ADC Defends Medford Residents’ Right to Demand Values-Aligned Use of Taxpayer Funds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has taken another step to protect Arab Americans, and all Americans, from efforts to suppress lawful civic action and democratic accountability.

ADC, serving as co-counsel alongside Jonathan Wallace, filed an opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike in the federal challenge to Medford, Massachusetts’ Values-Aligned Local Investments Ordinance.The ordinance prohibits the city from investing public funds in companies tied to weapons manufacturing, fossil fuels, private prisons, and severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

Although the ordinance does not mention Israel, opponents have sought to invalidate it by arguing that it intrudes into the federal executive branch’s purview to set foreign policy. The challenge threatens Medford residents’ right to defend a law their city passed — and could weaken similar local laws across the country that give communities a voice in how taxpayer dollars are invested.

“Across the country, we are witnessing a rapid descent into anti-democratic practices aimed at silencing communities when they organize for Palestine, express dissent from government overreach, and demand accountability from those in power,” said ADC Interim President Jenin Younes. “Medford residents exercised their civic rights to demand that their taxpayer dollars not be used to fund mass harm or conduct at odds with their values. But instead of respecting that democratic process, opponents of the ordinance and city officials are working to block the will of the people, invoking inapplicable arguments about the federal executive’s power. ADC will continue fighting these efforts in the courts, in the halls of power, and at every level of authority.”

ADC’s filing makes clear what is at stake: Medford residents fought for a law requiring their city to invest public money in line with their values. The City passed that law. But now, city officials have said they do not intend to enforce it during this litigation, while opponents are trying to stop residents from defending it in court. That’s government overreach. ADC is asking the court to reject Plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike and allow Medford residents to defend the law they helped pass.

“This case is about more than one ordinance in one city,” said ADC Staff Attorney Malak Afaneh. “It is about whether residents can use democratic processes to demand ethical public investment without being dragged into court and intimidated. This is likely a test case; if the plaintiffs prevail, they will likely attempt to use this theory throughout the country to infringe Americans’ First Amendment rights. We are opposing that effort because communities have the right to defend the laws they fought to pass.”Visit adc.org/legal to learn more about this case.