Civil and Human Rights Coalition: Trump’s First 100 Days Marked by Utter Contempt for Civil Rights

WASHINGTON—Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the upcoming “first 100 days” of the administration of President Donald J. Trump:

“In the first 100 days of his presidency, Donald Trump has shown utter contempt for the protection of civil rights and civil liberties, especially for marginalized communities. He has acted with a total disregard for the rule of law while displaying a woeful naiveté for how our government works. Rather than use this period to bring our country together to address our challenges and build a better future, Trump has governed as divisively as he campaigned.

“Enabled by a Republican Congress, Trump has filled key posts with people like Jeff Sessions and Betsy DeVos who are intent on undoing much of the progress we’ve made. His Supreme Court nominee had a clear record of ruling against women, working people, students with disabilities, victims of discrimination, and other disadvantaged communities.

“Trump has consistently sought to roll back the progress America has made, especially during the Obama administration. Despite vowing as a candidate to help working families, his policies and proposals – including his shameless budget proposal that would cut $54 billion from vital public safety and social service programs – would only make things harder for them. Trump also tried to ram through a disastrous health care bill that would take Medicaid as well as insurance coverage away from 24 million Americans. And with his tax proposal this week, Trump continues to seek to rig the economy in favor of the wealthy on the backs of all other Americans.

“The Trump administration has pursued a growing list of atrocious policies in many other areas, including imposing the Muslim travel ban, rescinding guidance on protecting transgender students, backing away from consent decrees that hold troubled police departments accountable, and ramping up an indiscriminate deportation force to terrorize immigrant communities. His obsession with the thoroughly debunked claims of rampant voting fraud also represents a growing threat to our democracy.

“We take heart that multiple federal courts have served as an appropriate check on this administration, and we continue to advocate for a strong, independent judiciary. Congress must also do its duty as a co-equal branch and conduct proper oversight on this executive. The Leadership Conference will remain vigilant and continue to hold President Trump and his administration accountable on the issues that affect our communities while working to achieve equal justice and opportunity for all Americans. We hope that the President will reflect on the many failures of his first 100 days and recalibrate his governing to truly serve all Americans.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.