While ICE agents were kicking in doors and dragging families out of their homes in Los Angeles last week, our own Congressman Richie Neal was in D.C. signing a thank-you card.
No, really. That’s not a metaphor.
Let me say that again, in case it didn’t land the first time: as ICE raids escalated into a full-blown siege on American soil, Richie Neal voted yes on a resolution that praised ICE for “protecting the homeland.”
The resolution—H. Res 488—was cleverly disguised. Tied to the condemnation of an antisemitic attack in Boulder, it included a line giving “gratitude” to ICE, folded in among more palatable language. A political bait-and-switch, served up with a side of moral cowardice.
And Neal swallowed it whole.
He wasn’t alone—seventy-five Democrats (five from Massachusetts) joined the Republicans to pass it. But here’s the thing: most of them at least had the decency to face the backlash. Seth Moulton gave a statement. Bill Keating’s office responded. Even those who stumbled owned up to the fact that they were walking into a trap.
Neal? Not a peep.
No press release. No apology. No explanation. Just silence. And that silence speaks volumes.
Because here in Berkshire County, we’re not removed from the reality of ICE. We’ve seen what “collateral arrests” look like. We’ve seen families torn apart, children left wondering if their parents will come home. We’ve seen ICE agents show up in plainclothes, no ID, no warning, no mercy—and still, our congressman decided to give them a thank-you note. In Neal’s own damn district.
It’s hard to know what’s worse: the vote itself, or Neal’s apparent belief that no one back home would notice. Maybe he thought we’d be too busy. Too distracted. Too worn down by daily survival to track how he votes in Washington.
But let me be very clear: we are paying attention.
We saw this vote. We saw who he stood with. And we see who he stood against: immigrants, progressives, labor organizers, and every person in Western Mass who knows what it means to live under the shadow of unchecked power.
There was a second resolution, passed minutes later, that condemned the Boulder attack without praising ICE. Neal could’ve voted for that one. He chose not to. That wasn’t an oversight. That was a decision.
This district deserves better. We deserve representation that understands the stakes—not just politically, but morally. We deserve someone who knows that safety doesn’t come from secret raids and masked agents. It comes from trust. From community. From justice.
Congressman Neal may think that he can hide from his constituents in his office. That this will all just blow over. But we just saw one more piece of evidence that our congressman lacks either a spine or a soul. Or both.
And we’ll remember.
