Boston Mayor Wu: Not intending to ‘roll out the welcome mat’ for President Trump’s mass deportations | Bay State briefing

Good morning everyone.

As if needed, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu provided further confirmation last week that she has no intention of “rolling out the welcome mat” if the incoming Trump administration comes to town and tries to deport people. did.

The Democratic mayor’s comments come as Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for border czar, dismissed Wu, a two-time Harvard graduate, for his defiant public stance as “not very smart.” The announcement was made after many people questioned why civil servants were being substituted. How to get criminals out of town.

“They can’t work together,” Homan told cable news channel Newsmax last week, according to the Boston Herald. “But there are certain laws in place that they shouldn’t cross, so I hope she doesn’t cross them.”

Mr. Wu fired back in a statement, claiming that Mr. Trump and his aides “can say whatever they want about me, but our public safety record speaks for itself. Boston is the safest big city in America.” did.

The mayor’s harsh comments represent the latest escalation in tensions between the Bay State’s top Democrats and the incoming Republican White House, which is solidifying plans to deploy the U.S. military to deport millions of people in the country illegally. are.

If President Trump carries out these plans, tens of thousands of people could be deported from Massachusetts as well. But the initiative is expected to face fierce legal challenges.

Democratic Gov. Maura Healey has already said state police will not work to support the new administration.

Read more: Huge climate change bill heads to Massachusetts Governor Healey’s desk. What’s next? |Baystate information session

he said in an interview with MSNBC earlier this month. “Every tool in our toolbox must be used to protect our people, to protect our residents, to protect our state, and to ensure that we protect our democracy and the rule of law,” Healey said. .

Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Carnevale last week blasted Healey and Wu in a statement, saying the two extremes are “prioritizing the appeasement of the most extreme elements of their political base over the safety of Massachusetts residents.” I am appalled and disgusted.”

Carnevale’s statement comes after news that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Boston arrested two illegal immigrants on child rape charges and detained another person who was convicted of the same charges in Brazil. Ta.

“Parents across the Commonwealth are disappointed that people accused of such serious crimes are allowed to roam free because local authorities refuse to work with ICE to remove these criminals from our streets. I feel scared,” Carnevale continued.

X boss Elon Musk weighed in as well, attacking the state’s policies and Boston’s decade-long status as a sanctuary city.

“Why are ‘sanctuary’ cities sheltering child rapists? It’s unconscionable. Politicians who do such things should be recalled immediately,” said Trump’s close ally. the billionaire posted on the social media site, WBUR reported.

In the same statement, Wu defended the city’s approach.

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“Boston has the lowest murder rate of any city in the nation, and gun violence here in Boston has been at an all-time low for the past two years,” Wu said, according to Boston’s WCVB-TV.

“This is no coincidence. It is a reflection of the trust between residents and public safety officials and the result of our daily focus on community policing and coordination of city services. We continue to do that work. We’re going to focus on that and we’re not going to roll out the welcome mat for them,” she continued.

At least one Bay State Democrat acknowledged that his party’s immigration policies are a political liability.

Speaking to business leaders in Boston last week, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-8th District) said Democratic policies are “terrifying people.”

“Our job is to understand who is coming into this country, and to follow an orderly process that doesn’t scare the people of Arizona and New Mexico,” Lynch said.

Can you hear me now?

There’s no question that Election Day went very well for Massachusetts Democrats. Vice President Kamala Harris ran the state deftly. Sen. Elizabeth Warren successfully won reelection and her party maintained a supermajority on Beacon Hill.

Nevertheless, Bay State Democrats have engaged in the same kind of collective introspection that has become a cottage industry of sorts since Nov. 5.

Last week, party officials announced a “virtual listening tour” to analyze what went well and what went wrong in 2024. Gather feedback on areas for improvement and “foster a collaborative environment where all voices are heard.

“Your voice matters and this is an opportunity to help us build on our successes and strengthen our movement for the future. I can guarantee you that we will continue to represent and defend our values,” state Democratic Party Chairman Steve Kerrigan said in a statement.

Details of the session, which will be held on Zoom, will be announced soon, the party said.

The plural of caucus is…

Fourth District Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss has teamed up with several House colleagues to launch the Pro-Housing Caucus on Capitol Hill. This group is called the “YIMBY Caucus.” or “Yes, in my backyard.”

Other members of the bipartisan group include U.S. Rep. Juan Siscomani (R-Ariz.); Scott Peters and Robert Garcia, both California Democrats. Brittany Pettersen, Colorado. Chuck Edwards, RN.C., and Mark Molinaro, RN.Y., of Auchincloss, said in a statement announcing the establishment.

“Housing costs are the biggest economic challenge facing Massachusetts, and the answer is to build more housing,” said Rep. Newton. “At all levels of government, the American people need permitting and land-use reforms that enable the production of more housing.”

Zuzuzuzu…

If you’re having trouble sleeping on election night, don’t worry. you are never alone.

Nearly 93% of Americans said the quadrennial political drama forced them to take some time off this year, according to a post-election survey by Sleep Cycle.

The website analyzed over 593,000 sleep sessions to arrive at its results. And if it’s any relief, the analysis found that Americans slept better in 2024 than they did during the 2020 election.

In Massachusetts, 73% of residents reported getting some sleep on November 5th. According to the analysis, most people went to bed around 11:35 p.m.

Wyoming voters had the best night’s sleep on Election Day, while Mississippi voters had the toughest night, the analysis found.

they said so

“They continue to deliver on the schedule that we set, and the quality hasn’t changed. In fact, the quality has improved… All the learning curves have been factored in and now Red Line vehicles are performing right away.”

—MBTA General Manager Philip Eng spoke about the improved quality of T’s newly delivered Red Line and Orange Line vehicles after the agency “reset” its contract with Chinese manufacturer CRRC ( (via State House News Service).

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went up to 11

Because you need to start your work week with Carly Rae Jepsen. Here she is performing live with Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers, a live version of “Tiny Moves” recorded at Seattle’s Fisher Green Pavilion in July.

monday long reading

President-elect Donald Trump is welcoming allies and supporters from the two states he calls home, New York and Florida, into his next administration. On Friday, Republicans nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as their candidate for U.S. attorney general.

Michael Warren, writing for The Dispatch, delves into the Sunshine State’s move to garner national attention.

Here’s the germane part:

“No one represents this takeover of Florida more than Susie Wiles, co-chair of Trump’s 2024 campaign and White House chief of staff. And Wiles (along with Chris LaCivita) is not only the architect of Trump’s victory this year. No,” Warren wrote. “She is a powerhouse in Florida Republican politics, credited with both Rick Scott’s surprise victory in the 2010 gubernatorial race and Ron DeSantis’ victory in the 2018 gubernatorial race. Wiles led the Trump campaign’s Florida operations in 2016, returning the state to the Republican column for the first time since 2004. In the eight years since then, Florida has moved further and further into the Republican column. It just tilted.”

That’s all for this morning. Tips, comments, and suggestions can be sent to jmicek@masslive.com. I hope everyone is having a great week.