Markey talks housing, transportation and ICE ahead of primary against Moulton

Sen. Ed Markey thinks housing, transportation and  abolishing ICE are among the important issues in his  campaigns for a third term against U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton in the Democratic primary on Sept. 1.

He discussed the campaign with greater Boston news outlets at the office of the Cambridge Day newspaper.  

With the Senate beginning its August state work period on Aug.10, Markey has more time to campaign in Massachusetts during the final weeks before the primary. Markey and Moulton have waged a contentious race, trading attacks during their summer debates over age, financial ties and other issues. Moulton came through Waltham in May on his statewide listening tour. Their most recent debate was held Aug. 3 by Boston 25 News and GBH News.  

Housing

Markey wants to  increase affordable housing in the state and is backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. He said the legislation would invest $500 billion to build 3.5 million new housing units nationwide. He added that increasing the housing supply is essential to bringing down costs and making homeownership more attainable, particularly for young people. 

Markey was also asked about the state’s MBTA Communities Act. Pointing to his hometown of Malden, which has two MBTA stops, he said communities that benefit from public transit should also comply with the law’s housing requirements. He cited Cambridge, Malden and Revere as communities with “aggressive housing strategies,” while other municipalities in the Commonwealth have resisted new housing development. 

“It’s not just a crisis in Massachusetts,” he said. “There’s a crisis across the whole country.” 

Transportation

On the topic of transportation, Markey pointed to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which he helped pass, as a major source of federal transportation funding for Massachusetts. He listed investments in the Green Line extension to Medford and accessibility improvements at Green Line stations in Brookline. 

Markey said that when the Senate reconvenes in January, lawmakers should push for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that includes at least $10 billion in transportation funding for Massachusetts to improve public transit. 

Immigration enforcement

Markey said he voted against the creation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when Congress established the agency in the early 2000s. 

“I feared that it had the seeds of authoritarianism built into it as an institution, and now that prediction has been borne out,” Markey said. 

He accused President Donald Trump of weaponizing federal immigration enforcement to terrorize communities across the country. 

Markey said he has worked with  Rep. Ayanna Pressley to eliminate qualified immunity and make federal immigration officers individually accountable for misconduct. He also called for pathways to citizenship for immigrants.  

Markey and Moulton will face off in the Democratic primary on Sept. 1.