A Moment That Calls for Reflection and Responsibility

JANUARY 21, 2026

Senator Driscoll offers his thoughts and reactions to recent tactics employed by the Federal government:

Photo Credit: Mark Garfinkel, markgarfinkel.com 

Over the past week+, I’ve been reflecting on the many conversations I had with constituents during local office and coffee hours, as well as at MLK Holiday events across the district.

Some shared their perspectives quietly, one-on-one; others spoke openly in larger group discussions among friends and neighbors. Across those settings, a consistent theme emerged: deep concern, dismay, and fear about what has been occurring with immigration enforcement; and what may lie ahead with ICE operations and other federal activities that many people say they have never seen before in this country, new and growing threats to our liberty, dignity, and democracy.

These concerns were voiced especially by seniors and older adults. More than once, I heard thoughtful, serious reflections comparing the current moment to 1930s Germany, alongside a question that was asked with genuine disbelief: How can this be happening in the United States of America?

What struck me most was the sincerity behind these conversations, with a mix of care for others, fear for loved ones and neighbors, and real uncertainty about what is unfolding both in other states, like Minnesota, and here at home in Massachusetts.

I shared with constituents how I have been speaking out against the cancellation of US citizenship ceremonies; ceremonies for people, that everyone agrees should be welcomed, included, and afforded the full rights of the naturalized citizenship they have earned. This is a story that has largely gone unnoticed, but it matters deeply. People that “did it the right way” and followed the rules are being disrespected and turned back. 

You can read more about my response to the inexcusable Federal actions taken during the cancellation of those citizenship ceremonies here.

I also discussed work we’ve done in the Senate to uphold constitutional protections. In November 2025, the Senate unanimously passed S.2708: An Act Clarifying the Duties of the Adjutant General. This legislation ensures a clear chain of command within the Massachusetts National Guard and requires training so Guard members can identify whether orders violate constitutional or statutory rights. 

As I listened this week, I kept returning to a reflection I wrote one year after the January 6th insurrection in Washington, D.C. : “The lanterns are glowing again. The lanterns in the steeple at the Old North Church in Boston are lit today.”

That statement feels newly relevant today and can be found here.

As we ruminate upon this year's observance of MLK Day, many people are asking, sometimes rhetorically and sometimes earnestly, what would Rev. Dr. King say about this moment? That question is more than an academic exercise. I hope it leads us toward answers that are more shared than divided, and to Dr. King’s enduring legacy of justice, leadership, and moral courage.

Ultimately, it is on all of us to shape our Commonwealth – and our country –  into what we want to leave to our children and grandchildren. What we are watching play out with ICE and federal enforcement is not the future many people envisioned nor want for their families, their neighbors, or their communities. What is happening in this moment will be judged not only by today’s headlines, but by future generations asking why more people did not speak up.

The responsibility to choose a better path belongs to all of us. The lanterns are glowing again. We must not look away nor be silent.

William J. Driscoll Jr.

State Senator, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol District

Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Public Health

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