Each day of the second Trump administration has brought a new cruel and unconstitutional attack on our rights. It can be difficult to keep up with the latest news, let alone take meaningful action in response.
The chaos is intentional. They want you to throw up your hands and despair. Please don’t give them the satisfaction.
First, know that the president is not a king and his executive orders cannot override federal laws and statutes. That’s why we fight in the courts. The ACLU filed 434 legal challenges against the first Trump administration, and we’re currently suing to block several of Trump’s executive orders, including ones attacking transgender people and immigrant communities. Federal judges have already blocked the administration’s unconstitutional attempts to end birthright citizenship and deny medical care to transgender people in prisons.
The Constitution still applies, and we still have each other. To quote ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero on the day after the 2024 election, “Trump’s gotta get past all of us.”
That’s where you come in.
Stay informed
One thing I keep saying to friends and allies is that, as horrifying as Project 2025 is, we have been living through a state-level version of it for years. Attacks on the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people, erosion of representative democracy, censorship in the classroom, cruel and unusual treatment of incarcerated people, and life-threatening prohibitions on reproductive healthcare are all too familiar here, and we’re going to keep fighting against that agenda in the state legislature and courts.
If you want to stay one step ahead of the politicians attacking our rights here in the Palmetto State, we’re here to help. Check our blog at the start of every week for the State House Dispatch, where we forecast the legislative agenda in Columbia and highlight ways you can take action. Executive Director Jace Woodrum and I host a podcast called While I Breathe, available on all major podcast platforms, featuring conversations with people on the front lines of civil rights battles in our state. We’re on Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. At the top of our homepage, you can subscribe to our email list for occasional updates and opportunities to send messages to lawmakers.
We know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed. That’s why, when we share news via our channels, we make sure it is local, actionable, and within our power to change.
Show up where you can
If you are looking for opportunities to show up in person with like-minded people to defend civil liberties, fill out the Volunteer Interest Form at aclusc.org/volunteer.
Let us know what issues you care about most, and members of our team will contact you with opportunities to attend trainings, serve as a legal observer at protests, speak to policymakers, and show up with activists in your area.
Know your rights
Whether you are attending a protest, interacting with law enforcement, or just looking for ways to protect vulnerable people in your community, it’s crucial that you know your rights. We can help with that too.
The ACLU has Know Your Rights pages on a wide range of topics, available at aclu.org/know-your-rights. If you have a group in South Carolina interested in learning more, members of our Advocacy team are available to give virtual or in-person training sessions across the state. Currently we are planning trainings on ways to protect you and your neighbors’ rights during interactions with ICE. If you would like to invite a member of our team to come speak, you can submit a request here:
In the coming months there will be rallies and protests and chances to raise your voice in the street. But what happens after that?
If we want to keep going, we need to go together. Stay with us.
