Lawsuit Filed Against Former President Trump
In the heart of Washington D.C., Ben Wizner, the director of the ACLU's Free Speech, Privacy & Technology Project, sits in his office adorned with a T-shirt bearing a map of Washington, D.C. as a state. The symbolic gesture is a protest against the rights of the 700,000 residents without congressional representation.
Since Trump's return to the White House in 2025, Wizner's organization has been at the forefront of legal battles against the administration. To date, they have filed 79 lawsuits, aiming to uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of individuals.
One such case involves Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist. Khalil was arrested by ICE and had his permanent residency revoked without due process. A federal court declared Khalil's detention unconstitutional and released him on bail, but the government continues to pursue legal action to deport him.
The ACLU, along with others, is working tirelessly to prevent Khalil's deportation. They believe that it's illegal for the Trump administration to violate the Constitution in enforcing immigration laws.
The issue of sanctuary cities, which refuse to assist the federal government in enforcing its immigration laws, has also been a contentious point. Critics argue that these cities are breaking the law, while proponents argue that they are protecting the rights of their residents. Many hospitals, courthouses, and police departments in sanctuary cities are refusing to share data with the federal government, making it more difficult for ICE to take action there.
The Trump administration views residency permits as privileges, not rights, and has arrested non-citizens for political statements. This has sparked protests, with over 5 million people participating in the No Kings protests.
The ACLU has successfully stopped several executive orders, including one that would have repealed the 14th Amendment and another that used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport people without trial. Wizner believes that the justice system still works, as shown by the fact that in 75% of the cases in which they applied for an injunction against the government, they received one.
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Trump's approval ratings remain below 40 percent, and a majority of the public rejects his immigration policies. As Wizner continues to lead the ACLU's efforts, he remains one of Donald Trump's most important civil society opponents. The fight for constitutional rights and immigration reform continues.
