Friend –

The results of the election are in: Donald Trump will be the 47th President of the United States.

I know these results create fear for many, particularly those whose communities have been most targeted and threatened by the President-elect's extreme rhetoric and policy proposals. If President-elect Trump comes for our communities, he's gotta get past all of us.

President-elect Trump has been crystal clear about his plans to deport one million immigrants every year and target the enemy within – which, for Trump, means anyone who disagrees with him. He is dead serious about seeking retribution against his political opponents and deploying federal law enforcement to shut down protests and muzzle dissent. Guided by Project 2025, we are sure he will try to make good on those promises.

He and the administration officials he will put in place will work to attack the rights of LGBTQ people, implement archaic and cruel immigration policies, undermine press freedoms, and make it harder for Americans to vote.

It is not hyperbolic to say that this president presents a clear and present danger to our democracy.

But here at the ACLU, we're clear-eyed about the chaos and destruction a second Trump administration will cause to our nation. We're done with the hand wringing. We won't be admiring this problem. Instead, we are ready to take action the minute Trump takes the oath of office.

The fact is, we're familiar with fighting a Trump White House.

One week into Trump's first presidency, we were the first organization to challenge his Muslim ban. And when the administration sought to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census, the ACLU took that fight to the Supreme Court and won. It was our litigation that stopped the inhumane practice of separating immigrant families at the border.

The ACLU filed 434 legal actions against the first Trump administration's illegal and cruel actions – and we are prepared to fight again with the organization's full firepower.

There is not a doubt in my mind that the ACLU is ready to meet this moment:

• We have a detailed playbook that breaks down exactly how to fight Trump's Project 2025 agenda.
• We have plans in place to litigate, legislate, and mobilize for reproductive freedom, immigrants' rights, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, and all civil rights and liberties – in the courts, in Congress, and in the streets.
• We have a nationwide network of affiliates that uniquely enables us to take our fights local and build firewalls against the worst of Trump's policies in every state across America.

ACLU Supporter, here at the ACLU, we play the long game. We've been around for 105 years. We've seen 19 presidents come and go. With your support, we will vigorously defend your right to protest and speak against our government. Especially when that government attacks our civil liberties and civil rights.

The next four years will be challenging, but we'll be ready on day one. You can count on it. We're counting on you, too.

In solidarity,

Anthony Romero
Pronouns: He, him, his
ACLU Executive Director