To get to Virginians, President Trump will have to get past us.

RICHMOND, Va. – In response to the 26 executive orders President Trump signed last night, including one denying transgender and nonbinary people’s existence and another attempting to overrule birthright citizenship guaranteed by the Constitution, against which the ACLU has already filed suit, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer released the following statement:

“President Trump’s executive order spree has already impacted vulnerable Virginians and threatened their civil rights and civil liberties. But to fully realize his unlawful agenda in the Commonwealth, Trump will have to rely on the cooperation of state and local leaders. We will hold them to account and make sure they’re clear: Virginia's leaders should not capitulate to his vision.

“As new threats emerge at the federal level, we will fight to protect Virginians’ rights here at home, provide guidance about the legal rights we still have, and be clear with our communities about the exact scope of the threats we’re facing.

“After all, no executive order can change the Constitution. Our statewide presence and deep bench of advocacy tools were made for moments like this. To get to Virginians, President Trump will have to get past us.”