AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' DUE PROCESS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT -- ICE OUT ACT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jonathon Acosta and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island would ban hiring any sworn ICE officers hired on or after Jan 20, 2025, by state and local law enforcement agencies, effective Oct 1, 2026.

05/05/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Overview

Full Title: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' DUE PROCESS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENCY ACT -- ICE OUT ACT

Jurisdiction: Rhode Island

Session: 2026

Introduced: February 6, 2026

Sponsors: Kallman, Mack, Acosta, Quezada, Euer, Felag, DiPalma, Gu, Lauria, DiMario (with several co-sponsors listed)

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Effective Date: October 1, 2026

Status: Pending hearing/consideration as of May 1, 2026

Purpose and Intent

The act seeks to restrict the hiring of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers by Rhode Island law enforcement agencies. The policy positions Rhode Island as limiting its local agencies’ ability to employ individuals who were hired as sworn ICE officers on or after January 20, 2025. The provision is designed to address concerns about accountability and alignment with state-level policing norms by excluding recent ICE hires from state and local law enforcement employment.

Key Provisions

Prohibition on Hiring ICE Officers:

Rhode Island law enforcement agencies (as defined by Rhode Island law) may not employ any individual who was hired as a sworn officer of ICE on or after January 20, 2025.
The prohibition is prospective, applying only to individuals hired on or after the specified date.

Temporal Scope:

The act expressly does not apply to individuals who were hired by a law enforcement agency prior to the effective date.
The effective date for the prohibition is October 1, 2026.

** operative Section:**

The new provision is codified as § 42-28.6-19 in the Rhode Island General Laws, within the chapter governing Law Enforcement Officers' Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Affected Entities:

Rhode Island state and local law enforcement agencies (police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and any agency defined as a “law enforcement agency” under Rhode Island law).

Affected Individuals:

ICE officers hired on or after January 20, 2025 (the restriction targets these individuals’ eligibility for Rhode Island law enforcement employment).

Broader Implications:

Could influence recruitment strategies and the pool of applicants for state/local policing positions.
May affect coordination with federal immigration enforcement operations, depending on intergovernmental procedures and transfer of personnel.

Procedural and Timeline Notes

Introduction & Referral: Introduced February 6, 2026 and referred to Senate Judiciary.

Scheduled Action: As of May 1, 2026, scheduled for hearing/consideration (noted as May 5, 2026).

Effective Date: The prohibitory provision becomes effective on October 1, 2026, with prospective application for hires after January 20, 2025.

Practical Considerations

The bill does not penalize agencies for past hires prior to the effective date.

The policy aligns with broader state-level efforts to regulate how federal immigration enforcement roles intersect with state and local policing.

If enacted, agencies would need to review their applicant pools and potentially adjust recruitment and vetting practices to ensure compliance.

If you’d like, I can provide a comparison with similar “ICE-out” provisions in other states, or a plain-language FAQ for community stakeholders.

Bill