Justin Elicker Sworn In To Fourth Term As Mayor Of New Haven

NEW HAVEN, CT — Thursday, the first day of the new year, but it was a familar event as this day marked the swearing-in — for the fourth time — of Justin Elicker as New Haven's mayor.

Elicker's INAUGURAL ADDRESS, January 1st, 2026

Happy New Year, New Haven! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo, New Haven!

To my colleagues in government, distinguished guests, and fellow residents — it is good to be with you this New Years Day. Today, we celebrate a fresh start in our personal lives, commemorate a new beginning for our government, and commit ourselves anew to advancing the wellbeing of our residents and city.

To my family, Natalie, Molly, April, Mom and Dad, I’m deeply grateful to you for all you have done to support me in this unusual job I have.

Thank you to all the artists, musicians, and individuals who have shared of themselves, their time, and their talent to help commemorate this occasion. A special shout out to our student emcees – Rania and Yeendrol! And thanks to all the other New Haven Public School students and educators who – on their day off from school – have chosen to serve and celebrate their city.

To City Clerk Smart, Dr. Joyner and returning alders, we’ve been on a long journey together. I’m grateful for your partnership over these years and I look forward to continuing to work with you. And to the new alders, welcome. Serving the public as an elected official isn’t always easy, but it is a joy and privilege to be in a position to truly help others and work to address the challenges our city faces.

It’s especially wonderful to celebrate this occasion in Fair Haven – and at the Fair Haven School! ¡Es maravilloso celebrar esta ocasión en Fair Haven – y en La Escuela Fair Haven!

Thank you to the Fair Haven community and to Fair Haven School for hosting us today.

I’ve been mayor for exactly six years. And boy, together, we have come a long way. This will be my fourth inauguration speech – and this time it’ll be a bit shorter – about 6 - 7 minutes.

Today, as we celebrate a new year and a new city government, and, as elected officials, we embark on a new journey together, it’s important for us to reflect. Reflect on where we have been as a city, and where we are going. And, more importantly, it’s a time to reflect on who we are. What we believe. What we stand for. For we can only govern well, if we know what we stand for.

In addition to celebrating a new city government today, 2026 will also mark another important milestone for our city and our country: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our nation.

250 years of this collective project of democracy. 250 years of continual journey to “form a more perfect union.”

While we have come so far as a city and a nation and there is much to celebrate, if you’re like me, there is also much to be concerned about as well.

Deep division and political polarization. Democratic institutions under attack. Widening economic inequality and struggle. Rights being rolled back and trampled on. Further marginalization of the most vulnerable members of our society. Inhumanity towards and demonization of our fellow residents for who they are, who they love, where they come from, or how they pray.

In my view, in our national politics, we are turning our backs on who we are as a nation when we are at our very best: a beacon for democracy, a land of freedom and opportunity, and an inclusive society where – slowly, but surely – more of its people can access the promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

I won’t mince words. I think we’re at an inflection point as a nation – and potentially a perilous one. The question for our generation may very well be: will our democracy endure for another 250 years and will its promise expand to more Americans -or- will our country descend into something that our founders and many of us today would scarcely recognize?

So, when we talk about who we are as a city, what we believe, what we stand for – these questions are more important today than ever in our lifetimes. And we find ourselves at a moment in history, whether we like it or not, where our whole country should be asking ourselves these questions.

What you stand for isn’t important when it’s easy to stand for something. What you stand for is important when it’s hard to stand for something.

People see who you are, who you truly are, when you are tested. And my goodness, we are being tested in this moment. And my goodness, we’re also seeing who people truly are.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

New Haven has been a part of our nation’s story since its inception.

To quote one signer of the Declaration of Independence, “Tolerance and respect for diversity are essential for a prosperous and peaceful society” and “[t]he true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.” That signer was New Haven’s own Roger Sherman — our city’s first mayor and a great American patriot.

Let me repeat that. Our City’s very first mayor, almost 250 years ago, said that “Tolerance and respect for diversity are essential for a prosperous and peaceful society” and “[t]he true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.” Isn’t that remarkable? That the words of our mayor almost 250 years ago so accurately reflect our values – New Haven values – that we still cherish today. Tolerance, respect for diversity, compassion for our most vulnerable.

Sadly, tolerance, respect for diversity, and compassion for our most vulnerable are not words that come to mind when I think about our current federal administration – or, often, how some Americans treat each other at large.

These are, however, defining and enduring values of New Haveners. In New Haven we believe that what makes you different from me isn’t bad, but it’s beautiful. In New Haven we believe having documents doesn’t make you belong here, rather your interest in being a positive part of our community is what makes you belong. In New Haven we don’t believe you’re a potential burden because you’re down and out, we believe in your potential, no matter who you are.

I want to be clear and unapologetic about this, because some people might say that this speech was too focused on what’s going on in the country and not focused enough on our city.

First, it’s so important in this moment that we all do focus on our country, because the times demand it. But second, this is about our city.

When 18-year-old Esdrás Ramirez, a Wilbur Cross High School student, was snatched up by ICE when he was working at a car wash, it was about New Haven.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

Our community shined a light on the injustice, found Esdrás a lawyer, wrote letters, attended Esdrás’ immigration hearing, and Esdrás is now back home being a teenager, going to school again. Thank you to all of you who helped make that happen.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

When the current president tried to defund police departments through an executive order cutting off funds to sanctuary cities, our city was one of five municipalities in the entire nation – and the only one on the east coast who sued the Trump administration and won an injunction. Now 50 cities have joined this lawsuit and the courts have ensured funding for our police and public safety initiatives is safe.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

When the Trump administration cut off food stamps leaving over 30,000 New Haven residents not knowing how they were going to put food on their tables to feed their children and families, New Haven rallied.

The United Way, the Coordinated Food Access Network, and the City implemented mass food distributions at Lincoln Bassett School and John Martinez School, expanded food pantries, and launched an emergency response to provide essential groceries so families could eat. New Haveners rose to meet the moment, generously donating food, money, and volunteering their time to help their neighbors in need.

And our city sued again – one of eight cities in the nation that sued the Trump Administration to restore SNAP benefits, and we won! And it wasn’t just a win for New Haven, but a nationwide ruling that ordered the federal government to immediately reinstate SNAP benefits across the country.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

When the Trump administration initiated executive orders cutting resources to the LGBTQ and trans communities, and hospitals – including our own – chose to discontinue gender-affirming care, we took action. We were the only city in Connecticut to reach out to the remaining gender-affirming care healthcare provider and are collaborating with them to help provide potential alternative options for life-saving care.

And our friends at the New Haven Pride Center, nonprofits, the Board of Alders, and city staff created a LGBTQ+ emergency guide, connecting people with guidance, resources, partners, and information so that people can protect themselves and know where to turn to for help. The Pride flag flies high on the New Haven Green.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

It's in the small things and it’s in the big things – who we are. When we are tested, you know what we stand for – we stand for our values – tolerance, respect for diversity, compassion for our most vulnerable. We stand for our community.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

We’re a city that puts more money than any other CT city into supporting people who are unhoused.

We’re a city where dozens of people went out to the streets in the rain early on a Sunday morning to pick up thousands of tiny racist leaflets strewn over the IRIS Run for Refugees race course, so the race could go forward without participants seeing even one leaflet.

We’re a city where every weekend, across Edwards Street from the usual protesters against Planned Parenthood, there is larger group of pro-Planned Parenthood protesters with music, positive signs, and positive energy saying yes, we support a woman’s right to choose what’s best for herself.

We’re a city where, whenever there is a hateful attack on any group in our community, clergy and other faith leaders, elected leaders and others come together to collectively reject that hate.

We’re a city that not only has the most lawsuits against the Trump administration of any city or town in our state, but is the only city that has any lawsuit against the Trump administration.

Let me tell you who we are in New Haven.

It’s easy to feel down at a time like this. Just open the newspaper. But when you open your eyes, you can see what an incredible city we live in and know for sure who we are in this city.

Have we always been perfect – no. Have we stumbled at times – yes. Do we push each other to be better, my goodness – yes, we do.

But from the time of Roger Sherman nearly 250 years ago, to valiant New Haveners who participated in the underground railroad before the Civil War, to the outpouring of support by many New Haveners for the passengers on the Amistad in 1839, to the activism of immigrant groups in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to the protests against the trials of Black Panther leaders in 1970, to the first Holocaust memorial on public ground in the United States in 1977, to the embrace of our newest immigrant residents in recent years, to today, January 1st, 2026, New Haven has stood proudly for our values.

Over the arc of New Haven’s history, we have been a city of tolerance, respect for diversity, compassion for our most vulnerable – a city that believes in you – in your great potential.

At this important, no, vital moment in our nation’s and our city’s history, you can be sure that we continue to champion our values, we will continue to shine, we will continue to lead, continue to stand up for our community, because that is who we are."

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