Elorza declares support for immigrant community

PROVIDENCE (AP) — The mayor of Providence has signed a proclamation declaring the city's "solidarity with the immigrant community."

Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza signed the proclamation in a ceremony on Tuesday with police and state and local officials in attendance.

Elorza says his proclamation was part of coordinated effort by 60 mayors in 31 states to take similar action on the same day to highlight their concerns about a stricter enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The proclamation comes after the federal government included Providence on a list released Monday that cited examples of immigrants who were said to have been released from custody by local jails despite requests from federal agents.

Elorza said federal immigration officials "cast a very broad net" in who they included on the list.