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North Smithfield council and police address municipal immigrant protection ordinance amid public concern
Summary
Council discussion and public comments on a proposed municipal immigrant protection ordinance drew criticism and reassurance from police; no formal vote is recorded in the provided transcript.
At the Feb. 3 North Smithfield Town Council meeting, council members heard several residents and the town police chief discuss a proposed municipal immigrant protection ordinance for Rhode Island cities and towns, with chief of police Tim Lafferty urging calm and residents calling for more deliberation.
The matter was introduced on the agenda as “new business” and prompted several public comments and remarks from Chief Tim Lafferty. “It’s not as bad as what people think,” Lafferty said, adding that social media and hearsay had amplified concerns. He identified himself as the town’s police chief and said he has served in law enforcement for 27 years, including five years as chief.
The discussion drew sharply different public reactions. Richard Grubb, a resident who asked to read a prepared statement, said the council should “step back before adopting this ordinance,” and questioned whether the measure had been fully vetted by the town solicitor. Grubb also said news coverage suggested an ACLU letter reached the council shortly before the item appeared on the agenda.
Another resident, Jay Keith, used the terms “sedition” and “treason” to criticize the council’s consideration of the ordinance, saying, “my town council is engaging in sedition at the behest of Dan McKee,” and asked the council to justify the proposal.
A council member (not identified by name in the provided record) interrupted Lafferty to say they had no intention of adopting the ordinance and described the topic as highly discussed in other municipalities. The transcript shows only discussion and public comment; no formal motion or vote on the ordinance appears in the supplied excerpt.
Why it matters: municipal immigrant-protection ordinances shape local interactions between municipal agencies, including police, and federal immigration enforcement. Residents expressed concern about process and timing; the police chief sought to reassure the public about current practices and to reduce anxiety.
What happened next: The transcript stops after further remarks by Chief Lafferty, and does not record a council vote or formal action on the ordinance in the provided segment. The council did open the subject for discussion during new business and public comment, and several residents said they wanted more time to review the proposed 11-page ordinance before any formal action.
Public comment and official remarks on this topic were limited to the meeting’s new-business discussion and public-comment period in the transcript excerpt provided; no ordinance adoption, referral, or directive to staff is recorded here.
