Rhode Islanders should take legislation like this much more seriously than they do, because it exposes how little Democrat legislators respect our rights, understand the workings of those rights, and/or are willing to place our rights above their political ideology and interest groups:

State Rep. Karen Alzate isn’t waiting for federal immigration raids in Rhode Island to try to protect unauthorized immigrants living here.

In response to President Donald Trump’s call for mass deportations, Alzate has proposed legislation, H5225, that would create “protected spaces” in Rhode Island where immigration enforcement and border patrol agents couldn’t enter without a warrant signed by a judge.

The bill specifically states that “schools, places of worship, health facilities and public libraries shall not grant access to their premises, for any federal immigration authority to investigate, detain, apprehend, or arrest any individuals for potential violations of federal immigration laws,” absent a warrant.  That is, Alzate would be forbidding such organizations from cooperating with ICE even if they want to.  She is conscripting the properties of these organizations to further her political ideology.

Maybe she assumes all such groups share her extreme views and doesn’t intend to force anybody to do anything, but either way she’s made herself an example of a type of politician who should under no circumstances be trusted with elective office.