UPDATE #3: So it has been a crazy 24 hours. But what is most outragous is that Col. Doherty of the State Police actually said yesterday:
Doherty said state police will not be conducting immigration raids or sweeps. But he added, "I’ve taken a position that this is not a sanctuary state, and if we find someone who is here illegally or unlawfully, we will notify ICE."
Yet, within minutes, that is exactly what happened.
Update #2: Community advocates will be holding a 300pm emergency press conference today in front of the Garrahy Courthouse (RI District & Family Court on Dorrance St.) to address the ICE raid. Full press advisory is in the comments.
Update: The US Attorney had a press conference and announced that 31 people were arrested.
With chanters reciting the the pledge of allegiance and singing "this land your land" in both English and Spanish, people made a direct action confrontation against two ICE raids in Providence Rhode Island last night.
There were upwards of 200 people in front of the federal holding pen at the Dyer Street intersection. The people were assembled to protest the detainment of upwards of 30 people at raids at two Rhode Island Court buildings. The raids targeted the people working on the subcontractor crews that clean the buildings after regular business hours. This short video shows people confronting the Feds as they were taking some of the detainees away.
Tensions were very high on the picket line tonight, especially after one officer was spotted moving a long gun, either a shot gun or rifle, from the trunk of his squad car to the truck of another car. But the unity in the crowd was great, especially among the young activists that were there. And despite the aggressiveness, no arrests were made.
A press conference will take place tomorrow in Providence to issue details of what exactly happened. The raids took place on the same day that Republican Governor Don Carcieri held the first meeting of an advisory group put together in the wake of his controversial executive order granting sweeping powers to state agencies and police to act as immigration agents.