WARWICK, RI – The Republican Party of Rhode Island is demanding the immediate censure of State Representative Enrique Sanchez following his repeated public calls for violence against federal immigration officers—and now, his own admission to actively stalking them in Providence.
After tweeting “ICE should be punched in the face,” Rep. Sanchez doubled down with a disturbing follow-up by posting a video of him stalking ICE in Providence in the Mt Pleasant and Valley Street neighborhoods.
“Let that sink in: A sitting Rhode Island lawmaker isn’t just inciting violence, he’s openly tracking federal agents as they perform their sworn duties”, said RIGOP Chairman Joe Powers, “This is not civil discourse. It’s intimidation and harassment by an elected official who has already shown a personal disregard for the law, including a prior DUI arrest.”
“This has moved beyond a political outburst, this is dangerous, calculated behavior from an elected official,” Powers continued, “He’s not calling for peaceful protest or legal reform. He’s stalking law enforcement and egging on violence. Frankly, someone with his track record with law enforcement should steer clear, not antagonize the very people keeping our communities safe.”
The silence from Democratic leadership is damning. When one of their own encourages violence against federal officers and boasts about tailing them through our streets, and leadership says nothing, it’s no longer just his shame—it’s theirs too.
We call on Speaker Joe Shekarchi and Democrat leaders to unequivocally condemn Rep. Sanchez’s behavior and move to censure him immediately.
Rhode Island deserves leadership, not lawlessness.
