Impact Report: March 2025

This African American folk/gospel song kept civil rights movements of earlier times focused on the ultimate goal of reforming our democracy to provide equal justice under the law for all Americans. We must retain this focus on equal justice under the law, despite Trump’s attempt to divert our attention from his goal of disemboweling our democracy and replacing it with an autocracy of billionaires and bigots.

Trump’s early flurry of Executive Orders targeted transgender people and immigrants. This is a calculated repetition of his campaign strategy of demonizing “others” – trans folks, immigrants, people of color, women. Trump then uses the fear of “others” that he has generated to divide Americans.

Trump hypes his divisive orders with a frequency and a fury that distracts us from the comprehensive nature of his attack on our democracy and the rule of law. And herein lies the real danger – sliding down the slippery slope toward autocracy.

Many of Trump’s other Executive Orders are a blatant attack on the rule of law.

• He has politicized and weaponized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to punish his critics, threatening Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez with a criminal investigation for doing a Know Your Rights presentation for immigrants. A DOJ henchman tried to freeze the corporate assets of a company that had lawfully contracted with the federal government for a clean energy project during the Biden Administration.
• He has thumbed his nose at the constitutional requirement that the Senate exercise its “advise and consent” power to confirm presidential nominees, unilaterally granting Elon Musk and his DOGE service the power to “remake the federal government.t” This is code for slashing the federal workforce, cutting agency budgets that were appropriated by Congress, accessing and then controlling Treasury, IRS, and Social Security data bases – threatening the personal privacy and financial security of literally all Americans.
• He has disregarded the explicit protections of the First Amendment with his expulsion of the Associated Press from the White House briefing room for refusing to genuflect to his sophomoric effort to rename the Gulf of Mexico. In another affront to the First Amendment, he has threatened to withhold money from U.S. colleges and universities that allow “illegal” protests (which he did not define) and threated to expel and prosecute students who participate in those protests.
• He has discounted the specific language of the Fourteenth Amendment that says that all persons born in the United States are “citizens of the United States” and, in so doing dishonors not only the Constitution itself but the thousands of Union soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Civil War.
• He “paused” spending of billions of dollars of federal money and grants that had been appropriated by Congress.
  • In Illinois, that pause froze almost $2 billion dollars in federal funds across 14 state agencies, boards and commissions. These dollars — appropriated by Congress — were intended to improve, among other things, Illinois bridges and roads. Every Illinoisan who travels roads in need of repair is affected by this funding “pause.”
  • Similarly, Trump’s unilateral halt of funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development stopped work at the University of Illinois flagship campus that was dedicated to establishing soybean markets in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions. Illinois farmers — the No. 1 producers of soybeans — are hurt by this abuse of power, as are farming communities and the entire state.
  • Illinois also suffered the “pause” of reimbursements for the “Local Food Purchase Assistance Program” which bought fresh products from Illinois farmers and then distributed this food via food pantries and similar programs to help people in need. More than 170 Illinois farmers distributed food to 883 food pantries and outlets under this program.

The real story here is that Trump believes he is the law and can use that law to punish anyone who disagrees with his views. Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he is king and thus “is the law.” These presidential fantasies of unchecked power often are dismissed as fanciful or rhetorical. But the truth is more alarming: his claims are an orchestrated effort to subvert the Constitution and inflict his distorted ideology on all Americans.

He seeks this dominance especially when a state or local government, like those in Illinois, have differing priorities – whether those differences are about enforcement of federal civil immigration law or providing gender-affirming care. Because Trump cannot achieve his national policy aims by democratic means – by acting through Congress – he is attempting to use federal funds to punish cities and states that don’t bend the knee to this wanna-be monarch.

We must do everything in our power to resist this rush to autocracy. The most dangerous thing is for good people to do nothing in the face of such threats.

• We must be truth tellers. We must call out Trump’s handmaidens in Congress when they repeat his lies and when they abdicate their constitutional duties. We must challenge these same members of Congress if they enact a budget with massive cuts to life-saving programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. More than 3.4 million Illinoisans, including 1.4 children, participate in the Medicaid program.
• The ACLU must continue to challenge the systemic threats Trump 2.0 pose to our democracy. We will litigate Trump administration actions that conflict with the U.S. and federal law.
• We must continue to work with Illinois officeholders who want to enhance our state’s firewall protections of civil rights and civil liberties. We must urge those officeholders to enforce, not weaken, such Illinois laws as the Trust Act, which allows state officials to prioritize local public safety needs and to decline to participate in federal civil immigration enforcement.

The ACLU – all of us – must fight this war for the soul of our country. We must continue to challenge specific actions by Trump and his administration that target vulnerable people and groups. And, we must keep our eyes on the ultimate prize of reforming our democracy so that the rule of law does a better job of protecting all Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, gender expression or identification.

Kevin Fee

Kevin Fee, a distinguished lawyer with extensive litigation and trial experience in federal and state courts, has been named the new Legal Director for the ACLU of Illinois. Fee joined the ACLU of Illinois legal team in 2022 after nearly two decades in the Chicago office of Sidley Austin, LLP.

Since joining the ACLU, Fee has worked on a wide range of constitutional issues. Fee has continued to serve as counsel helping to oversee implementation of the ACLU’s consent decree against the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, and also brought suits challenging conditions at two downstate juvenile pre-trial detention facilities—sites where youth as young as 11-years-old were subjected to solitary confinement in a small cell for 20-24 hours each day without access to adequate mental health services or education. (The first lawsuit led to the closure of the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center.) In addition, he has represented community groups and individuals across Illinois when their First Amendment rights were threatened. For example, he advocated for the owner of the UpRising Bakery—a Lake in the Hills business that provided a safe space for LGBTQ+ community members and hosted a drag brunch—when local officials attempted to retaliate against the café following a politically-motivated act of vandalism. Last year, Fee was named as the first director of the Illinois Constitution and Democracy Project at the ACLU of Illinois. Read the full announcement here.

Hear more from ACLU of Illinois Legal Director, Kevin Fee (he/him):

Q: What inspired you to take on the role of Legal Director for the ACLU of Illinois at this time?

A: My time at the ACLU has really been transformative for me personally and professionally; I have loved every minute of my time here.  While I initially specialized in a couple of substantive areas, one thing that became clear to me was that my professional skillset as a general litigator – with experience spanning a lot of very different substantive different areas – made me well-suited to contribute the kinds of strategic insights needed from a Legal Director overseeing a broad range of matters.  I take no joy in the timing of the transition coinciding with a gathering storm of increased threats to civil liberties at the national level, but it certainly focuses the mind on the urgency of the task we face as an organization, which I appreciate and take seriously.  And the current threats we face echo the ones that led me to transition into full-time public interest law to begin with, and I feel our organization is ready to face now more than ever.

Q: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities you see for the ACLU-IL legal department in today’s landscape?

A: One of the biggest challenges we face is the risk that the sheer volume and scale of this regime’s attacks will exhaust Americans who cherish their rights and liberties – our supporters – into a state of numbness or even capitulation.  I believe this is the bet the administration is making with its shotgun strategy of brazen and often incoherent attacks on the ideals and institutions that are the bedrock of American civil society, and it is the classic playbook of the authoritarian.  But while the media did much to play up the “fatigue” theme in its horserace post-election political coverage, we are seeing our supporters more energized by the day as the harm caused by this administration gets closer and closer to peoples’ front doors.  And that is the source of our biggest opportunity: the fact that we are dedicated to advancing values that are broadly shared and central to the American identity.  That does not change with a razor-thin national election result, and it cannot be stamped out through executive order.  I believe the march to real progress has a gravity that can be interrupted and stalled but never resisted.     

Q: Despite today’s challenges, what gives you hope for the future of civil liberties?

A: While the events of the past weeks call to mind some chilling parallels from different societies and moments in history, I take some solace when I reflect on how deeply rooted our democratic institutions really are here in the United States.  They will not break easily.  I also take comfort in the power of states like Illinois to advance their own vision of what America should look like.  And I still believe that when it comes down to it, most Americans believe in the promise of the Constitution and the principles of democracy.  That America will come roaring back, and as my kids say, I’m here for it.

The second Trump Administration is bent on cruel, reckless policies that undermine hard-won constitutional rights and freedoms and foster an environment of discord that fuels animosity towards marginalized communities. We have seen that the Administration will target vulnerable communities, fundamentally reshape the structure of government, and engage in misinformation and disinformation. The ACLU is challenging these abuses of power and others by mobilizing our tools nationwide alongside our partners. Our ongoing work includes:

Protecting Immigrant Communities

The Trump Administration is rolling out their mass deportation and detention agenda. The plan and statements from the Administration have created confusion and fear in communities nationwide, including here in Illinois. We have seen officers in military gear marching through suburban streets, children missing school out of fear of deportation actions, and businesses suffering. The Trump administration is attacking Illinois officials for enforcing our state laws and not participating in this inhumane initiative. With 1 in 25 households having an undocumented immigrant, Trump’s plans threaten to fracture 5.6 million families nationwide. None of this is addressing the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

The ACLU’s Response:

• We sued and received one of the many blocks of the Trump administration’s birthright citizenship executive order.
• We sued the Trump administration over its plan to expand fast-track deportations and efforts to shut down asylum at the border; and we sued for access to immigrants sent to Guantánamo Bay.
• The ACLU’s Border Humanity Project launched the “Letters to America” campaign highlighting experiences of people who have immigrated to the U.S. in search of safety.
• Nationwide we are educating people on their rights when interacting with immigration officers. In Illinois, we are working with community partners and local officials to ensure that Illinoisians know their rights through trainings and providing resources.
• In Illinois, we have pushed back against the Trump administration’s lawsuit against state and local officials for failing to participate in the mass deportation scheme. The Illinois TRUST Act blocks state and local law enforcement from cooperating with immigration enforcement.
• Alongside our partners, we are monitoring whether ICE is violating our settlement in a lawsuit we brought in 2018 after ICE illegally arrested and detained over 100 people in the Chicago area.

Fighting for Trans Rights and Bodily Autonomy

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we are preparing for the second Trump administration to further dismantle abortion access, gender-affirming care, and other life-saving health care. The ACLU is determined to use every tool at our disposal to oppose proposed bans and—where possible—to build firewalls of legislative protections in states nationwide. The Trump Administration is has issued multiple executive orders specifically targeting the trans community.

The ACLU’s Response:

• We filed a lawsuit resulting in a judge temporarily blocking Trump’s executive order aiming to restrict gender-affirming care for folks under 19 years of age.
• We sued the Trump administration for denying passports with correct gender markers to transgender and non-binary people.
• We challenged the Trump administration's executive order banning transgender athletes participating in school sports.
• We sued the Trump administration over the executive order prohibiting gender-affirming care for people in federal prisons. The ACLU of Illinois previously was part of the lawsuit that resulted in the first court decision requiring the federal Bureau of Prisons to provide gender-affirming care to someone under their care.
• The ACLU launched the Freedom to Be campaign to shift the narrative around transgender rights.
• In Illinois, our Human Rights Act contains critical protections based on gender identity, including prohibitions on discrimination in employment, housing, and banking. These protections include the right of every person to use restrooms and changing rooms consistent with their gender identity.
• We have also worked in Illinois to create additional protections for lawful gender-affirming care and created processes to enable all people to have fundamental identification documents that align with their gender identity.

Defending Dissent and DEI

President Trump has promised to silence critics, political opponents, and protestors. The Trump Administration is seeking to use the powers of the federal government to squelch dissent and compel others to comply with their agenda. The Administration has also sought to freeze federal funding to any programs that do not abide by his legally dubious Executive Orders, threatening critical programs many Americans rely on. We are prepared to challenge unlawful attempts to surveil Americans, suppress speech, and undermine democracy.

And we’re already tracking more than 100 attacks on DEI programming and inclusive education that contravene free speech and civil rights protections. The Administration is seeking to install a whitewashed version of American history, claiming the power to install its propaganda in place of decisions about curricula reserved to local school boards. Trump has already threatened federal funding for schools that don’t abide by his directives. The Administration is also seeking to intimidate private employers to abandon DEI efforts.

The ACLU’s Response:

• We joined the legal team for recent Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil who was unlawfully arrested and detained by ICE because of his political views.
• We sued the Trump administration for threatening funding cuts over school’s DEI efforts.
• We filed FOIA requests with over 40 federal agencies seeking transparency about DOGE’s access to our data.
• We sent a letter to Congress asking it to stop the Trump administration’s plan to potentially fire over 200,000 federal employees.
• We continue to support schools’ and universities’ use of race in their admissions processes.
• We will continue to defend protestors, journalists, and others subjected to policing violations at protests, abusive investigations, and wrongful law enforcement actions.
• The ACLU has challenged local school and library censorship in 15 states.
• In Illinois, we are working in the state legislature to pass HB 1077–the Public Expression Protection Act–which would reform and update Illinois’ 20-year-old Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) law to ensure that all First Amendment rights are protected in Illinois.

In the face of these relentless attacks, it’s clear that this chaos is not accidental–it is a deliberate strategy to confuse, distract, and overwhelm us. But we know better. As long as we stay focused, support one another, and take action together, we will protect our communities and defend our rights.

Explore more ways to get involved

Passage of the KIND Act

At the ACLU of Illinois we stand firmly against all forms of family separation and are committed to protecting the rights of children and families in every circumstance. In early February 2025, Governor Pritzker signed the Kinship in Demand Act (KIND Act) into law, marking a positive step forward in improving outcomes for youth under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). This significant legislation prioritizes placing children with relatives, acknowledging the vital role family plays in a child’s development and well-being. By offering relatives the same resources and support as foster parents, the KIND Act reduces trauma and promotes permanency for the child. We commend Senator Mattie Hunter and Representative Marcus Evans for their leadership in securing the passage of this important bill.

2025 Legislative Initiatives

The ACLU of Illinois and our partners are working on important legislation in Springfield to protect and advance our civil rights and liberties. We need your help to ensure these initiatives pass before the legislative session adjourns at the end of May! Find information and ways to take action below:

• End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act: SB 9 will allow a mentally capable, terminally ill adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live the option to obtain a prescription medication they may decide to take so they can die peacefully and end their suffering.
  Take Action: Send a message to your state senator 
• Protect Health Data Privacy Act: HB 3494 aims to safeguard private health care information by assuring that individuals have more control over their data before it is collected, stored, shared or sold to others.
  Take Action: Send a message to your state representative
• Improved Data Collection in Civil Asset Forfeiture Cases: Civil asset forfeiture laws allow law enforcement to permanently take property or money from someone, even if that person is never arrested or convicted of a crime. HB 1628 improves the substance and process of collecting and reporting data about civil asset forfeiture cases.
  Take Action: Send a message to your state representative 
• Public Expression Protection: HB 1077 reforms and updates Illinois' 20-year-old SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law to ensure that all First Amendment rights—freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assemble or petition, and the right of association—are protected in Illinois without the threat of being punished by expensive litigation. 
  Take Action: Send a message to your state representative

learn more and take action

Local Elections Matter

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025 many communities across Illinois will be holding local elections. Up and down the ballot, candidates are seeking public offices that will impact civil rights and liberties in our cities and towns. From policies that determine if ICE can enter your local school, to which books and events are available at your library, local elections matter. Each vote in a local election makes a significant impact on the fight to protect rights and civil liberties in your community.

Make sure to vote your values this election:

• Check with your local election authority to see if your community will be holding an April 1 election (Chicago will not be holding elections)
• Find important resources and dates for voting in this election
• Learn how elected offices that are on your ballot impact your rights

Join Us at the ACLU Lunch on April 4th

Please join us at our annual ACLU Lunch: Fighting for a More Perfect Union on Friday, April 4th at 12:00 PM at the Hilton Chicago and streamed virtually. We look forward to gathering with more than 1,000 members of the ACLU community from across Illinois to recommit to the ongoing fight for civil rights and liberties and raise funds critical to our work. And, we look forward to hearing from our visionary keynote speaker Sherrilyn Ifill on the fight for our future. Ifill is a civil rights lawyer and scholar. From 2013-2022, she served as the President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), the nation’s premier civil rights law organization fighting for racial justice and equality.

The ACLU Lunch is an opportunity to come together to publicly declare that we stand strong as an ACLU community against the injustice and inequality promoted by  the Trump Administration. It is an opportunity to stand up for our immigrant neighbors and asylum seekers, for abortion rights and gender affirming care, for our LGBTQ+ community, for the first amendment rights of everyone in Illinois, and more. We hope you can join us! Sponsorships and tickets are available for purchase here.

If the cost of attending is a barrier, please contact us at lunch@aclu-il.org. We have volunteer opportunities and a limited number of sponsored tickets available.

Community Activator Program Preview

The ACLU of Illinois is launching the Community Activator Program, a new initiative to mobilize supporters across the state in the fight for civil liberties. This program will empower participants to amplify critical issues, take action when it matters most, and bring ACLU advocacy into their own communities. Activators will receive regular updates with key ACLU efforts, messaging, and resources to share with their networks, as well as real-time alerts when urgent issues–such as new lawsuits or time-sensitive legislation–require immediate action. Activators may also help at community events, post materials in public spaces, host gatherings, or organize civic engagement efforts. The ACLU will provide tools, information, and support–and Activators will help bolster our grassroots engagement efforts. The program is designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing participants to engage in ways that fit their interests and availability.

To initiate  this program, we are hosting a sold-out event on Thursday, March 20^th at Pilot Project Brewing in Logan Square! The overwhelming response shows us the enthusiasm for building a statewide network to defend the civil liberty safeguards we have worked to expand and maintain in Illinois. The program will officially launch in the coming weeks. If you or someone you know may be interested, reach out to Luis Gomez at lgomez@aclu-il.org.

New ACLU Community Groups in Rockford and Clark and Coles Counties

Supporters from across Illinois are coming together to form local ACLU community groups, strengthening the ACLU’s presence and impact in every corner of the state. We are happy to announce that we have two new official ACLU Community groups: the Greater Rockford Community Group and the Clark and Coles County Community Group. Both groups were formed in the wake of the 2024 election and aim to bring together interested people locally, and in unison with other organizations in the area, to protect and expand civil rights and liberties. These grassroots efforts are empowering individuals to take action, raise awareness about critical issues, and create lasting change on the local level.

Next Generation Society Updates

In February the Next Generation Society of the ACLU held its annual Membership Drive to grow our community of advocates and supporters committed to defending civil liberties. This year’s drive took on special significance as we ushered Next Gen into its next era, building upon a decade of impact. Through outreach to our ACLU community, we encouraged new and returning members to invest in the fight for justice, strengthening our collective power for the challenges ahead.

As part of the drive, we hosted the Next Gen Happy Hour at SPIN Chicago on February 25th. This event brought together longtime members, new supporters, and ACLU staff for an evening of connection and celebration. This year’s Happy Hour was particularly special as we celebrated Next Gen’s 10th anniversary—a milestone that reflects a decade of advocacy and community. What began as a small but passionate group has grown into a powerful force for change, raising funds, amplifying critical civil rights and civil liberties issues, and ensuring that the next generation remains at the forefront of the fight for justice. As we embark on the next decade, we remain committed to expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and continuing to build a future where civil liberties are protected for all. If you’re interested in joining the Society, find more information here.

Aisha N. Davis (she/her), ACLU of Illinois Senior Policy Counsel, answered the following questions on the importance of local and state officials and local activism.

Q: With so many anti-civil rights and liberties orders and legislation coming out of the Trump Administration and states across the country, why is it so important to continue local activism and engage in local elections?

A: Local activism and local elections are not only important—they are essential ways for us to remain civically engaged and informed about the ways that policies are impacting our daily lives. While there are significant decisions that come out of the federal administration that will no doubt have policy implications across the state of Illinois, our elected officials at the state, county, and municipal level still have authority, and we must remember that we still have the power to advocate for our civil rights and liberties with them. For example, in our advocacy department we have heard concerns directly from community members about what we can do in Illinois to maintain the protections that we have created for marginalized communities—including our robust immigrant communities and our trans and queer siblings—and one of the first things that we remind folks of is that our state laws are still good law. Their (and your) activism with local officials, county commissioners, and state representatives and senators help ensure that our laws are enforced and that the people we put in office remember what we have—and will continue to—fight for. Those conversations with your elected officials demonstrate not only a commitment to community but also remind them that their constituents are who hold them accountable.

Q: What are some actions you would suggest supporters take today?

A: Because we are in the middle of our state legislative session and are seeing what bills may become law soon, my first recommendation would be to find out what bills might touch on an area of interest for you and practice flexing your advocacy skills! To help get started, you can look at the legislative priorities of organizations like the ACLU of IL to find what bills we are working on this year—to make it easier to find our priority bills, we've created a landing page for our initiatives.

Each of these bills touch on a focus area of our civil liberties work, and each represent an opportunity for you to make your voice heard by filing a witness slip, calling your representative or senator, or even visiting an elected official's district office. With any of these actions, you are taking a stand for civil rights and liberties by making sure that your elected official knows that this issue is important to the people they represent. If you want more information about amplifying your voice with elected officials, you can also reach out to our team (kyue@aclu-il.org) for an Advocacy 101 training that will explain both the legislative process and provide an opportunity to practice your advocacy skills.

Fay Clayton

Fay Clayton (she/her) is a retired trial and appellate lawyer whose 38 years of practice included many pro bono cases for the ACLU and other civil rights organizations. She served on the board of the Illinois ACLU for a number of years and has been a donor since she could spare $5 for the cause, in the early 1970s.

Q: Why is the fight to make medical aid in dying available in Illinois important to you?

A: Personal autonomy has always been important to me—as a mother, as a wife, and as a person who’ll die someday. The freedom to plan my family made my career possible, and both of them have brought me great joy. I hope my death will be peaceful, as medical aid in dying allows, and without unnecessary suffering. Like those who’ve used medical aid in dying in states where it’s authorized, I hope to be able to exercise that final element of control and be able to say goodbye to loved ones who survive me.

Q: How have you been involved in this work over the years?

A: I’ve been active with Compassion & Choices (C&C) for a decade. In 2018, at C&C’s request, my friend Missy Fleming and I started its North-Suburban action team. The team has been working with the ACLU and Final Options Illinois, which are also part of the Illinois End-of-Life Options Coalition. Our goal is to educate Illinoisans about this compassionate option and why it should be available to terminally ill adults who choose it.

Q: How can people take action on this issue during the ongoing legislative session?

A: Now that Illinois Senate Bill 9 and House Bill 1328 have been introduced, supporters should contact their State Senators and Representatives to urge them to vote for Illinois’ End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. They can learn more on C&C’s website about this bill and similar laws in the eleven other U.S. jurisdictions where medical aid in dying has been authorized over the past 28 years. Supporters should also ask friends who value personal choices to do the same.

Q: What is giving you hope right now when you think about the future of civil liberties work?

A: Right after the November election, the ACLU’s full-page ad in the New York Times made clear it was going to continue its 100+ year fight for civil liberties and was “not moving to Canada.” The ACLU’s commitment, perseverance, and vigor have helped me renew my own resolve to continue working for civil liberties, including the right to opt for medical aid in dying at the end of life.

Q: What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to?

A: I read the New York Times and watch the PBS News Hour for basic news, and I listen to “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” and Terry Gross for a change of pace. The novel I’m reading now is Percival Everett’s “James,” and I’m enjoying the new “Matlock” series on TV. I also watch Rachel Maddow.

Who Else You Should Know

Compassion & Choices is a national nonprofit dedicated to improving care, expanding options, and empowering everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. In Illinois, medical aid in dying is not currently legal. However, legislation to authorize medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults in Illinois has been recently introduced: the End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (SB 9 and HB 1328) would authorize medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults in Illinois. The Senate version was introduced on January 13, 2025 by Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes, and the House version on January 14, 2025 by Majority Leader Robyn Gabel. The legislation is summarized here.

Send a message to your legislator to urge them to vote YES on medical aid in dying in Illinois.

Hear from Compassion & Choices and ACLU of Illinois staff on the importance of this bill by signing up to attend our event on March 17^that 4:00 PM.

Advocate

• Message your U.S. Representative and Senators: Keep DOGE Out of Our Data
• Message your U.S. Representative and Senators: Protect Birthright Citizenship
• Message your U.S. Representative and Senators: Stop the SAVE Act
• Message your U.S. Senators: Save Medicaid Now
• Tell the Trump Administration: No Mass Deportations
• Message ICE: Free Mahmoud Khalil

Listen

• ACLU At Liberty Podcast: Know Your Immigration Rights
• ACLU At Liberty Podcast: Know Your LGBTQ+ Rights with Chase Strangio

Read

• ACLU of Illinois: How Local Elected Offices on Your 2025 Ballot Impact Civil Liberties
• ACLU National: Trump's Efforts to Dismantle AI Protections, Explained
• ACLU National: The High Costs of Abortion Bans
• ACLU National: The Targeted Chaos of Trump’s Attacks Against International Human Rights Law and Justice

Watch

• Letters to America: Finding Safety After Escaping Persecution
• Family Separated For Six Years

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