-working, long-standing members of our communities.

If it means going to Washington to meet with the President and federal officials to secure the funding and authority Rhode Island needs — I’ll be there.

Rhode Island deserves a plan that works — and a leader who will fight for it.

We can enforce the law while protecting dignity.

We can keep our communities safe without losing our values.

That’s how I’ll lead.