The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday threatened “full firepower” against President-elect Donald Trump if he follows through on campaign promises the organization deemed “unconstitutional.”
“Should President-elect Donald Trump attempt to implement his unconstitutional campaign promises, we’ll see him in court,” the ACLU tweeted after Mr. Trump’s shocking election win.
Anthony D. Romero, ACLU’s executive director, said in a statement that the organization would remain vigilant in defending freedom “no matter who is president.”
“President-elect Trump, as you assume the nation’s highest office, we urge you to reconsider and change course on certain campaign promises you have made,” Mr. Romero said. “These include your plan to amass a deportation force to remove 11 million undocumented immigrants; ban the entry of Muslims into our country and aggressively surveil them; punish women for accessing abortion; reauthorize waterboarding and other forms of torture; and change our nation’s libel laws and restrict freedom of expression.
“These proposals are not simply un-American and wrong-headed, they are unlawful and unconstitutional,” he continued. “They violate the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments. If you do not reverse course and instead endeavor to make these campaign promises a reality, you will have to contend with the full firepower of the ACLU at every step. Our staff of litigators and activists in every state, thousands of volunteers, and millions of card-carrying supporters are ready to fight against any encroachment on our cherished freedoms and rights.
“One thing is certain: we will be eternally vigilant every single day of your presidency and when you leave the Oval Office, we will do the same with your successor,” Mr. Romero’s statement concluded.
The ACLU’s homepage currently asks for donations with a large image of Mr. Trump’s face and the words, “See you in court,” The Hill noted.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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