The Somerville Public Health and Safety Committee discussed the city's "welcoming community" policy and local supports for immigrants during a lengthy public agenda item, with city staff and neighborhood volunteers describing services, outreach and gaps.

Maria Teresa Nagel, Director of the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs, told the committee the city's policy rests on three tenets: treating immigration enforcement as a federal responsibility, ensuring equal access to city services regardless of origin or identity, and maintaining confidentiality "to the full extent allowable by law." She said Somerville police do not assist federal immigration enforcement and that the policy is intended to increase trust so residents report crimes and cooperate with public safety efforts. "Being undocumented does not give you a get out of jail free card. It is the opposite," Nagel said, describing how the city treats criminal matters the same regardless of immigration status.

Volunteers and nonprofit leaders described on-the-ground work. Paula Magnelli, a Ward 1 resident and volunteer with a local Latino family support group, said volunteers provide one-on-one assistance — helping families file complaints, enroll in youth programs and connect with school family liaisons — and that schools often serve as a gateway to city services for immigrant families. "Schools are a miracle of government," Magnelli said, describing outreach and referral work the group provides to parents.

Alex Pirie, coordinator of the Immigrant Service Providers Group and a member of the Immigrant Services Coalition, recounted Somerville's long history of immigration and recommended practical steps such as local protocols for responding if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears at a residence or workplace. He described his role as a local connector among nonprofit providers and urged better coordination for volunteers and pro bono legal resources.

City staff described programs already underway: 48 Know Your Rights workshops since December, distribution of more than 4,000 "red cards" (information cards in the city's top languages), multilingual family-preparedness clinics, and an annual city contract that funds full-case immigration legal representation for Somerville residents who meet income and risk criteria. Nagel said the city's legal-services contract provides end-to-end representation but is capacity-limited; the vendor handles roughly 27 new full cases per year under current resourcing and many cases last multiple years. She described efforts to expand clinic-style consultations and to recruit accredited representatives and pro bono attorneys to increase capacity.

Committee members and presenters urged ways residents can help: donate to local nonprofits, volunteer (especially bilingual volunteers), shop locally to support small businesses affected by fear in the community, and contact city staff about lending professional skills. Nagel encouraged attorneys interested in immigration work to contact the Office of Immigrant Affairs to explore accredited-representative training and pro bono opportunities.

The committee closed the item after members and presenters emphasized building trust, supporting existing community organizations such as the Welcome Project and Somerville Family & Learning Center (SFLC), and continuing multilingual outreach.

Ending: Committee Chair noted the discussion would be shared publicly and marked the item "work complete," encouraging councilors to spread information to neighborhood networks.