Take Action for Immigrants' Rights

• How to take action
• State legislation
• Letters and campaigns
• Example postcard and step-by-step guide

You can contact your elected officials at every level — local city/town council, school committee, mayor, state legislators, U.S. legislators — to urge them to take action to protect immigrants' rights. You can call, email, or write a letter to each of these officials.

When contacting your officials, write only to your legislator. For example, typically you should not contact a committee chair or bill sponsor that doesn't represent your district. It's your voice as a constituent that matters! Click here to learn more about how to write to your legislators, with tips and examples you can apply to every level of government.

Don't know who your elected officials are? Click here to go to the Secretary of State's website to find out, then come back to this page.

State laws have a big impact on our day-to-day life. You can contact your Rhode Island legislators in SUPPORT of these bills that protect immigrants from discrimination and unnecessarily harsh penalties.

Click the bill number to be redirected to page with more information about the bill.

• H 5502, S 63: Would close a loophole between federal immigration law and Rhode Island law, where immigrants (including green card holders) could be deported for minor misdemeanors, like shoplifting. The bill would simply change the definition of a misdemeanor charge, so that it would carry a potential sentence of "up to 364 days" instead of "up to a year." Also referred to as "364 day misdemeanor" bill.
• H 5674, S 274: Would bar landlords from inquiring about a tenant or prospective tenant's immigration or citizenship status.
• H 6121, S 291: Would generally bar the civil arrest of individuals while they are in a courthouse to attend a court proceeding.
• H 6244, S 487: Would prohibit healthcare personnel from asking the legal immigration status of any patient.
• H 5724, S 295: Would prohibit the state or any municipality from entering into contracts with ICE to house and detain individuals for civil immigration violations (like at the Wyatt Detention Facility.)

Are you an alum of a Rhode Island college or university? We shared a letter from the National ACLU with all Rhode Island colleges and universities that outlines their rights and responsibilities when dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigations and enforcement actions. Contact your alma mater and urge them to protect their immigrant students whenever possible. Read the letter here.

We sent a letter to all Rhode Island municipalities urging City and Town Councils to adopt an ordinance designed to protect their immigrant communities from constitutionally dubious federal actions and pronouncements. Contact your mayor and local city or town council and urge them to pass an ordinance to protect our immigrant neighbors. Read the letter and model ordinance here.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Postcards to Your Legislators (with an example!)

1. Identify your state senator and representative. Write their name and address on the lines on the bottom right side of the postcard.
2. Write your name and return address on the lines on the top right of the card.
3. On the left side of the card, add your message of support to this bill. Be courteous, concise, and consider how you can personalize your message. Address the legislator by their title (Senator or Representative)
4. Affix a stamp in the top right corner.
5. Send the postcard to your legislators!