It was just one week following his inauguration in January 2017 when President Trump signed an executive order that banned the entry of every person from seven majority-Muslim countries. A de facto Muslim ban, the executive order went into immediate effect and wreaked havoc in communities across the country. Families, lawyers, and everyday Americans showed up in airports across the country to speak out and fight back. Our organization, the ACLU, immediately challenged Trump’s Muslim ban in court.
In an urgent hearing that night, a federal judge blocked the discriminatory policy from continuing and prevented people from being deported. Despite the shock of his win, we were not backing down, prepared to take on Trump the day he stepped into the White House. Over the next four years, we filed more than 400 legal actions against the Trump administration.
When President Biden took office, our organization was among the first to file a legal challenge against his administration over an immigration policy, recognizing that presidents of all parties need to be held to account when they attempt to ignore the law and our rights.
From our organization’s 100-year experience spanning 19 presidential administrations, we understand that one thing is clear: Regardless of who is president, we must be ready for the fights ahead.
At the ACLU, we recognize that this fight is nationwide. With our 54 state offices, we have boots on the ground in every state, advocating in every state house, every courthouse, and every community to advance our most fundamental rights.
In civil rights battleground states like Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, efforts are underway to safeguard the election, and to make sure every voter has a say and every vote is counted, whether they vote in person or by mail. And in Michigan, just last month a Kalamazoo County election official signed a sworn affidavit that he would certify the November election results after we brought him to court.
In states where abortion has been restricted or criminalized, including Missouri, Arizona, and Florida, our voices will be heard as people have mobilized to put abortion rights on the ballot this November.
And in states like New Jersey – where we are able to actively partner with and advocate before governors, attorneys general, and state lawmakers – we’ve shown that we can create a firewall from attacks on our rights because it is still possible to build a brighter future in the face of nationwide challenges.
A collective, unwavering commitment to build a better future for all people means that no matter the election outcome, we must be ready to ensure that our democracy – and our most fundamental rights – endure. At the ACLU, our legal, legislative, and advocacy experts have identified the anticipated threats, challenges, and opportunities presented by each candidate and have laid out the concrete steps we will take to hold any president accountable. We don’t do this work alone. It requires more than a single organization to defend our rights, let alone advance them.
Ultimate power rests with the people. No matter who wins the White House, we must be prepared for the challenges ahead and to fight for our rights. United by a vision of equality and justice for all, we’re ready for what’s to come, and together, we will prevail.
