Donald Trump recently won one of the most contentious and volatile presidential elections in the history of the United States, but the ride is just starting according to many. During Trump’s campaign, he made several promises that, if he were to keep them, would jeopardize the safety, integrity, and freedom of a number of marginalized sects of society, like members of the LGBT community, minorities, and women. The injustices that Trump promised for these groups will only be made easier thanks to the Republicans controlling both the the Senate and the House.
However, those marginalized groups will not be without a champion. The American Civil Liberties Union, more commonly called the ACLU, has released a public statement regarding their intentions should Trump try to put into practice any of his vitriolic and unconstitutional plans. The group has committed to taking Trump to court to fight against any legislation that discriminates against any area of society.
The executive director of the ACLU, Anthony D. Romero, published a piece on the ACLU website on the Wednesday following the election to urge Donald Trump to reassess certain promises he made during his campaign. Romero then listed some of the things that Trump has said he will do, and the list is quite terrifying.
Romero reiterated Trump’s promise to deport over 10 million people who live in America without the proper documentation, and his desire to ban Muslims entirely, while keeping an unnecessarily close watch on those Muslims who already live here. Trump has also pledged to enact punishments for women who undergo abortions, as well as reinstating banned forms of interrogation and torture like waterboarding. Perhaps most disturbing, Trump has said he will rewrite the laws that govern libel, which would do nothing but literally restrict the freedom of expression, something strictly prohibited by the First Amendment.
In the publication, Romero finished by saying what Trump wanted to do was not only un-American, but illegal and unconstitutional. He then made his own pledge, promising that the ACLU will fight Trump with the full power of the organization should he attempt to move forward with these plans.
Romero understands that what Trump wants will directly infringe on the rights and freedoms that so many Americans have fought to receive. The ACLU will not stand ideally by as the new president attempts to undo all of that hard work with a few strokes of his pen. They have millions of official members, thousands of volunteers across all 50 states, and a full staff of lawyers and political activists. Should Trump attempt to enact his asinine plans, he will be met with fierce opposition.
The ACLU has made promises like this in the past, and they’ve made them directly to Donald Trump before. In fact, Romero published a similar essay on the ACLU website back in July, when it was first becoming apparent that Trump would be a threat to the freedoms of minorities and other marginalized groups. All those months ago, and the ACLU still foresaw the potential of a catastrophic Trump presidency.
The most recent publication from Romero calls for the citizens of the United States to live in a vigilant state while Trump is in office. They are aware the American people can’t fall into a state of willing blindness to tyranny, and they will work hard to stop that from happening. The ACLU has existed for nearly 100 years, and they have spent their entire tenure working to protect the constitution from people like Trump. They know the constitution is the final rule of law, and they will fight to ensure its survival for centuries to come.