Heller Decision and the Second Amendment

WASHINGTON — On June 14, more than five million people nationwide rallied at over 2,100 events across the country, condemning President Trump’s escalating abuses of power. The wave of protests, co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, and a coalition of labor, environmental, and human rights organizations, was the largest mass mobilization since President Trump’s return to office. People gathered everywhere – from Maine to Florida, Pennsylvania to Texas – to demonstrate that they are not intimidated by the un-American tendencies of this administration. “Today’s protests are a resounding message that people across the nation will not be intimidated by President Trump’s fear tactics. Americans are brave, democracy loving people and will not sit idly by as the Trump administration feeds our Constitution into the shredder — nor will the ACLU,” said ACLU Chief Political & Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling. “In just five months, we have sued the administration dozens of times for their abuses of power, and we will continue to defend our rights. Protecting our democracy isn’t a partisan issue — it’s core to being American. We will use every tool we can, from litigation to legislation to powerful protests in the streets, to stop the unconstitutional actions of this administration and protect our rights.” The day of action caps off a week of unprecedented encroachments on our civil rights. President Trump federalized National Guard troops against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and deployed active-duty military to an American city to quell protests. ICE raids and detainments continue to terrorize immigrant communities across the country and ramped up in major cities like Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Administration officials also forcibly ejected and handcuffed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), the country’s most senior Latino leader, as he sought answers about the administration’s actions. These events underscore the urgency of organized people power to show solidarity with our communities and resist the Trump administration’s assault on civil liberties. Despite intimidation and violence, the people showed up. As ACLU National Campaign Director for Immigration Anu Joshi told the crowd of over 100,000 at the No Kings flagship march in Philadelphia, “Looking around at the thousands of people here with you — and the millions of people joining events like this across the country — it is clear to me that we cannot be silenced, and we are not afraid. When we know our rights and exercise them, when we protest, when we dissent, when we speak freely, when we act to protect our families, our friends and our neighbors, when we show up, we make progress for all of us.”

This term, the court will issue decisions impacting immigration, free speech, religious liberty, LGBTQ rights and voting rights.

The Trump administration's latest attack on our rights threatens our ability to defend ourselves from injustice. We won't stand for it.

Harmful interpretations of the Veterans Judicial Review Act risk blocking veterans’ access to federal district courts.