We continue to see bills, actions, and decisions that are blatant attempts to control who has access to the ballot and who does not, who has bodily autonomy and who does not, who deserves to learn in an amply resourced and safe school environment, and much, much more. In order to create the change we demand to see, we need to elect equal rights champions to office, bring our communities into conversations about legislation that affects us, and reduce barriers to representation, resources, and the rights we are all entitled to in the US Constitution. 

To push back against an aggressive federal agenda, states and cities must now build firewalls for freedom to ensure its officials do not voluntarily assist in attacking our civil liberties and civil rights — and the ACLU is here to help. 

State and local governments can enact policies now that make clear they will not voluntarily share their resources – including personnel and our data – with federal law enforcement seeking to violate the civil rights and civil liberties of our communities. From mass deportations to attempts to criminalize reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care, the stakes are immense. State and local agencies should just say “no” and refuse to voluntarily cooperate with incursions into civil rights and civil liberties, wherever possible. 

We are calling on Governor Meyer and Attorney General Jennings to refuse to cooperate if the Trump administration engages in massive anti-civil liberties actions such as information requests on people accessing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare, crackdowns on public protest, indiscriminate immigration raids, and more.

Large scale deportation raids that devastate our communities are already happening — disappearing people from their neighborhoods overnight. Children are being left without their parents, families losing their breadwinners, and fear running through our schools, places of worship and workplaces. We are urging state and local governments to respond: Convene public and private leaders and create a protocol for how to respond to these raids — including setting up a hotline, providing pro bono legal assistance, preparing educators and faith leaders to provide support, and surging resources to families left behind. 

Delaware officials can refuse to cooperate with dragnet immigration raids that the Trump administration may begin. In addition, the Attorney General can release guidance to prosecutors to ensure they are aware of the consequences of minor criminal convictions on a person’s immigration status, and coordinate relief to families that may be targeted by mass raids. 

Low-income people have consistently borne the brunt of restrictions on abortion care, even when Roe v. Wade was in place. However, the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe immeasurably magnified this problem. Now even more people must travel long distances to obtain an abortion, often having to take time off work and secure childcare. State and municipal funding for abortion care and support services like travel and lodging — including, where possible, by localities in states that restrict the right to abortion — is essential for ensuring abortion seekers are able to access the care they need.

Delaware can follow the lead of other states that have created a Reproductive Equity Fund to ensure that providers, abortion funds, patients, and others have reliable and stable funding to continue to provide reproductive healthcare.

Our state legislature, Attorney General, education agencies, city governments and school boards must respond to the Trump administration’s attacks on our children, including transgender kids and children of undocumented parents. They must safeguard student data, stop collecting information that could be weaponized against our communities, and enact policies to ensure our kids are safe and do not suffer from discrimination and harassment at school.

The Attorney General can clarify that Delaware law protects vulnerable students, such as families of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, pregnant students, and more who all may be targets of the Trump administration.

Your local ACLU has been fighting relentlessly on all fronts – in the courts, with the General Assembly, and on the ground – to defend the rights of every Delawarean. But now, you have a critical role to play.

The work of the ACLU of Delaware is more important than ever. Please consider giving to the ACLU of Delaware during this year’s Do More 24 giving day and help pave the way for progress.

On behalf of all of us at the ACLU, thank you for all you have already done to protect our civil rights. We are with you in this fight.