Posted on 12/21/2025 2:20:10 PM PST by DFG
Mass migration has caused one city in Massachusetts to resemble a foreign nation, as even its own mayor seems unable to speak or understand a word of English.
As The Eagle-Tribune reported, Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena testified earlier this month during a hearing in support of former acting police chief William Castro’s appeal against revoked credentials from a 2024 traffic incident.
According to WCVB, Castro “engaged in a motor-vehicle pursuit in violation of the policies of the Lawrence Police Department.” Moreover, he was “untruthful” regarding the chase while he and his superiors failed to investigate the incident independently.
Video has now emerged showing that DePena demanded a translator during the hearing because his English is so pathetic. DePena’s native language is Spanish.
The judge denied DePena’s request to have his personal assistant act as his translator because he and others involved in the case were unable to speak Spanish. Too much could get lost in translation.
According to reports, an official interpreter was used instead.
Not surprisingly, Massachusetts does not have a law requiring mayors to speak fluent English.
DePena was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He immigrated to New York in the early 1980s to pursue his dreams.
He settled in Lawrence in 1989.
Lawrence is a city with approximately 89,000 residents. Over 80% are Hispanic.
The city is located approximately 30 miles north of Boston.
DePena has served as the mayor of Lawrence since 2021. He won re-election back in November.
Not surprisingly, Massachusetts does not have a law requiring mayors to speak fluent English.
He’s lived here 40 years and he can’t speak English? Throw the bum out. He ain’t ‘Merican.
This makes sense.
Lawrence has been a shithole town in MA since the textile industry left decades ago..
Lawrence, Massachusetts mayor. Not Massachusetts mayor. Massachusetts has no “mayor”.
> He’s lived here 40 years and he can’t speak English? <
In the old days, immigrants simply had to learn English to live and work in this country.
No longer. Now most everything is also printed in Spanish. And sometimes in other languages as well. So why bother to learn English?
It’s a stupid and dangerous policy that will lead to the Balkanization of the nation.
And he still can't speak English????
Check his immigration papers for fraud.
Remember two Michigan cities’ city hall offices have Arabic with small translations in English below.
And a stretch of Warren Avenue (between Chase and Schaefer Roads) in Dearborn had a ceremony renaming it with new street signs for Osama Siblani. An Arab journalist who advocated “organizing political engagement.”
Someday, various balkanized regions like the Somali and Arab and Haitian ones will have their own languages as primary for speeches and for signage like the stores and restaurants in Chinatowns around the country have Chinese letters.
A local Detroit sports show host said in the 1990s: “The new Detroit Tigers from several foreign countries can’t answer reporters’ questions because although our team’s owner gave them large multimillion dollar contracts, the players are too lazy to bother to learn English.”
It’s nothing more than a ploy to delay his hearing. I spent 25 years in uniform in NY State’s prison system. There were plenty of hispanics in the system 40+ years ago when I started the job. Hispanic inmates used to run that interpreter crap when they had to appear at a disciplinary hearing. Any hispanic, like this Mayor, that has been in this country for a while, had to learn some English in order to survive. How do you fill out forms/paperwork, sign documents printed in English, sign City Council directives, etc., if you can’t read or write English. This guy is talking out of his ass.
Anyone holding public office must be able to speak English.
He can speak, and likely read and write English. He’s just playing the system to delay his trial. Find people he’s worked with, and get them to testify, under oath in court that he can speak, read and write English, and that will end his bullshit interpreter request.
Probably 30 years ago I met a guy who was an EMT in NY.
He said they’d be at some call and all the Hispanics were telling what happened in English. Soon as the police showed up, it was get the interpreter time cause *No hablo Ingles*.
Total scam.
1964 I moved to Chicago. The 82 year old grandmother of the anti-block (swamp) Republican committeeman was born and raised in Chicago and spoke under 10 words of English. Her k-12 school was entirely in Polish. My Slovak landlady, born in Chicago spoke under 100 words of English. From 1830 to 1900 my ancestors in PA, ND, MT spoke German, German only church.
We are a nation of immigrants.
NO person should be allowed to immigrant into the US without knowing English, and damned sure no on government should be employed without full knowledge of English. How can they possibly enforce and obey our laws if they can’t even read them???
Furthermore, Massachusetts has no city named City.
My grandson’s little league team played in a single eliminaiton tourament against Lawrence, in Lawrence. They took a large lead early in the game, and began acting cocky, and showing off in the middle innings. But our guys came through, and prevailed in the end. I was a little nervous about how our very white upper middle class towns-men and -women (me included) and players would be treated after the game. But to a person, Lawrence’s players, coaches, and family were gracious and exhibited fine sportmanship late.
The win moved us to the final against Sudbury, a very upper income team, who trounced us thoroughly, though they seemed to be using ineligible players. The players, coaches, and families struck me as jerks. The Lawrence parents were better people. Strange how that works.
I believe that is well beyond the scope of presidential powers. If a city want to vote in a mayor who does not speak English that is on them not the president.
I just want to reiterate that our Constitution, rights, and laws can be voted away.
May take a few more generations but when people come to America and feel America bites, they will turn this country into the beloved country try they said they had to leave if they wanted to live.
A foreigner elected by a largely foreign electorate...
I’d bet he campaigned for office speaking spanish gobbledygook...
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