FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2025

Contact: Communications@RI.GOP

Statement from RI GOP Chairman Joe Powers: Gov. McKee Chooses Politics Over the Constitution

“Once again, Governor Dan McKee has shown Rhode Islanders exactly why his approval rating is lower than Hunter Biden’s dating standards. Faced with a clear and direct letter from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Governor’s response is not only beneath the dignity of his office, it’s beneath the trust of every Rhode Islander.

When he swore his oath, he promised to defend the Constitution, not selectively, not occasionally, but always. If he is willing to look the other way on something as fundamental as public safety and federal law, then it begs the question: what else is he lying to us about? Our crumbling infrastructure? Our bloated $14 billion budget? The safety of our families?

Him ignoring federal law is exactly how we end up with Assistant Attorneys General who feel emboldened with a sense of entitlement, acting as if they’re above the law instead of enforcing it. That’s not leadership, that’s arrogance.

To be clear, Rhode Island’s local governing body should be willing to work with our federal government to ensure the safety of all Rhode Islanders. It’s time to stop playing politics for personal gain and start putting our citizens first. If Governor McKee refuses to comply with federal law, then the DOJ should take whatever means necessary to enforce it, because the safety of Rhode Islanders and all Americans must come before politics.

President Reagan reminded us that a nation without borders is not a nation at all. Rhode Island’s sanctuary status is a reckless and dangerous policy that puts politics over people. Our citizens deserve a Governor who tells the truth, stands up for law and order, and puts Rhode Island first, not one who ducks, dodges, and deflects while our state slips further into chaos.”