Civil Rights Groups Will Not Be Silenced

The following statement was signed by 175 civil rights, faith-based and labor organizations and published by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights:

Whether we’re Black, White, Brown, Latino, Asian, Arab, or Indigenous, Native or newcomer, LGBTQ+ or not, disabled or not, and regardless of faith, we believe in the freedom to speak out against injustice, organize for change, and fight hate and discrimination through peaceful means. It is not just a right, but a duty to the communities we represent. That’s why civil rights groups have criticized acts of this administration and denounced offensive and dangerous rhetoric. 

This administration has made clear its intent to protect discrimination over civil rights and use any opportunity to silence dissent and target nonprofits that oppose its policies. It attacks philanthropic institutions, unions, teachers, and universities that support diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, the freedom to protest and to learn our history. We cannot be silent as they turn government power against our rights.

We continue to unequivocally condemn all forms of violence, including political violence, as our communities have long been targets of white supremacists’ hatred.  America’s civil rights movement is rooted in nonviolence – as championed by Dr. King and Bayard Rustin—from the Montgomery Bus Boycott and  the March on Washington to today’s fight for equal opportunity for all. 

Our communities face the highest rates of hate and violence –including anti-Arab, anti-Asian, anti-Black, anti-homeless, anti-immigrant, anti-Latino, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-Muslim, antisemitic, and gender-based violence— and this administration’s actions and rhetoric have only intensified the dangers of hate crimes and violence by militarizing our cities, demonizing these communities, and enabling mass raids based on race and immigration status.

In an effort to silence opposition, the administration now also threatens to designate civil rights groups as “domestic terrorists,” revoke their non-profit  status, and launch criminal investigations. But no group or individual should be considered a “criminal” for documenting hate incidents, protecting vulnerable communities, and pursuing justice through courts and legislation rather than violence.

The First Amendment protects our right to assemble, petition our government, and speak truth to power. These are not privileges—they are fundamental rights. Our strength has always come from unity built on freedom, not fear; on debate, not silence. When an administration seeks to stifle dissent, it rejects the very spirit that carries this nation forward. That’s why we:

• Call on Congress to reject these attacks and publicly defend organizations exercising their constitutional rights, 
• Call on our allies to speak up now, because in unity, there is strength, and 
• Call on all Americans to recognize this attack for what it is: an assault on the institutions that protect all our rights.

Further attacks will only strengthen our conviction—a conviction driven not by greed, power, or envy, but by the fundamental belief that all people, regardless of race or identity, deserve equality, fairness, and dignity.

Signed by,

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Advancement Project
The Advocates for Human Rights
Advocates for Trans Equality
AFT | Education, Healthcare, Public Services
All Voting is Local
AME Zion Church
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Atheists
American Constitution Society
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
American Humanist Association
Americans for Financial Reform
Amnesty International USA
Andrew Goodman Foundation
Arab American Institute (AAI)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action
Bicgen Foundation Inc
Big Bethel AME Church (Atlanta, GA)
CASA
Center on Faith and Justice, Georgetown University
CenterLink
Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Center for Justice & Democracy
The Center for Racial Equity and Justice
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Civil Rights Movement Archive (CRMA)
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Coalition on Human Needs
Color Of Change
Common Cause
Community Change
Court Accountability Action
Defending Rights & Dissent
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Election Administration Resource Center
End Citizens United
EngageFaith
Equal Justice Society
Fair Elections Center
FairVote
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Get Free
Global Alliance Interfaith Networks
Hispanic Federation
Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights First
interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth
Interfaith Alliance
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
Japanese American Citizens League
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
John Wesley AMEZ Church
Just Future Project
Juvenile Law Center
Kapor Center Advocacy
Lambda Legal
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
League of Women Voters of the United States
Legal Action Center
Legal Defense Fund (LDF)
More Equitable Democracy
Movement Advancement Project
Mt. Calvary AME Church
Muslim Advocates
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
NALEO Educational Fund
National Abortion Federation
National Action Network
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National African American Clergy Network
National Alliance to End Homelessness
National Association of Social Workers
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD)
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy
National Council of Churches USA
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Employment Lawyers Association
National Fair Housing Alliance
National Health Law Program
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Homelessness Law Center
National Immigration Project
National Institute for Workers’ Rights
National Organization for Women
National Partnership on Women & Families
National Redistricting Foundation
National Urban League
National Women’s Law Center
The Natural History Museum
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
The Ocean Project
People For the American Way
Poverty & Race Research Action Council
The Prophetic Convening
Public Citizen
Public Justice
Qweerty Gamers
Race Forward
Reproaction
Reproductive Freedom For All
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
SAGE
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Shriver Center on poverty law
The Sikh Coalition
Sojourners
The Southern Poverty Law Center
Stand Up America
State Voices
Transathlete
United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry
Voices for Progress
The Voter Participation Center
Voto Latino
Washington Office of Public Witness
Women Lawyers On Guard Action Network, Inc.
YWCA USA
100% Democracy: An Initiative for Universal Voting

REGIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL
Adelante Mujeres
Attic Youth Center
California Association of Human Relations Organizations
CalPride
Carolina Missionary Baptist Church
Cascadia Wildlands
Communities United Against Police Brutality
Compass LGBTQ Community Center
DJT JUSTICE NETWORK
Equality California
Equality Community Center
Equality Ohio
First Baptist of Glenarden
First Institutional Baptist Church
Gifts from Liam NFP
Grand Rapids Trans Foundation
Greater Christ Baptist Church
Hope’s Beacon Baptist Church
Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative
Jerusalem Baptist Church
Legal Aid at Work
LGBTQ Center OC
Louisville Youth Group
MarchOnHarrisburg
NC Counts Coalition
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
North Star Fund
Oakland Peace Center
one-n-ten
Operation Grow Inc.
Our Family Coalition
OutCenter Southwest Michigan
Pastors For Florida Children
The Pride Center at Equality Park
Providence Missionary Baptist Church
Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project – QWOCMAP
Rainbow Bridge Community Center
Sacramento LGBT Community Center
Santa Monica Human Relations Council
Second Calvary Baptist Church
SMYAL
The Source LGBT+ Center
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of DeKalb Illinois
Uplift Legacy
Voices of Florida Fund
Western States Center
Women Employed