WATCH: Mayor of Massachusetts City Needs a Translator During Hearing Due to Apparent Inability to Speak English

by Cullen Linebarger Dec. 21, 2025 3:20 pm



Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mayor Biran DePena testifies in a court hearing alongside a translator.

Credit: Mass Daily News X ScreenshotMass 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.

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The mayor of Lawrence, MA, a once prominent manufacturing town that is now overwhelmingly Hispanic, needs a translator in court. The judge refused to let him use the translator due to possible mistranslations

Do you think English should be required to work in city government?



https://twitter.com/i/status/2002437763979952235

12:55 PM · Dec 20, 2025

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.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/202...uring-hearing/