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U.S. NEWS Monday 13 February 2017
ACLU is seeing a Trump-era surge in members and donations

LARRY NEUMEISTER wise slip into the country.
MICHAEL R. SISAK He predicted the courts
Associated Press will eventually find his order
NEW YORK (AP) — The near- constitutional. Also, Trump’s
ly century-old American business empire has said
Civil Liberties Union says it it will donate profits from
is suddenly awash in dona- any foreign governments
tions and new members as that use his hotels.
it does battle with President The ACLU said it has raised
Donald Trump over the ex- $79 million online from
tent of his constitutional au- nearly 1 million individuals
thority, with nearly $80 mil- since the election. It had
lion in online contributions no immediate figures for
alone pouring in since the contributions made by oth-
election. er means.
That includes a record $24 The boost to the ACLU’s
million surge over two days $220 million budget will al-
after Trump banned peo- low it to spend more on
ple from seven predomi- its state operations, which
nantly Muslim countries Romero said became criti-
from entering the United cal after some legislatures
States. The organization took Trump’s election as a
said its membership has license to promote anti-im- In this Feb. 1, 2017 photo, ACLU of Oregon legal director Mat dos Santos speaks at a news confer-
ence in Portland to announce a federal lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Portland against Presi-
more than doubled since migrant, anti-civil rights and dent Donald Trump’s executive immigration order. President Trump’s immigration order has had a
the election to a record anti-abortion legislation. positive effect of the ACLU’s bottom line. Donations are pouring into the ACLU and the organiza-
of nearly 1.2 million, and its The 1,150-employee ACLU tion said its membership has more than doubled since the election.
Twitter following has tripled. also plans to hire more (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
“It feels like we’re drink- lawyers and staff in New
ing from a fire hydrant,” York and Washington and
said ACLU Executive Di- spend $13 million more on
rector Anthony Romero, citizen engagement, in-
adding that the election cluding protests and lobby-
has brought immigration, ing. That is a new front for
refugee, reproductive, civil an organization that has
and voting rights “to a high primarily been a policy and
boil.” legal group.
“What’s really heartening is Sheryl Douglas, reception-
people are paying atten- ist at the ACLU’s New York
tion. They’re aware of the City headquarters since
crisis on the horizon,” he 1972, has been collecting
said. “There’s a real sense some of the recent emails,
of urgency.” letters and postcards.
After Trump’s election, the “Sic ‘em! Thanks!” read
ACLU greeted the age of one.
Trump on its website and “We commend your heroic
magazine with a fresh slo- efforts,” said another.
gan: “See you in court.” “You give me hope,” yet
That was the same ex- another said.
pression Trump used in his Among the new donors
tweeted response to a fed- was Andrew Mcdonald, 52,
eral appeals court’s deci- of Odessa, Missouri.
sion refusing to reinstate “I’m ashamed to say I
the travel ban. haven’t donated to any
The ACLU has won court organizations in the past,”
orders in New York, Mas- he said. “But things haven’t
sachusetts and Maryland felt so threatening before
against the president’s either. ... This time I felt like
travel ban. It has also filed I couldn’t just sit here and
a Freedom of Information do nothing.”
Act request for documents Another donor, Steve Ber-
on the billionaire’s poten- ke, 35, of Miami Beach,
tial conflicts of interest. And Florida, said: “I think the
it intends to bring a legal ACLU is going to be a
challenge accusing him of huge thorn in the side of
violating the Constitution’s the Trump administration.
Emoluments Clause by ac- Trump has already demon-
cepting payments from strated that he has a thin
foreign governments at his skin when it comes to any-
hotels and other properties. one challenging his author-
Trump has defended the ity or power, but I’m con-
travel ban as critical to fident that the ACLU will
keeping America safe, say- fight to protect American
ing terrorists could other- civil liberties.”q