Chafee undecided on “secure communities”

Governor Lincoln Chafee this morning   rescinded Governor Carcieri’s executive order on immigration, much to the delight of a largely Latino audience at the International Institute. Here were some of the highlights:

– The governor blamed E-verify for sowing unnecessary fear and anxiety among immigrants. Chafee said it has not been effective in addressing complex immigration issues.

–  Chafee called for immigration to be addressed at the federal level. He says he’ll push for that through the National Governors Association, but acknowledges the outlook is highly uncertain.

– The governor: “If one wishes to work hard and obey our laws, Rhode Island can be your home.”

– Chafee was asked about how Colonel Brendan Doherty of the state police has different views on enforcement of immigration issues from his own. Chafee’s response: “I don’t know if that’s accurate.  Any colonel works for the governor and reflects their positions.” The audience responded with applause and cheers before Chafee added, “I do all listen to the colonel. He has the experience in this area.”

– The governor says he’s not seen evidence indicating, as critics contend, that immigrants living illegally in Rhode Island pose a fiscal drain for the state.

– Chafee was asked how state police will now respond if they encounter a van-ful of immigrants suspected of being in the state illegally. His response:

 We’re going to have continued conversations on whether if somebody’s been caught breaking the law, and what happens then in relation to ICE. That hasn’t all been decided. Those conversations are going to continue with all the immigrant communities and the state police. We want to make sure we’re enforcing the law, but we don’t want to be doing ICE’s work.

– Chafee says he remains undecided on the “secure communities” federal initiative backed by Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. A flyer distributed during Chafee’s newser by the Olneyville Neighborhood Association and the Committee of Immigrants in Action calls “secure communities” a bad move, because “it would turn every police department in the state into an arm of the immigration police — moving our state backwards.