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One year ago, President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. His administration has created chaos, trampled on our rights, and harmed so many of us. But the ACLU has been fighting back — and winning. Now, we're telling the story of the first year of our fight against the Trump administration’s second term, our lessons learned, and our path forward. We were prepared for this fight from day one. Before President Trump was elected, we examined his campaign promises — including those outlined in Project 2025 — and outlined a plan for how we would fight to protect the rights and liberties of all people. We spent months plotting out our litigation and advocacy strategy across the country, building a plan to ensure that cities and states would be a Firewall for Freedom — a shield defending against a federal government attacking civil rights and civil liberties. Within hours of President Trump's inauguration, it was clear that he and his administration would, once again, test the Constitution and the willingness of our nation’s institutions and people to defend it. But we were ready. The ACLU mobilized our lawyers, advocates, organizers, storytellers, and supporters to delay unconstitutional policies before they took effect, dilute their reach when full blockage wasn’t immediately possible, and defeat them through courts, public pressure, and sustained organizing. In 2025, we took over 230 legal actions against the Trump administration, with remarkable success: 64% of our lawsuits have delayed, diluted, or defeated the Trump administration’s agenda. But despite everything we’ve accomplished so far, we cannot underestimate the continued speed and ferocity of this assault on civil rights and civil liberties or the impact it will continue to have on us all. And as we enter 2026, the stakes feel as high as ever. That’s why the ACLU is releasing a report about the first year of the Trump administration, highlighting key lessons learned and laying out our roadmap for the years to come. You can download the full report here: Defeat, Delay, Dilute: ACLU Versus President Trump What the ACLU does over the next three years and how well we do it will play a role in shaping the course of American history. Because democracy doesn’t defend itself – people do. And together, we will keep showing up. Read a letter from our Executive Director Anthony D. Romero here.

Throughout its history, our country has been a beacon of hope and freedom for people seeking better lives for themselves and their families, including those fleeing violence and seeking a better life. As a result, people who are immigrants have always been integral to our communities, economy, and the very fabric of our nation.

Immigrants, families, and communities share how Trump’s unlawful immigration policies and rhetoric have taken a toll on their lives.

President Trump’s second term agenda and The Heritage Foundation’s extreme Project 2025 are blatantly enmeshed. Read our memos on how to fight back!

For over 100 years, the ACLU has been showing up in the courts, in the streets, and in the halls of power to defend the rights that the Constitution guarantees to everyone. In the past year alone, the ACLU community fought to secure abortion rights in Michigan, defended trans youth from political attacks in Arkansas and Texas, and blocked Florida from censoring lessons about race and gender in college classrooms. With the support of our members, supporters, volunteers, and staff, we will keep showing up whenever civil rights and civil liberties are under attack.