Smiley: Providence Police Will Not Work With Trump’s ICE on Mass Deportation
GoLocalProv News Team
Smiley: Providence Police Will Not Work With Trump’s ICE on Mass Deportation
This week, he told NBC News the process would begin immediately. Trump has repeatedly vowed to carry out the "largest deportation effort in American history."
Asked about the cost of his plan, he told NBC, "It’s not a question of a price tag. It’s not — really, we have no choice. When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here. There is no price tag."
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When asked, “Will Providence Police assist ICE in the arrest and deportation?” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley office told GoLocal, “The Providence Police Department will not and should not be immigration officers. Providence remains committed to being a safe and welcoming city for everyone.”
Smiley’s office said the Providence Police will not provide information to ICE. “[The] city has not and will not proactively collaborate with ICE to provide this information.”
But how Smiley’s promise of a safe city functions with Trump’s policy is unknown.
Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a Fox News interview after the election that Trump’s win “gives him a mandate to govern as he campaigned, to deliver on the promises that he made, which include, on Day 1, launching the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris has allowed into this country.”
Before the election, a top Trump advisor appeared on 60 Minutes and outlined a very aggressive mass deportation program. SEE HERE
Smiley’s office added, “Again, Providence police officers are not immigration officers and are focused on policing the City of Providence.”
Smiley has had issues with Trump in the past.
In 2016, during the Presidential campaign between Trump and Hillary Clinton, Smiley had an outburst at Trump on social media.
Smiley, then-Govenor Gina Raimondo's chief of staff, Tweeted an expletive-laden attack on Republican Presidential nominee Trump during the Presidential debate.
About twelve hours after the initial tweet, Smiley tweeted a message, "It's always a good reminder to listen to Michelle Obama's advice. When they go low, we go high. I regret tweeting coarse language last night."
On Wednesday, Democratic Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said her state’s law enforcement will not assist in mass deportations.
“No, absolutely not,” Healey told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell on Wednesday when she was asked whether Massachusetts would assist if the Trump administration asked.
Governor Dan McKee has not issued a statement to date.