The ACLU of Ohio is dedicated to expanding and protecting the civil liberties and civil rights of immigrants and to combat public and private discrimination against them. Laws passed targeting immigrants are eventually extended to all citizens; for this reason, basic civil liberties, like the right to due process, must be protected for everyone. While the Constitution does not give people the right to enter the U.S., it protects them once they are here from discrimination based on race and national origin and from arbitrary treatment by the government.
During the first Trump administration, the ACLU of Ohio urged county sheriffs to resist compliance with mass deportation efforts, advocated against inhumane Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in communities and businesses, supported sanctuary cities, and filed lawsuits on behalf of immigrant detainees during the COVID pandemic.
President-elect Trump has promised that mass deportations are a priority for his second administration, and we are prepared to do everything in our power to preserve the dignity and humanity of immigrants and asylum seekers living in Ohio. Regardless of immigration status, everyone has basic rights that are protected by the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws.
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