The arrival of the Trump Administration 2.0 on January 20 has brought a sweeping wave of actions, most of which seem to have been designed to sow chaos and fear. From threatening federal employees to ICE raids to the unlawful freezing of federal grants, it's clear Trump's feigned ignorance of Project 2025 as a candidate last year was every bit the bad con job it appeared at the time. The new regime in Washington hit the ground running with a game plan, and unfortunately we can't count on their cartoonish ineptitude this time around to blunt the impact of their ghoulish agenda.

Here in Somerville, Trump's second term has brought a great deal of anxiety about the threat to our community posed by his administration's radical anti-immigrant policies. When ICE raids were reported in neighboring communities on January 21, fear swept through social media and in our city's schools, churches, and gathering places. And that is one of the goals of these actions, to terrorize communities like ours with these threats.

I've heard from friends and neighbors concerned for themselves and their family members and social networks. I've also had allies get in touch looking for reassurance that we're not getting caught by surprise with all of this.

The good news is we've had over two months as a city to prepare for this inevitability. From the symbolic to concrete programs, we've put that time to good use.

The City Council jumped right in, reaffirming our commitment as a sanctuary city on November 14, our first regular meeting after the election. Councilors spoke on the resolution and City staff were on hand to talk about the seriousness of the situation. We felt it was important to stand with our most vulnerable community members in a time of need and in the face of threats from the incoming federal administration.

City staff have been busy working with community groups to help make sure residents know their rights with informational packets in multiple languages and are prepared should federal agents show up at their residence or their place of work. And I can't believe I even have to say this, but schools, hospitals, and houses of worship have had formulated plans and trained staff on legalities and protocols in the event federal agents show up.

In terms of what can be done here locally, the City of Somerville has been out in front for years on the law enforcement side with our Welcoming Community Ordinance. And more recently we have taken similar action to ensure Somerville Police don't cooperate with outside requests for information related to reproductive health or gender-affirming care.

One area we might still have some work to do is around ensuring legal sevices for those facing immigration legal battles. In recent years the City has increased funding for legal services for residents, and I support doing so again if necessary.

The biggest thing we can all do right now is be there for each other. When we allow the new regime to whip up fear in our community, we are playing right into their hands. Their goal is to incite terror and cause chaos, so we should be channeling our anxiety into vigilance while trying to stay as calm as possible.

I have faith in Somervillains to come together and have each others' backs in times of need, and that's why I'm so thankful to live here among you all right now.