President Trump is seeking to recruit, and where that fails, compel local law enforcement agencies to help his administration pursue its mass deportation agenda.
In response to this effort and many other Trump administration plans that fly in the face of our Constitution and norms, the ACLU launched an ambitious campaign called “Freedom Cities.” On immigration, just like activists organized locally to demand the release of people detained at our airports by federal authorities, People Power activists are organizing in our communities to ensure that our local law enforcement officials defend – not threaten – our friends, families, and neighbors. People Power will be a powerful grassroots force supporting the ACLU’s efforts to propose, support, and win local laws that make it more difficult for President Trump to pursue his dangerous agenda. And make no mistake about it, America’s cities, counties and towns are places we can and will win.
As part of this local grassroots strategy, the ACLU has identified areas in which municipal opposition to, or lack of cooperation with, the Trump administration will impede objectionable policies the president is pursuing.
ACLU’s “Freedom Cities” plan brings local grassroots activists together and provides a blueprint for local-level campaigns -- in cities and counties -- to defend our communities and block the worst abuses of the Trump administration. These are campaigns that will generate victories in the short term even as we work towards comprehensive protections nationwide in the long term. You can read more about progress on Freedom Cities here.
“Freedom Cities” is a hugely ambitious campaign. Some of the policies that we will demand may sound legally complex but that’s because the ACLU has come up with a plan to fight the Trump administration lawfully and systematically, not just by defending each individual as they are detained, harassed, or deported.
We’re counting on grassroots volunteers like you to help local elected officials to adopt the ACLU’s model state and local law enforcement policies and rules that will effectively counter or block cooperation with Trump’s anti-immigrant and anti-refugee agenda.