ACLU Marks the First Year of Trump鈥檚 Return with New Report and Video Series

The 鈥淒efeat, Delay, Dilute: ACLU Versus President Trump鈥澛爎eport聽examines聽the聽pivotal civil聽rights and civil聽liberties attacks聽from聽the president聽and what聽they聽mean for the administration鈥檚 priorities in聽2026. The Portraits of Protest聽video series聽puts聽a face on those attacks聽by featuring the聽everyday people who聽fought back.

January 15, 2026 11:45 am
An image of Donald Trump, underneath the words "ACLU vs. President Trump"

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NEW YORK 鈥 Ahead of the anniversary of President Trump鈥檚 inauguration on Jan. 20, the 老熟女午夜福利 today marked the first year of Trump鈥檚 second term by releasing a new report titled 鈥Defeat, Delay, Dilute: ACLU Versus President Trump,鈥 which examines the organization鈥檚 successes and challenges against the Trump administration across three main issue areas 鈥 safeguarding free speech, protecting immigrants鈥 rights, and defending equal protection under the law 鈥 and what they mean for the administration鈥檚 2026 agenda.

As the report details, the ACLU has filed over 200 legal actions, with an almost 65 success rate in defeating, delaying, or diluting federal policies. Additionally, the report outlines the ACLU鈥檚 Firewall for Freedom effort, which has passed more than 80 policies, including 51 state laws, using the power of state and local lawmakers to push back against the Trump agenda.

Alongside the report, the ACLU also released Portraits of Protest, a video series that details the individual stories of people who courageously challenged President Trump鈥檚 efforts to suppress their speech, identity, and advocacy. Together, the report and video series reveal the strategy, strength, and fortitude necessary to beat back the Trump administration鈥檚 unlawful and unprecedented attacks on our most fundamental rights and freedoms.

鈥淥ne year into the Trump administration, there鈥檚 one big take-away: We are only in a constitutional crisis if we allow it. President Trump鈥檚 return to the White House unleashed near daily efforts to dismantle civil rights and civil liberties, intimidate marginalized communities, and upend the rule of law. Our response reflected a credo we鈥檝e held for 106 years: Rights endure not because leaders respect them, but because people and institutions insist on enforcing them,鈥 said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU. 鈥淒emocracy doesn鈥檛 defend itself 鈥 people defend democracy. And together, progress is possible even in the toughest of times.鈥

A few key takeaways from 鈥Defeat, Delay, Dilute: ACLU Versus President Trump鈥 include:

  • Defeating the Trump Administration Stopped Unprecedented Damage: Lawsuits got the ACLU crucial wins. When Trump unlawfully used the Alien Enemies Act to accelerate mass deportations, we successfully defended due process. And, when Trump deployed federal troops and National Guard units to cities across the country, we and partners took action that led to a string of court victories and Trump abandoning efforts in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon.
  • Delaying Implementation Provided Thousands with Temporary Relief: Many of the ACLU鈥檚 lawsuits secured nationwide preliminary relief for people who needed support whether for the over 93,000 babies born since the ACLU temporarily blocked President Trump鈥檚 executive over dissolving birthright citizenship, for the trans and intersex people who needed access to accurate sex designations on their passports, and for the schools whose funding was threatened from the administration鈥檚 attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). These wins helped those on the frontline of President Trump鈥檚 attacks.
  • Diluting the Administration's Worst Policies Minimized Harm: While no organization could prevent every one of President Trump鈥檚 policies from taking effect, the strategic efforts by the ACLU鈥檚 affiliates helped enact dozens of executive, legislative, or municipal actions to blunt the administration鈥檚 attacks. The ACLU鈥檚 network worked with lawmakers to pass Freedom to Read Acts into law to protect students鈥 right to learn, and, at the federal level, prevented an attack on voter registration that would have disenfranchised millions.

At the forefront of the ACLU鈥檚 work in the courts, streets, and halls of power, were clients, volunteers, advocates, and everyday people showing up and speaking out for our constitutional rights and the future of our country. The ACLU's Portraits of Protest video series features five such people in communities from New York to Georgia to Kansas who were not deterred by the Trump administration鈥檚 attempts to deport, intimidate, or censor them and others.

Below are quotes from the people featured in the ACLU鈥檚 Portraits of Protest video series, which can also be watched here:

  • Mohsen Mahdawi, student activist for Palestinian rights and client in Mahdawi v. Trump: 鈥I was merely detained for practicing my free speech 鈥 one of the most fundamental and important rights in this country. ... There is no power that can silence the people.鈥
  • Tom Alonzo, veteran and participant at ACLU-organized lobby day on federal troop deployment: 鈥淚 think everybody has a role to play. We鈥檙e capable of greatness, and we鈥檙e capable of compassion.鈥
  • Zaya Perysian, trans activist and client in Orr v. Trump: 鈥淣o matter what this administration tries to do, I鈥檓 still going to be me. I鈥檓 going to exist.鈥
  • Suzanne Potts, No Kings organizer based in Georgia: 鈥淥ne person can make a difference. ... I go to bed knowing that I did something to fight this administration and something good for my soul.鈥
  • Maribel Hernandez Rivera, national director of immigrant community strategies at the ACLU: 鈥淚 lead the Know Your Rights work at the ACLU ... that鈥檚 my mission 鈥 to make sure that we all know that information. We have people everywhere at the ready to speak up, to pick up the phone and make a phone call and say, no, not under my watch.鈥