Firewall for Freedom: Protecting Rhode Island

We will continue to help protect our immigrant neighbors across Rhode Island, as the presidential administration continues to threaten the rights and liberties of immigrants.

RESPONSE TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIONS:

• Lawsuit on Behalf of Venezuelan National We filed an emergency lawsuit with the National ACLU to prevent the removal of a Venezuelan national from the country under President Trump’s recent proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act (AEA), a 1798 law designed for use during wartime. U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose issued an order barring the government from moving the petitioner outside Rhode Island without at least 72-hours’ notice to the court and the ACLU’s attorneys.
   

• Lawsuit Challenging Rhode Island Students’ Terminated Immigration Status Four ACLU affiliates and law firm Shaheen & Gordon filed a federal class action lawsuit seeking to represent over 100 students in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico who had their F-1 student immigration status unlawfully and abruptly terminated with no specified reason as to why. Shortly after the suit was filed, the students’ status was reinstated.
   

• Letter to Rhode Island Colleges and Universities We shared a detailed letter from the National ACLU that outlines higher education institutions’ responsibilities and rights when dealing with ICE investigations and enforcement actions. The letter also outlines a legal framework for responding to administrative subpoenas from ICE. In consultation with legal counsel, universities generally maintain the right to not respond to administrative subpoenas unless and until ICE obtains an enforcement order from a judge. Universities also have the right to publicize the subpoenas or alert students if their information has been targeted by an ICE subpoena.
  
   Read the full letter to colleges and universities here
   
• Letter to the Chief Justice of the R.I. Supreme Court Working with the Immigrant Coalition of Rhode Island, we sent a letter asking the Chief Justice to take steps to keep ICE agents out of state courtrooms in light of their presence’s chilling effect on the willingness of immigrants — including victims of and witnesses to crime — to make use of the court system.
   
• Letter to RI Municipalities In response to the various Orders signed by Trump that expand and expedite federal immigration agencies' work to deport immigrants, we sent a letter to all city and town councils, mayors, and police chiefs urging them to adopt measures that protect their communities from federal immigration tactics. The letter points out that public safety suffers when residents — both immigrants and U.S. citizens with immigrant friends and family — are fearful of going to police to report crimes or act as witnesses. Additionally, municipalities can face legal liability for working with immigration when not backed by judicial authority or mandated by federal law. Central Falls, Providence, and South Kingstown have already adopted some relevant measures, when we urged similar action in 2017.
  
  Read the full letter to municipalities here
   
• It’s Imperative to Know Your Rights Everyone in the United States has constitutional rights — regardless of your immigration status. Learning your rights, learning what types of warrants police and ICE agents need to legally enter your home or your workplace, and practicing what you can say if you encounter immigration officers are more important than ever.
  
  Read our Know Your Rights materials

As actions are taken by the federal government, the National ACLU and ACLU Affiliates will continue to take legal action against unconstitutional conduct and unlawful Executive Orders.

EXISTING PROTECTIONS

• A new law prohibits landlords from asking about a tenant or prospective tenant's immigration or citizenship status!
• A new law prohibits healthcare personnel from asking the legal immigration status of any patient!
• A 2022 law called Driver’s Licenses for All makes it possible for undocumented individuals to obtain a driver’s license and drive legally.
• Rhode Island allows undocumented immigrant students who have lived in Rhode Island the right to qualify for in-state tuition at state schools. The state’s Rite Track program also ensures that all lower-income children, regardless of immigration status, qualify for health insurance.

• As a result of ACLU litigation, limits have been imposed on the ability of immigration officials to order state and municipal officials to turn individuals over to them without a warrant.

Be informed: Learn about what to do if you’re stopped by police, immigration, or the FBI and learn more generally about immigrants’ rights here!

Free speech and expression are critical rights, especially in a time when we expect to be calling out injustices in the years ahead. While Rhode Islanders already have some protections from retaliatory government practices, the current presidential administration is aggressively trying to censor perspectives and opinions that they do not agree with. We want to ensure our state has as many defenses as possible in place to protect our First Amendment rights — to free speech and expression, of the press, to assembly, to choose whether and how you practice religion, and to petition the government.

RESPONSE TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIONS:

• Lawsuit on Behalf of Domestic Violence Coalitions A group of 17 domestic and sexual violence coalitions, with Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence as the lead plaintiff, filed a lawsuit challenging restrictions on grants issued by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The restrictions include a prohibition on promoting “gender ideology,” any diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and “activities that frame domestic violence or sexual assault as systemic social justice issues rather than criminal offenses” — even though VAWA’s “foundational recognition” is “that domestic violence is a systemic issue.” These restrictions require the domestic violence coalitions to either violate their own missions and federal law as dictated by VAWA, not receive funding and leave those needing their services without support, or potentially face penalties under the False Claims Act. The latest update to the case: A judge granted a preliminary stay to allow all domestic violence coalitions to apply for and accept funding without agreeing to the new restrictions.
  
  Read the latest updates in the case
   
• Lawsuit on Behalf of Housing and Health Services Organizations After the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) added discriminatory and restrictive conditions on federal grant funding, we joined a nationwide coalition of 22 organizations — including six in Rhode Island — to challenge the grant requirements. The organizations provide support to those needing housing, domestic violence victims, LGBTQ+ youth, and other vulnerable communities. The latest update to the case: A judge granted a temporary restraining order, allowing the named organizations facing imminent grant deadlines to apply for funding without having to agree to the certification, and a preliminary injunction decision is pending.
   
• Lawsuit on Behalf of Arts Organizations We filed a lawsuit with the National ACLU on behalf of four arts organizations, including Rhode Island Latino Arts, challenging the National Endowment for the Arts’ implementation of an executive order that directs federal agencies to cease spending federal funds on what the government calls “gender ideology.” The lawsuit argues the NEA is violating the First Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and Administrative Procedure Act. The latest update to the case: In June, the NEA admitted that it would judge projects based on whether they “promote” what the government deems to be “gender ideology” and reinstated a requirement that grant applicants agree to abide by all other executive orders when applying for a grant. In a preliminary decision in the case, the court ruled that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on one of more of their legal claims. We filed a motion for summary judgment, which could resolve the suit without trial if granted. The next grant application deadline is in September.

Read the latest case update

EXISTING PROTECTIONS

• A new law passed that will explicitly make it Rhode Island state policy to support and protect the freedom of libraries and librarians from censorship attempts. The “Freedom to Read Act” is a critical protection in a time when ideas, books, art, media, and reporting are facing high levels of censorship.

• Rhode Island already has strong protections against SLAPP suits (“Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation”) which are used to chill freedom of speech. The Rhode Island law gives “conditional immunity” to the exercise of the right of petition or free speech so, for example, efforts to sue you for defamation for comments you make against government officials or in public forums can be quickly dismissed.

• Know Your Rights You have First Amendment rights to express yourself, to petition the government, and to the right to assembly. If you go to a protest, learn about your rights before you go and share with others!

Know your protest rights

LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THREATS:

Click the bill number to be taken to a page with more information and to read our written testimony.

• PASSED – Freedom to Read Bill (H 5726, S 238A) This legislation will explicitly make it state policy to support and protect the freedom of libraries and librarians from censorship attempts.
   
• DIED – Updates to Access to Public Records Laws (H 5457, S 909) While not directly related to free speech, this bill would have updated and strengthened the state's Access to Public Records Act (APRA), increasing government transparency — including for police incident reports — and reducing costs for requesting records, making it easier for journalists, among others, to keep our government institutions transparent and accountable.  

We're not alone in this fight: We’ve collaborated with the Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) and Rhode Island Authors Against Book Bans, who are working to protect librarians and the freedom to read. Additionally, we’re a part of ACCESS/RI, a freedom of information coalition dedicated to improving citizen access to the records and processes of government in Rhode Island.

As seen by the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the continuous attacks against transgender peoples’ rights across the country, the freedom to be ourselves and make our own heath care decisions is at risk. Here in Rhode Island, we already have a set of state laws protecting fundamental LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive healthcare, and gender affirming healthcare. We are looking to shore up privacy laws to protect from disclosure reproductive health data that could be at risk.

RESPONSE TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIONS:

• Response to Brown University Agreement with Trump Administration We released a statement alongside GLAD Law and the RI Center for Justice, condemning Brown University’s recent decision to sign an agreement with the current administration that includes adopting discriminatory language from the Executive Order about gender. We encourage any members of the Brown community directly affected by new policies related to the university’s adoption of the definition of sex in the Trump administration’s anti-transgender executive order to contact one of our organizations:
  • GLAD Law: GLADLawAnswers.org
  • ACLU of Rhode Island: [email protected]
  • Rhode Island Center for Justice: (401) 491-1101
• The President’s Executive Order about gender does not, as far as we know, currently affect Rhode Island’s Medicaid rules that cover gender affirming care. Additionally, our state laws still protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression.

While we only function in Rhode Island, the National ACLU is advocating against the recent reconciliation bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is headed to the U.S. Senate. This bill would include massive cuts to Medicaid, removing health care services from millions of people, including no longer covering gender-affirming care for adults or kids.

Use this form to contact your U.S. Senators

• Please read the information from our national office regarding passports and gender markers. This information is being updated on their website as things change: FAQs about passport gender markers and what we know
  
  Rhode Island still allows you to get an “X” gender marker on your personal identifying documents. In Orr v. Trump (AKA the “passport case”) a recently expanded injunction (as of June 2025) issued by a federal judge in Massachusetts has paused enforcement of the Trump administration policy requiring a person’s sex designation at birth to be listed on their passport.  This means that moving forward, a passport with a sex designation that aligns with one’s gender identity or with an “X” sex designation should be made available to anyone applying to: 

  • Obtain a new passport,

  • Change the sex designation or update their name on their current passport,

  • Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged, passport, or

  • Renew their passport within one year of its expiration.

This applies to those individuals who, under the Trump administration’s policy, were previously sent a passport with a sex designation listing their sex assigned at birth after applying for a new, renewed, or replaced passport, and/or a changed name or gender marker.

FAQs about passport gender markers and what we know

EXISTING PROTECTIONS

• Last year, Rhode Island legislators passed the Healthcare Provider Shield Act, which lowers the risk that Rhode Island medical providers will be penalized if they treat a patient coming from a state that has banned access to established, standard-of-care reproductive and transgender health care.

• The right to abortion has been codified in Rhode Island law since 2019, when the Reproductive Privacy Act was passed. Medicaid funding for the procedure was enshrined in state law in 2023.

• Protections for LGBTQ+ folks have been a part of Rhode Island law since 1995, when a law was passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. That law was strengthened to include protections for gender identity and expression in 2001.

• Marriage equality has been codified in Rhode Island law since 2013.
• Rhode Island Medicaid rules protect and cover trans and non-binary individuals for the majority of the care they need.
• Gender affirming care for minors is protected in Rhode Island. Many people have reached out to us about the recent 6-3 decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti, where the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18. While a devastating loss for those in Tennessee, we have our own protections and therefore this decision will not affect the ability for individuals seeking care in Rhode Island from receiving it. 

Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, take a few minutes to read our Know Your Rights materials about LGBTQ+ rights in the workplace, trans rights, and LGBTQ+ students' rights so you can be prepared to identify injustices.

Help fund our work to protect civil liberties:

• Donate
  to the ACLU Foundation of RI to support our work in the courts and the community. A donation to the ACLU Foundation IS tax-deductible.
• Become an ACLU of RI member
  to support our lobbying work. A membership to the ACLU is NOT tax-deductible.

Learn more about the difference between the ACLU Foundation and the Union here.

Volunteer your time:

• Fill out a form and send it to us to sign up to be a volunteer to help us with community outreach and other work or to share a particular expertise you have.

• Monitor what’s happening in your community and take action:
  • Tune into your city or town council meetings, school council meetings, library board meetings — any governing body that deals with issues that matter to you
  • Call or write to your legislators about issues that matter to you, even when the legislature isn’t in session

 Check out our new RI Legislative dashboard

Stay informed about what’s happening in our state:

• Fill out this form to join our email list to get updates about upcoming events and the upcoming legislative session! (You can also edit your communication preferences here.)
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, or Twitter (X).
• Attend upcoming events, which will be posted on our events page.

Find time to rest, and sustainably resist:

Protecting civil liberties has always been a marathon, not a sprint.

In the face of a presidential administration that is intentionally trying to overwhelm advocates, we encourage you to find what level of engagement is sustainable for you. Maybe that’s attending your local city/town council meetings, tracking one or two bills through the legislative session and submitting testimony, or regularly donating money to help us shoulder the work.

As these various fights for our rights continue, take time to care for your mental, physical, emotional wellbeing, in whatever ways that work for you. Find time to check in and gather with your community. Take a break from the grueling news cycle or be intentional about what sources you tune into and how frequently you’re receiving updates. Resting when you need to ensures you can step back up to help us again, instead of getting burnt out and giving up. We need all hands on deck for the years ahead — not just the first few months.