Special to the Record
Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez and Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne at a press conference following a hearing in federal court last week.
The cities of Chelsea and Somerville had their first hearing in federal court last Thursday, July 17, on the filing of a preliminary injunction asking a federal court to block the Trump Administration’s attempts to strip them of federal funding because they refuse to participate in the administration’s mass deportation immigration efforts.
Represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, the two sanctuary cities filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on June 3 closely following a formal notice issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), designating both cities as jurisdictions that must change their policies immediately or face consequences.
“The President cannot use federal funding as a weapon to force local governments to undermine public safety and participate in his mass deportation efforts,” said Oren Sellstrom, Litigation Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights. “By today’s preliminary injunction motion, we seek to protect sanctuary and welcoming cities, so they can continue to make public safety decisions that are in the best interests of their residents.”
The cities filed their lawsuit with the pro bono support of Lawyers for Civil Rights in February 2025, claiming that the Trump administration’s heavy-handed tactics—threatening to “de-fund” and prosecute them for failing to bend to the President’s will—violate their Constitutional rights.
The June 3 motion asks the court to enjoin any such attempts while the lawsuit proceeds.
“Through this injunction, we’re asking the court to stop unlawful threats before they do more harm, and not just to our city budgets, but to the lives of the people who call Chelsea home,” said Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez. “This hearing is a potential turning point in our fight to protect the values and safety of our community.”
Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne said last week’s hearing was an important step in the process and that she will continue to stand up for the rights and safety of the community.
“When critical funding is at risk by unlawful means, it’s not just about dollars — it’s about the services, support, and the future our residents deserve – as well as the fundamental, constitutional rights of all,” Ballantyne said.
Somerville and Chelsea have been identified as welcoming/sanctuary cities since 1987 and 2007, respectively, with city officials stating that they recognize that victims and witnesses are less likely to report crimes if they know that local police are working in concert with federal immigration authorities. By avoiding that entanglement, they stated that sanctuary cities improve public safety and quality of life not just for immigrant residents, but for all residents and community members.
Since his inauguration, President Trump has issued a series of Executive Orders threatening to cut off federal funds to sanctuary cities; the U.S. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has warned of criminal and civil prosecutions against them while purporting to freeze all DOJ funding; and the Department of Transportation (DOT) has said it will de-prioritize transportation funding to sanctuary cities, among other actions taken by the Administration.
Most recently, on May 29, DHS published a list of jurisdictions, including Chelsea and Somerville, that it claims “obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws” and warned that they must “immediately review and revise their policies” or face consequences.
Somerville received approximately $19.4 million in federal funds to support a variety of community and public safety services in fiscal year 2024, including roadway safety initiatives, homelessness prevention services, and efforts to address and reduce youth tobacco usage and alcohol consumption. During that same fiscal year, Chelsea received approximately $14.5 million in federal funding, including for education and a downtown reconstruction project.