This open records lawsuit seeks a court order waiving the significant fees the RI Department of Corrections and the RI State Police want to charge the Olneyville Neighborhood Association before turning over records relating to the state's cooperation with federal immingration officials. ONA filed open records requests with these agencies seeking information regarding enforcement of so-called Immigration and Customs Enforcement "holds" that facilitate the transfer of detainees from law enforcement to ICE custody in order to compile a report to be shared with the public. The Department of Corrections sought an estimated $593 for retrieving and copying the records, and the State Police demanded a pre-payment of $1,500 before searching for the documents.
The open records law authorizes courts to waive fees when the information requested "is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government," and this suit argues that ONA's request meets that standard.
