ICE is kidnapping people from in front of the courthouses. The City and the courts protected people during COVID lockdown by making court virtual — we demand that all hearings, trials and conferences be offered virtually to protect people from ICE!

This morning, July 29th, ICE abducted two more people in the parking garage outside the 6th District Court in Providence. RI Deportation Defense Line volunteers had been patrolling, so we knew ICE was present and we had called out the community. ICE had a large number of cars parked in multiple locations, including nearby parking lots. We discovered an abduction as it was happening.

This is the fourth time this month that ICE has been reported outside the courthouse, and there have undoubtedly been more kidnappings that have not been reported. 

We are sick of ICE terror. We are calling on our community to fight back.

The courts and police agencies are clearly collaborating with ICE, actively or passively sharing information. In Chelsea, MA, ICE officers have been spotted taking people out of the back door of courts, suggesting there are people inside informing them when their victim is leaving. This is likely happening in Providence courts too, given that ICE was hiding in the court parking garage lying in wait for their victims.

The police and the courts will not protect our communities, so the people must unite to protect ourselves.

City and state lawmakers have claimed to stand with our community against ICE. They can take action right now. The RI family court and supreme court already offer virtual proceedings — we demand that service be extended to all courts for the safety of our community!

We call on Providence and Rhode Island governments to offer virtual court hearings, trials, and conferences in all of their courts to all community members until they actually ensure real safety for our community members by banning ICE from the city.

Protect our immigrant communities — ICE out of the courts, ICE out of Providence, ICE out of everywhere!