Latest news with #JuneRose
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State leaders call for due process after ICE arrest, protest in Providence
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island leaders are calling for transparency after dozens gathered Thursday to protest an alleged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest in Providence. The demonstration, held outside Rhode Island Hospital, followed an incident earlier in the day where a federal agent allegedly used a Taser on a man in a neighborhood off Parade Street. June Rose, chief of staff for the Providence City Council, told 12 News the man suffered a medical episode after being shocked and was brought to the hospital. ICE agents allegedly followed the ambulance there, prompting community members to rally in support of the man and demand answers. The protest, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation Rhode Island, lasted about an hour and dispersed peacefully. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Protesters demand answers after man detained by ICE agents Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed ICE has someone in custody but said it's still unclear why the individual was hospitalized. Attorney Kelvin Santos, who is representing the detainee, previously told 12 News he was denied access to his client despite presenting paperwork. He would not confirm whether a Taser was used. Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos expressed concern over how the situation was handled and emphasized the man's right to legal representation. 'My biggest concern right now is the lawyer saying that he hasn't been able to have access to his client,' she said. 'We have to make sure that everybody has access to due process. That's the basis of this country—our constitution.' Matos said her office is monitoring the situation closely and called for empathy toward those affected by federal immigration enforcement. 'This could happen to us,' she said. 'How are they going to know who's documented and who's undocumented? … We all should be concerned, and paying attention to what's happening.' U.S. Sen. Jack Reed also weighed in, reiterating the importance of due process, though he acknowledged that details surrounding the arrest remain unclear. 'Every person in this country under our constitution should and must receive due process if they're taken into custody,' Reed said. While Reed said violent arrests should be condemned, he also stressed that facts must come to light before making inferences. 'We have to get the facts. We don't want to jump to a conclusion,' he continued. 'That's done too often by others. We want to get the facts.' 12 News has reached out to ICE for comment but has not yet received a response. READ ALSO: Congressman questions 'violent destruction' during New Bedford ICE arrest Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
ICE use taser while detaining man in Providence, sending him to the hospital, advocates say
June Rose, chief of staff for the Providence City Council, confirmed to the Globe on Friday the man was detained in the city's West End neighborhood on Parade Street – adjacent to Dexter Training Ground – and that he was tased by ICE agents. Advertisement As a result, the man suffered a medical episode and firefighters brought him to the hospital, according to Rose. Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up In an email, Josh Estrella, a spokesperson for Mayor Brett Smiley, said the Providence Fire Department 'responded to a call for service for an individual who had been tased but we're unaware of any details of the investigation by any federal agency.' 'The Providence Police Department responded to reports of a protest at RI Hospital,' Estrella said. 'We don't have any additional details at this moment.' The coalition did not identify the man who was allegedly apprehended, and did not provide details of the man's condition later Thursday night. The coalition said authorities blocked the man from speaking to an attorney while he was at the hospital. Advertisement An attorney who The incident drew a crowd of demonstrators outside the hospital on Thursday afternoon, the coalition said. 'This is a shameful example of ICE not only trying to circumvent legal and constitutional protections in their war against immigrants, but ignoring the will of the people,' Kate Hao, of the coalition, said in a statement. 'Because of the protest and community members who called in to [Department of Homeland Security] Enforcement and Removal Operations, ICE was forced to smuggle our community member out of the hospital through a side entrance.' On Friday morning, when contacted by the Globe for comment, a spokesperson for ICE said he was looking into the incident. In a statement, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos said she was 'closely monitoring reports that ICE agents may be refusing a Rhode Islander their right to due process by preventing them from speaking with their lawyer.' 'We are still learning all of the facts involved in today's events, and I cannot speak with certainty about every detail of this incident,' Matos said. 'However, there are no circumstances under which we can tolerate the erosion of the Constitution. If this man is being prevented from speaking with his attorney, then I call on ICE to immediately to allow him access to counsel.' State Representative David Morales, a Providence Democrat, posted a Advertisement 'In Providence, we show up and defend our immigrant community,' Morales wrote. In Providence, we show up and defend our immigrant community. Within minutes of an ICE sighting at RI Hospital, dozens of neighbors mobilized to keep our community safe. — RI State Rep. David Morales 🌹 (@DavidMoralesRI) Speaking on behalf of Providence City Council President Rachel Miller – who represents the ward where ICE detained the man on Thursday – Rose said the diversity of immigrants in neighborhoods such as Federal Hill and the West End has made them both a 'gem of our city.' 'The council president, as the counselor for this ward, absolutely stands with the community and against the federal administration who are disappearing our neighbors, our community members,' Rose said. 'It's a horrifying situation. I think it should scare all of us.' Christopher Gavin can be reached at
