Massachusetts Senate president invites Trump to the Bay State to see how 'we do it right'

Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald on May 11, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

In the spirit of seeing is believing, a leading Bay State lawmaker is offering an open invitation to the president to stop by Massachusetts and personally witness the apparently positive impact of the policies he frequently derides.

Senate President Karen Spilka said that President Donald Trump is welcome make the trip up to the commonwealth from D.C. and “see how we are thriving.”

“He should come to Massachusetts, and I invite him to come because we do it right here,” she said Sunday during an interview with WCVB.

Trump’s second term policies seem to often result in the opposite of their stated intention, according to the Ashland Democrat, and attempts to “Make America Great Again” through stricter immigration enforcement, steep tariffs, cuts to government funds for research, attacks on universities, and opposition to diversity-adjacent policies, simply haven’t had the claimed result, she said.

“We celebrate our education, our research, our universities, our diversity. We do it right here, and it would be great for him to see,” she said.

Spilka’s comments came in response to a request for response on the chaotic arrest of a woman in Worcester last week, which sparked anger in the community and resulted in the arrest of two others, including the woman’s minor child.

The Department of Homeland Security described the apprehended woman, who they identified as Ferreira de Oliviera, as a “violent criminal illegal alien” and said she was previously arrested on charges that include assault and battery on a pregnant victim. DHS did not provide any evidence to support that assertion, such as a charging document, arrest record, or police affidavit.

“The previous administration’s open border policies allowed this criminal to illegally enter our country in August of 2022,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in statement shared with the Herald on Saturday. “Thanks to President Trump and Secretary (Kristi) Noem this criminal is off our streets.”

According to the Spilka, the community outcry against the arrest shows that Trump’s immigration policies are “dangerous”

“He talks about public safety, and once again it’s like everything else — he wants to Make America Great, supposedly, and what he is doing is the exact opposite of that,” she said.

The long-serving state senator, who is of Jewish faith, went so far as to compare the administration’s immigration policies to the crimes seen in 1930s under fascist and authoritarian European regimes.

“This is very frightening. This is outrageous. This is almost bringing us back to 1930s in Europe, where people were snatched off the streets without any due process, without any rule of law,” she said.

Spilka said that the state would be happy to comply — would even assist — with the Trump Administration’s law enforcement efforts, if they would just demonstrate that they have a reason to suspect a person has violated a law.

“If there is a criminal warrant out for these folks, then show the criminal warrant. Tell us what’s going on,” she said.

________