Edited from ACLU Press Statement
In response to the inauguration of President Trump and his administration’s initial executive orders, ACLU leaders convened in Sacramento at the California State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 21, to urge state policymakers to lead the national fight against the Trump administration’s extreme agenda. [ACLU is the American Civil Liberties Union founded in 1920. There are branches in every state.]
At a press conference with ACLU supporters and activists rallying before the State Capitol, the national ACLU’s Chief Political and Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said:
“We are here to defeat, delay and dilute Trump’s extreme agenda at every level, including the state and local level. This moment of urgency calls for a people’s movement. And with 40 million people who call this state home and as the fifth largest economy in the world, California has the opportunity to lead the frontlines of the movement. California’s leaders must act now and fight Trump’s extreme agenda.”
As predicted and threatened, on Monday, the Trump administration issued executive orders threatening the rights and liberties of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people and many others. The ACLU filed its first challenge overnight against Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship in the U.S.
During the press conference, ACLU California Action Executive Director David Trujillo said of Trump’s orders:
“It is not enough for us to fight his executive orders and policies that seek to vilify, exploit and oppress our families and communities. California must lead. From anti-war demonstrations of the 1960s to leading the resistance during the first Trump administration, California is and has long been a powerhouse for freedom. Today, people across the nation are looking to our state to lead the charge once again against this administration’s extreme agenda.”
Specifically, ACLU leaders are urging California policymakers to:
- Create a permanent funding source that would bolster affordable housing access in the state to ward off Trump’s threat to defund federal housing assistance. \
- Protect Californians’ personal information from federal abuse and prevent the administration from tracking immigrants or people seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care.
- Strengthen protections for immigrant families and fully maximize California’s authority by ensuring that all state and local agencies withhold resources from Trump’s mass detention and deportation plans.
ACLU leaders planned to meet with state policymakers over Wednesday and Thursday to advance these priorities. In solidarity, Senator Maria Elena Durazo (SD-26) and Assemblymember Mike Gipson (AD-65) joined ACLU leaders at today’s press event.
