We the People Activist Toolkit: Defending a Free America

People power is the ACLU’s grassroots network of activists, volunteers, and supporters organizing in their communities to protect our rights and demand lasting change. We're regularly adding new ways to get involved, so bookmark this page and check back often for the latest actions you can take.

Less than three weeks after an ICE agent killed Renee Nicole Good, federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse, after beating him in front of witnesses in Minneapolis. This tragedy marks the third shooting involving federal agents in less than three weeks and is further proof that they are out of control and endangering our communities.

For months now, communities in Minneapolis, Chicago, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and beyond have watched in horror as masked federal agents have dragged people out of their cars, smashed windows, zip-tied parents and children, physically harmed our neighbors, and, in multiple cases, killed them.

As these incidents mount, the danger to our communities is growing — and so is the urgency for lawful organized resistance. Our history shows that when people organize, protest, and demand justice, we can disrupt these abuses of power and build collective power in response. This toolkit is designed to help you TAKE ACTION: stand up for your community and your rights. The time to act is now — our freedom is at stake.

1: Demand Congress Rein in ICE

ICE and Border Patrol are out of control and endangering our communities. Send Congress a clear message that they cannot hand ICE or CBP any more money without reining in ICE's lawless and abusive actions.

2: Join the Next No Kings Protest

On March 28, millions of Americans will mobilize for the third No Kings national day of action against President Trump's abuses of power and ICE’s deadly actions in Minnesota and beyond. Sign up to attend and bring three friends with you to your local event.

• Review this important resource guide before protesting
  Protests can be simultaneously joyful and intense. This guide includes important information on lawful protest, reducing risks, protecting your digital privacy, and staying safe when exercising your rights.

3: Share “Know Your Rights” Materials

In moments of heightened federal presence, especially when communities face additional surveillance and intimidation, it’s essential that people have access to clear, actionable information about their rights. The ACLU has information on immigrants’ rights, protestors’ rights, your rights when encountering law enforcement and military troops, and more. Read these “Know Your Rights” materials and share them across your social media platforms and directly with at least five friends or family members.

4: Show Solidarity with a Yard Sign

Show your neighbors what you stand for. Get a “We the People” lawn sign — or make your own with friends — and display it proudly to show your community you’re fighting for a free America.

5: Sign up to be an ACLU People Power Member

Our volunteers come from every corner of the country to defend civil liberties and stand up to injustice. With threats to our freedoms accelerating at an alarming rate, we need all hands on deck. Join People Power to stay connected to urgent actions, trainings, and monthly action calls— and to become a part of the resistance.