Amid surge in immigration arrests, RI federal judge OKs out-of-state lawyers to represent detainees

By: Christopher Shea

Outlets: Rhode Island Current

Published: April 15, 2026

Words: 860

Last Updated: 2 months, 2 weeks ago

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Rhode Island’s federal court is now allowing out-of-state attorneys to represent immigration detainees pro bono without joining the court’s bar for the next year in response to a surge in habeas corpus petitions against the Trump administration.

The general order issued Monday by Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. follows a March 30 petition by three attorney groups asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to temporarily suspend its …

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