ACLU of Massachusetts Celebrates Somerville’s Commitment to Protect Civil Liberties for All Residents

The Somerville City Council on Thursday updated its Welcoming Community Ordinance with important new provisions to protect residents’ free speech rights and further restrict local collaboration with federal immigration enforcement.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts has been working with Somerville and other communities across the Commonwealth to enact policies that serve as firewalls for freedom. The updates to Somerville’s ordinance serve as a model for local action.

“In an era of dangerous federal overreach, Somerville is using every lever it has to help protect all its residents,” said Gideon Epstein, policy counsel at the ACLU of Massachusetts. “These are some of the most consequential actions we’ve seen at the local level in Massachusetts to safeguard civil liberties for everyone. We applaud the city’s actions, we thank City Councilor Ewen-Campen for his leadership, and we encourage other municipalities to follow suit.”

The updated ordinance bars local officials from cooperating with federal operations that target people for activity protected by the First Amendment, including peaceful protests. It prohibits city employees from assisting federal agencies in civil immigration enforcement, except where required by law. And it requires a legal review of all new and renewed city contracts to ensure that Somerville does not enter into surveillance or data-sharing agreements intended to invade residents’ privacy, chill their speech, or put immigrants at risk of targeted civil enforcement.

"Somerville residents deserve to know that their local government will never partner with the unconstitutional overreaches of this administration. This updated ordinance makes crystal clear that Somerville will not be a part of the federal government's unlawful efforts to intimidate and surveil our communities,” said Ben Ewen-Campen, Somervile city councilor representing Ward 3.