Immigrant and women’s rights activists say they are on alert for Trump’s new mandate

Organizations that work to ensure the rights of migrants and women in the United States are on alert in the face of the triumph of former president Donald Trump in the recent elections.

In Washington, the director of the Resource Center for Central Americans (CARECEN), Abel Núñez, told the Voice of America that they are “disappointed” because they did not expect a victory from the former president who, in his first government (2017 – 2021) and during the electoral campaign, “has attacked the immigrant community and vulnerable communities.”

Trump has promised mass deportations, but at the same time has insisted that these actions will be dedicated to illegal immigrants.

Núñez said that the national electorate – beyond the feelings of some sectors about immigration – opted for other important issues such as “the economy,” but stated that organizations like CARECEN, which have provided legal assistance to immigrants since 1980, have had to “ plan for a scenario where President Trump would be left with everything he has promised.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also reacted to the victory of the Republican president, who will be sworn in on January 20.

Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said that “while Donald Trump may have been democratically re-elected, a second Trump administration represents a clear and present danger to our democratic norms, processes and institutions.”

However, he said he felt comforted knowing that “our nation is stronger than one man or one political party.”

From the ACLU, a national organization, they are also getting ready and working on contingency plans to see “what illegal action President-elect Trump will take on day one.”

Immigrant ARC, a coalition of about 80 organizations based in New York, also went public with its reaction to Trump’s victory.

“We unequivocally reject the politics of fear and hatred that his campaign promoted” and also questioned that the Republican Party has obtained the majority of the Federal Senate, while control of the House of Representatives is still at stake.

The organization’s executive director, Camille Mackler, said they will continue their work of providing legal services throughout New York state and that they “join immigrant families, asylum seekers and communities of color (…) as “We anticipate the challenges that this new administration may bring.”

Women and reproductive rights

During the campaign, Trump took credit for naming the judges who helped overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, which guaranteed abortion rights in the country.

However, since winning the Republican primary earlier this year, he has sought the support of moderate and independent voters, stating that he would not support a national ban on abortion and that each state should be free to restrict it as they wish.

From the National Action Fund of the Women’s Rights Center (NWLC in English) they considered Trump’s victory as “dark for our democracy” and said it was what “we feared and fought tirelessly to avoid.”

The president of the organization, Fátima Goss Graves, stated in a statement that they remain hopeful that democratic institutions will be able to keep the incoming administration “under control” when the institutions and the people “refuse to bow down.”

The organization also highlighted the results of the referendums in several states where they voted for reproductive rights and health care services is an indicator of the feelings of “millions of people” who endorsed these proposals.

“Armed with knowledge of the Project 2025 agenda, we are prepared. We have already overcome the challenges of the Trump administration before and together we will rise to this challenge,” said Fátima Goss Graves and predicted four “difficult” years ahead for the organization due to the issues it defends.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channelsYouTube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.