I want to take a brief moment away from my hyper-local updates to express my solidarity with the people in Los Angeles who are standing up to the violence and fear that ICE has inflicted, not just in their city, but in communities across the country, including right here in Somerville.

Like many of you, I’m deeply concerned by the federal government’s response to these protests. The aggressive tactics being used, military-style crackdowns, indiscriminate use of tear gas, rubber bullets fired at close proximity (including at people’s faces), are the tools of an authoritarian state, not a democracy. It’s painful to watch, and even more painful to know that our courts, too often, have failed to provide meaningful limits on an out-of-control executive branch.

From afar, it’s difficult to know exactly what’s happening on the ground in LA. Conflicting reports, recycled images and videos from past events, and the media’s long history of mischaracterizing protest movements—think of how the news depicted the Civil Rights Movement (see cartoon below)—make it hard to trust the full picture. But one thing is clear: this federal government has escalated tensions through a campaign of fear and brutality, particularly targeting immigrant communities.

ICE has no place in Somerville. They have no place anywhere. Their raids of homes, workplaces, schools, or places of worship, are not only illegal and unconstitutional, they are morally indefensible. Repugnant to the very idea of a fair and free country. We should not tolerate masked agents terrorizing our documented and undocumented neighbors.

I stand firmly with those resisting this cruelty and injustice. Somerville must remain a sanctuary for all, and I will do everything in my power to ensure our community continues to lead with compassion, not fear.

What changes can would you like to see in Somerville to make it safer for everyone in our community? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas as we work together to make Somerville safer and more welcoming for everyone.

If you'd like to support my campaign, you can donate, volunteer, or simply share this post with neighbors who care about all of our neighbors.