May 19, 2026

Items Recommended for Full Council

The committee kept both substantive items in committee but directed staff to prepare a clean, revised draft of the Welcoming Communities Ordinance amendments for the next full council meeting.

Welcoming Communities Ordinance Amendments – Kept in Committee, Revisions Directed

The committee held extensive discussion on amendments to Section 2-6 (lead sponsor: Councilor Ewen-Campen, with co-sponsors Link and Hardt, and the administration). Two key motions passed unanimously (4-0, with Councilor Mbah voting yes on both rolls):

• Remove "without limitation" language throughout the document for consistency with current drafting style guide (Councilor Davis's motion).

• Add "religious expression" to the enumerated list of First Amendment-protected activities in Section 13(b)(1), responding to Councilor Strezo's concern about ICE targeting houses of worship.

Rather than discharging with amendments, the chair directed the policy analyst and Law Department to produce a clean resubmission incorporating these and other discussed changes for the next full council meeting.

Items Kept in Committee

Rental Registry and Energy Disclosure Ordinance – Kept in Committee

Originally submitted by the previous administration just before leaving office, this item has been pending for approximately six months. Liaison Yasmine Raddassi stated the Wilson administration supports the policy but is not ready to discuss it until after the budget process, which will determine which department will own and enforce the registry.

Chair Scott expressed significant frustration, noting the rental registry concept dates back to the Curtatone administration. He signaled he will bring the item back in September if the administration is not ready, and may proceed by drafting broad enabling legislation regardless of executive readiness, citing past ordinances (vacant property, truck skirt, leaf blower) that the council passed but were never enforced.

Councilor Strezo moved to leave the item in committee until August. Councilors Ewen-Campen, Mbah, and Davis all voiced support for the chair's urgency.

Committee Discussion

Substance of Welcoming Communities Amendments

Attorney Gideon Epstein (ACLU of Massachusetts), sponsored by Councilor Ewen-Campen, highlighted the contract review provision (Section 13) requiring the city solicitor to review city contracts—including renewals—for civil rights compliance. He cited Flock Safety license-plate-reader contracts in roughly 80 Massachusetts municipalities that share data with ICE, noting Somerville is not part of that network and these amendments would codify that posture.

Councilor Ewen-Campen described two main substantive sections:

• New Section 3 prohibiting city resources from being used to facilitate federal or out-of-state operations targeting protected First Amendment or Massachusetts Declaration of Rights activity.

• Section 13 requiring city solicitor review of contracts and grants to prevent the city from being conscripted into constitutional violations.

Oversight and Enforcement

Councilor Mbah pressed on accountability mechanisms. Police Chief Shumeane Benford described:

• Deputy Chief Donovan as executive point of contact for compliance

• Captain De Oliveira leading operational coordination with the Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA)

• Annual in-service training revisiting the ordinance

• Daily training documents reinforcing expectations

SOIA Director Maria Teresa Nagel described "know your rights" trainings for both community and city staff, signage for businesses and private property owners about Fourth Amendment rights, and procedures placing the bulk of compliance responsibility on leadership rather than frontline staff—who are instructed to prioritize personal safety.

Councilor Mbah raised broader ideas including civilian oversight, mandatory ICE-interaction audits, and disciplinary consequences. Chair Scott was sympathetic but suggested these be addressed in a separate, larger civilian oversight effort rather than holding up these amendments.

Drafting Debates

Significant time was spent on drafting style, with Councilor Davis and analyst Brendan Salisbury debating the use of "without limitation" and a deleted severability clause. Solicitor Cindy Amara confirmed a global severability clause exists in Chapter 1 of the code, making case-specific ones redundant.

Houses of Worship

Councilor Strezo proposed adding "places of worship" to Section 13(b)(2). After discussion with Salisbury, Solicitor Amara, and Director Nagel, the committee agreed the broader First Amendment language in 13(b)(1) covers this, and instead added "religious expression" to the enumerated list.

"Except as required by federal law or court order"

Councilor Davis questioned why this exception was added to Sections e(3) and e(4) but not elsewhere, potentially creating ambiguity given existing Section I. Liaison Raddassi explained it was for public clarity. Councilor Davis will work with the policy analyst and Law Department offline to potentially consolidate this in Section I.

What's Next

• Welcoming Communities amendments: Clean revised draft to be submitted directly to the next full council meeting (the week of May 28). Councilor Davis and Councilor Ewen-Campen will coordinate with the Law Department and Brendan Salisbury (who will be out of office starting Friday) on remaining drafting questions.

• Rental Registry: Remains in committee. Administration will revisit after the budget reorganization clarifies departmental ownership. Chair Scott signaled he will reopen the conversation in September regardless.

• Civilian oversight expansion: Chair Scott and Councilor Mbah may pursue a separate, broader effort on oversight mechanisms in the future.

• Minutes of May 5 and April 28 meetings were approved.