Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), born in the wake of the 2016 election and representing a network of over 125,000 attorneys nationwide, strongly condemns President Trump's recently announced executive orders that threaten constitutional rights, environmental protections, and equal rights under the law and calls on attorneys across the country to join them in defending those rights.

"These executive orders are not just policy changes – they represent a calculated assault on the Constitution and rule of law," said Traci Feit Love, Founder and Executive Director of Lawyers for Good Government. The administration is attempting to weaponize executive power to bypass Congress and the Constitution itself. We stand with the communities whose rights are under attack and we will use our skills to resist oppression in all forms. As lawyers, we remain resolute in our commitment to preserve democracy, protect civil, environmental, and human rights, and uphold the Rule of Law."

Of particular concern are orders that would:

• Immigration:

• End birthright citizenship protected by the 14th Amendment

• Deploy military forces for domestic border enforcement

• Eliminate asylum protections and reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" program

• Climate Change and Environmental Justice:

• Halt Inflation Reduction Act funding and default on community obligations

• Change the endangerment finding to stop regulating greenhouse gases

• Dismantle environmental justice programs and weaken the National Environmental Protection Act

• Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement

• Civil Rights:

• Roll back protections for transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals

• Dismantle federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

The legal implications of these orders are profound and troubling. For example, the attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action directly contradicts a right rooted in common law and guaranteed by the 14th Amendment for more than 150 years, that anyone born in the United States is automatically an American citizen.  

"The executive orders targeting asylum seekers and immigrants represent a dangerous overreach that violates both U.S. and international law," said Estuardo Cifuentes, Program Manager of Project Corazon at L4GG and an asylee. "Having gone through the asylum process and lived through the previous ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy myself, I know these orders would effectively demolish humanitarian protections that save lives. Project Corazon is already preparing rapid response teams to support impacted communities and challenge these unlawful measures. We will not allow the executive branch to dismantle the asylum system unilaterally. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the integrity of the asylum system in the United States, ensuring that due process and legal obligations are respected and enforced for those seeking safety and protection."

"The executive orders attempting to dismantle environmental protections, the Inflation Reduction Act, and existing federal obligations ignore both science and law," said Jillian Blanchard, Vice President of Climate Change and Environmental Justice at L4GG. "These actions violate the Constitution, and any number of critical laws, including the Impoundment Control Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act, and would cause irreparable harm. They also attempt to flout the clear Constitutional mandate that Congress holds the power of the purse by shifting environmental funding decisions to the Executive. That’s not how the federal government works. We will continue to collaborate with our partners at other national organizations, governors' offices, and state attorneys general to resist implementation of these orders, protect existing climate initiatives, and defend vulnerable communities from these illegal rollbacks. The administration cannot simply erase its legal obligations to protect the environment and communities with the stroke of a pen."

“Despite what these Executive Orders claim, this country is still responsible for correcting the legacy of discrimination based on race, sex, and yes, gender identity,” said Khadijah M. Silver, Supervising Attorney for Civil Rights at L4GG. “Trump’s orders eradicating acknowledgment of nonbinary people and targeting transgender individuals directly contradict the Supreme Court's decision in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which established that discrimination based on gender identity is a form of sex discrimination prohibited under federal law. Stripping protections for transgender people in federal custody also runs afoul of the  Equal Protection Clause and Eighth Amendment. We will support state governments and organizations who stand up to these abuses of power.”

L4GG is mobilizing attorneys across the country to support our partners and affected communities through coordinated pro bono legal assistance. Lawyers and advocates interested in volunteering with L4GG should fill out our Volunteer Mapping Survey at L4GG.org/Survey. Our organization, which has provided over $100 million in pro bono legal services since 2016, stands ready to defend constitutional rights through comprehensive policy research, pro bono legal assistance, and support for frontline organizations.

We are preparing to:

• Conduct comprehensive legal research and policy analysis on the executive orders

• Provide technical and legal assistance to state and local governments seeking to protect their residents

• Support affected communities with direct legal services

• Coordinate with coalition partners to maximize impact of legal responses

• Deploy rapid response teams to address immediate humanitarian needs and violations of law

"Since our founding, our organization has centered those most harmed by divisive, discriminatory policies," Love emphasized. "We are steadfastly committed to defending civil rights and individual freedoms, and will ensure our partners and allies in government have the legal information they need to combat policies that erode the progress we have fought so hard to achieve. We will not back down."

As we face these unprecedented challenges, L4GG remains resolute. We will continue to mobilize the legal profession to protect vulnerable communities, our democracy, and the environment, even when victory feels distant.