Over 440 Civil Rights, Faith, and Labor Organizations Call Department of Justice Indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center a “Naked Attempt to Weaponize the the Criminal Justice System to Silence Speech”
National Coalition Urges Congress to “Put a Stop to It” Ahead of House Judiciary Committee Hearing on SPLC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Nonprofits Together joined more than 440 civil and human rights, faith, environmental, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions demanding Congress to stand up to the Department of Justice’s baseless criminal charges against the decades-old, prominent, civil rights organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). In an open letter to Congress ahead of a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the matter, the signers called out the Trump Administration’s political weaponization of the Department of Justice.
“This is a transparent effort to silence and discredit an organization that has worked tirelessly to serve our communities, protect our rights, and hold violent extremists accountable,” the signers wrote. “The indictment against the SPLC has no basis – it is a naked attempt to weaponize the criminal justice system to silence speech and activities this administration dislikes. We call on you to put a stop to it.”
In their joint letter, the organizations expressed their frustration with the politicization of the rule of law, called on Congress to step up its oversight of the Administration, and asked for transparency regarding the indictment of SPLC. The coalition’s letter details a pattern of abuse that extends far beyond SPLC, including threats to designate civil rights organizations as domestic terrorists, billions of dollars in federal grants terminated without justification or due process, targeted government investigations designed to chill lawful speech and civic participation, and civil rights laws turned against the very communities they were designed to protect.
Earlier this year, the Trump Administration continued its attacks on their perceived political enemies with trumped up charges against SPLC. Whistleblower reports alleged the indictment was rushed through despite serious concerns. SPLC has spent more than 50 years fighting back against hate and extremism in America. This attack against a civil rights stalwart came as the Supreme Court recently gutted the Voting Rights Act and southern states worked to deny equal representation for Black voters.
At today’s hearing, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President and CEO, Maya Wiley, will testify. Leaders across the country are speaking out in support of SPLC and against the Trump Administration’s efforts.
The full letter and list of signers is below.
May 20, 2026
Dear Member of Congress:
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Nonprofits Together, and the undersigned ___ civil and human rights, faith, environmental, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions unequivocally condemn the criminal charges brought by the Trump Administration against the Southern Poverty Law Center. This is a transparent effort to silence and discredit an organization that has worked tirelessly to serve our communities, protect our rights, and hold violent extremists accountable. The indictment against the SPLC has no basis – it is a naked attempt to weaponize the criminal justice system to silence speech and activities this administration dislikes. We call on you to put a stop to it.
The criminal indictment of one of our nation’s most prominent civil rights organizations is the latest example of a long pattern of abuse of power by this administration. President Trump has not been coy about radicalizing the Department of Justice to attack his perceived political enemies. The Administration has repeatedly trampled legal, constitutional, and ethical norms to persecute its peaceful critics. It is targeting groups that check abuses of power and strive to ensure that democracy belongs to all of us – including civil rights, community-based, humanitarian, and faith-based organizations around the country.
This is a coordinated strategy to consolidate power by seeking to eliminate institutions capable of challenging it.
As the Trump administration aggressively moves to dismantle civil and human rights safeguards in areas such as voting, education, housing, gender equity, employment, health care, and immigration, it is also stepping up its attacks on nonprofit organizations, advocates, and watchdogs that have been exercising their right to speak out, organize, advocate, and litigate against these actions. In the past year, we have seen countless examples of this, including:
- Threats to designate civil rights and community groups as “domestic terrorists” and revoke their nonprofit status;
- Billions of dollars in federal grants terminated or frozen, leaving deep holes in life-saving community services, without justification or due process;
- The weaponization of executive branch agencies to undertake targeted government investigations aimed at discouraging lawful speech and chilling public participation and association;
- Public intimidation campaigns designed to isolate and discredit community and faith organizations;
- Coercion of law firms, universities, the press, corporations, faith leaders, and nonprofits to sever long-standing relationships with vulnerable communities and bow to the will of the Administration out of fear of government retaliation;
- Civil rights laws weaponized against the very communities they were designed to protect; and
- Acts of discrimination, violence, and wanton extrajudicial killings by federal agents being left uninvestigated and unpunished.
This administration’s unprecedented leveraging of government power against its political enemies is causing a level of damage to our democracy, rule of law, economy, and global standing that may take decades to undo. It is past time for Congress to step up and meaningfully exercise its authority as a critical check on the executive branch. For starters, we urge you to use your oversight authorities to demand the following information from the Administration:
- Communications Regarding the SPLC Indictment
- All communications between the White House and DOJ regarding the indictment of the SPLC.
- Records of any meetings between White House staff and DOJ leadership specifically about SPLC or similar organizations.
- All communications between the White House, DOJ, and other federal agencies or officials and financial institutions regarding SPLC.
- Targeting of Nonprofit and Advocacy Organizations
- A complete list of all nonprofits, advocacy organizations, law firms, or individuals flagged for investigation by the DOJ or IRS since January 2025.
- The complete list compiled by the FBI under Section 3 of NSPM-7 of groups or entities engaged in acts that may constitute domestic terrorism, including the criteria and methodology used to populate that list.
- Communication records between the White House, DOJ, and other federal agencies or officials regarding the targeting of nonprofit organizations for investigation.
- Internal DOJ prosecutorial guidelines or directives issued since January 2025 regarding nonprofit organizations.
- IRS communications with the White House or DOJ regarding tax-exempt status reviews of nonprofit organizations.
- Outside Coordination and Financial Pressure
- Communications with banking regulators regarding financial institutions’ relationships with specific nonprofit organizations, including SPLC.
- All communications between the White House, DOJ, IRS, FinCEN, DHS, and outside organizations regarding the identification of nonprofit targets for investigation, or investigations into nonprofit organizations.
For decades, the SPLC has been at the forefront of working to dismantle violent hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. Its employees have repeatedly put their own safety on the line in order to do so. The fact that the SPLC is facing criminal charges for its work only shows how much more work the SPLC has to do.
As it faces this latest attack by extremist forces, we will stand with it – and the principles it has spent 55 years fighting to uphold – every step of the way. We urge you to do the same. History will remember those who stood up in this moment and those who stayed silent.
Sincerely,
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Nonprofits Together
1 Million Madly Motivated Moms (1M4)
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Action Center on Race and the Economy
Advocacy for Principled Action in Government
Advocates for Youth
Afghan Legal Empowerment Portal
AFT
Alliance for Justice
America’s Voice
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Atheists
American Civil Liberties Union
American Constitution Society
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
American Humanist Association
American Library Association
American Oversight
American Russian-Speaking Association for Civil & Human Rights (ARA)
Americans Against Government Censorship
Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund
Americans for Tax Fairness
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Amnesty International USA
Andrew Goodman Foundation
Aqui: The Accountability Movement
Arab American Institute (AAI)
As You Sow
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
Asian Law Caucus
Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL)
Asylum Access
Autistic People of Color Fund
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (c4)
Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Branch4
Brennan Center for Justice
Campaign Legal Center
CEEJH INC — Center for Engagement Environmental Justice and Health
Center for Applied Environmental Law & Policy
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Environmental Health
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Center for International Environmental Law
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Center for Policing Equity
Center for Public Representation
Center for Responsible Lending
CenterLink Inc
Charity & Security Network
Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Civic Shout Foundation
Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues
Climate Communications Coalition
Climate Museum
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Coalition on Human Needs
COLAGE
College Matrix
Coming Clean
Common Cause
Common Counsel Foundation
Community Change
Compassion & Choices
Conceivable Future
Constitutional Accountability Center
Consumer Action
CorpGov.net
Council for Global Equality
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Court Accountability
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Defend Public Health
Defend the Vote Action Fund
Democracy 21
Democracy Defenders Fund
Democracy Fund
Demos
Desert Advocacy Media Network
Desiree Alliance
Detention Watch Network
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Diversity in Aquatics
Drug Policy Alliance
Earth Island Institute
Earthworks
Economic Policy Institute
EdTrust
Education Law Center
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)
Environmental Protection Network
Equal Rights Advocates
Everybody Votes Campaign
Fair Count
Fair Elections Center
Fair Fight Action
FairVote
Feminist Majority Foundation
Five Oaks Consulting, Inc.
Fourth Branch Action
Free Press Action
Free Speech For People
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Freedom Trainers
Freedom Writers Collaborative
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Friends of the Earth
Fund for Leadership Equity Access and Diversity (LEAD Fund)
Get Free
GIFFORDS
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law)
Grantmakers in the Arts
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
GreenLatinos
Harm Reduction Therapeutics, Inc.
Health in Partnership
HIAS
Hispanic Federation
Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights First
Ibis Reproductive Health
If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice
Impact Fund
Inclusion Allies Coalition
Indivisible
Institute for Constitutional Advocacy & Protection
Interconnected Justice
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
International Refugee Assistance Project
Japanese American Citizens League
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Just Futures Law
Justice for Migrant Women
Justice in Motion
Justice Outside
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP)
League of Conservation Voters
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
League of Women Voters
Legal Defense Fund
MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund)
Media and Democracy Project
Minorities in Shark Sciences
Mosaic Changemakers
Movement Advancement Project
Movement Strategy Center
MoveOn
MPower Change Action Fund
Muslim Advocates
Muslims for Progressive Values
National Abortion Federation
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Association of Social Workers
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Nonprofits
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Education Association
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Media Coalition
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National Immigration Law Center
National Immigration Project
National Institute for Workers’ Rights
National Network of Abortion Funds
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Urban League
National Voter Corps
National Wildlife Federation
National Women’s Law Center
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National Working Positive Coalition
Nature Connection Network
NCNW
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
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New Disabled South Rising
Normandie Foundation
NPNA
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
Oxfam America
Partnership for Southern Equity
PEN America
People For the American Way
People’s Action Institute
Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network
Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE)
Popular Democracy
Pregnancy Justice
Project On Government Oversight
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Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK)
Public Citizen
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Public Rights Project
QWELL Community Foundation
Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center
Ready for Change
RepresentUs Education Fund
Rethinking Schools
Rural Coalition
SAGE
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
Special Horses Inc.
Stand.earth
State Voices
Stop AAPI Hate
Sustainable Advisors Alliance LLC
The Acacia Center for Justice
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The African American Policy Forum
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The National Center for LGBTQ Rights
The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
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The Sikh Coalition
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Third Act Virginia
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U.S. Climate Action Network
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Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Clean Air Council
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Climate Conversation Brazoria County
Communities United Against Police Brutality
Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto
Compass Community Center
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Delaware State Education Association
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Detroit Disability Power
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Earth Ethics, Inc.
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Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace
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