2026 -- S 3205

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LC004898

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

COMMENDING THE VALIANT INTERVENTION EFFORTS OF SUPERIOR COURT

JUDGE JOSEPH J. MCBURNEY AND HEAD OF SECURITY, DANA SMITH ON BEHALF

OF HIS COURT INTERN WHO WAS WRONGFULLY IDENTIFIED AND TARGETED BY

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE) AGENTS

     Introduced By: Senators Lawson, LaMountain, Ciccone, Tikoian, Gallo, Ujifusa,
Vargas, Acosta, McKenney, and Gu

     Date Introduced: April 07, 2026

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, A judge's sworn duty is to faithfully and independently uphold the

Constitution and laws of the jurisdiction, ensuring fairness and integrity, a responsibility that

Superior Court Judge Joseph J. McBurney unequivocally upheld on November 20th of 2025,

when ICE agents unjustly attempted to detain a high school student who was interning for the

Judge; and

     WHEREAS, The incident began when ICE agents took photos of the Judge's intern inside

the Licht Judicial Complex, in conflict with standard courthouse rules, and understandably

alarming the young intern; and

     WHEREAS, Judge McBurney offered to drive the intern home, but as they attempted to

leave, ICE agents surrounded the Judge's car, demanding everyone to exit the vehicle, and

threatening to smash the windows to detain the intern; and

     WHEREAS, While numerous horrified onlookers watched the tense scene unfolding, ICE

agents were confronted by Head of Security Operations for the R.I. Superior Court, Dana Smith

who told both the judge and the intern to stay safely inside the car; and

     WHEREAS, Eventually, the ICE agents checked the high school intern's ID and

confirmed that they had misidentified him; and

     WHEREAS, Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell stated, "This egregious incident

underscores both the community's and the Judiciary's concerns about how ICE is conducting its

operations in Rhode Island"; and

     WHEREAS, All Rhode Islanders and the citizens of the United States deserve and have

the fundamental and legal right to safety, transparency, and due process, and not the traumatizing

chaos and fear escalating in communities across our country; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby commends Superior

Court Judge Joseph McBurney on his valiant intervention efforts on behalf of his wrongfully

identified and targeted high school intern by ICE agents; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Joseph J. McBurney and Dana

Smith.

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LC004898

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