THIS YEAR’S THEME for the National Civic League’s “All-America” city awards was “America at 250 – Strengthening Civic Health and Building Trust.”

That apparently gave Chelsea a winning edge, as the immigrant-rich city of 40,000 was one of 10 US cities selected for the award, announced two weeks ago. It was the second year in a row the city won the title.

Nearly half of Chelsea’s predominantly Latino population was born outside of the United States — the largest foreign-born population of any community in Massachusetts. The city’s award application highlighted its community-centered policing, food distribution system, and youth development initiatives – all efforts that have helped strengthen residents’ trust in local government amid a federal immigration crackdown that has had Chelsea in its crosshairs, according to city officials.

Tying that kind of trust-building among immigrants in government to the country’s semiquincentennial celebration is not quite the picture of America at 250 projected by President Trump, who has a long track record of disparaging immigrants, and injected a strong nativist edge to the anniversary observance.

“There is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success,” Trump said during a July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore.

Chelsea – a sanctuary city and a first home for many immigrants in the Greater Boston area – has long been at odds with the Trump administration and its policies.

Shortly after his inauguration in 2025, Trump issued executive orders threatening to cut off federal funds to sanctuary cities. Chelsea then sued the administration in February 2025 in an effort to avoid aiding federal immigration authorities in arrests and deportations. A month later, the city was the focus of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid.

“Chelsea is the ultimate underdog. We’re always fighting forces that are bigger than us, and last year was a very hard year,” City Manager Fidel Maltez said. “When immigration enforcement is so visible in the community, we have to reassure residents that they can trust our police department, and they can trust our government.”

When he was appointed in 2023, Maltez, who immigrated to the US from Nicaragua when he was seven years old, became Chelsea’s first Latino city manager.

“We are America,” Maltez said. “I hear and feel the most patriotism from our immigrant communities. We are excited to be a part of this country, we are excited to work on it each and every day, and we know that nothing is owed to us.”

This year, the All-America designation – rarely bestowed upon a community two years in a row – honored cities that “bring the ideal of a government of, by, and for the people to life,” according to the civic league.

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and during federal immigration enforcement actions in 2025, the Chelsea Police Department, in an effort to increase trust, coordinated a downtown task force and facilitated ongoing “Faith & Blue” events that connect officers with residents through faith-based gatherings.

The department also strengthened its Community Services Division by embedding officers in schools and housing communities. It continues to host programs like Cops and Bobbers, an opportunity for Chelsea youth to go fishing with an officer, and Build the Base, a youth camp hosted by officers that focuses on discipline, leadership, mental health, and positive engagement between youth and law enforcement.

“It might seem like a silly program, but it’s how trust is built,” Maltez said of Cops and Bobbers. “It’s beautiful to see young people of color out on the water with our police officers.”

During the height of the pandemic, the city experienced one of the worst COVID outbreaks in Massachusetts. Food insecurity was prevalent, and undocumented families who were ineligible for government safety nets like SNAP were especially vulnerable. In response, the city implemented a food distribution system consisting of neighborhood-based pickup sites and home delivery services through a 311-request system, which provided access to food during the crisis and was a lifeline for immigrants, low-income workers, and non-English speakers.

Nearly 21 percent of the city’s residents live below the poverty line, compared to about 10 percent across Massachusetts and 11 percent nationwide.

Another local initiative highlighted in Chelsea’s All-America city application is aimed at addressing high dropout risk among overage, under-credited, multilingual, and working students. In 2018, Chelsea Public Schools created an alternative high school called the Chelsea Opportunity Academy. The academy is competency-based rather than attendance-based and offers flexible scheduling, replacing traditional grading and disciplinary systems that have long prevented disadvantaged students, including those of color, from graduating. The school, in addition to having bilingual staff, facilitates mentoring, home visits, and daily check-ins.

Prior to winning the title in 2025 for its community-led sustainability practices, Chelsea had been named an All-America city twice before — once in 1998 and again in 2014.

“We want to show that the concept of America is a road,” Maltez said. “It’s a process, and it’s a journey. We celebrate the win, but we know that there’s a lot of work left to do for everyone in our community.”