Mayor’s Statement on Preliminary Injunction Decision in Chelsea–Somerville Lawsuit

In our federal lawsuit with Chelsea to protect our rights as a Welcoming City, we learned yesterday that the Court denied our motion for a preliminary injunction, finding that the threatened withdrawal of federal funding is not imminent enough at this time to warrant preliminary relief. 

Although we believe that the harm is in fact imminent, we are heartened by the Court’s recognition that this is only a preliminary ruling and that we can return to Court to seek “a prompt injunction” if and when funding withdrawal actually occurs.  We will proceed accordingly as we move forward with this lawsuit.

I remain determined to advocate for the constitutional rights and safety of my community.

―Mayor Katjana Ballantyne