Democratic Attorneys General: 100 Damaging Days of Trump, but We Are Fighting Back | Opinion

Over the past 100 days since Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump's administration has been acting as if they are above the law, launching a full-scale assault on our democracy, our rights, and the rule of law. As state attorneys general, we've had no choice but to fight back, filing nearly 20 lawsuits to stop their reckless agenda.

We've been here before. During Trump's first term, Democratic attorneys general brought over 150 legal challenges against his policies. We won critical victories that protected immigrant families, members of the LGBTQ community, the environment, and health care access. But this time Trump is acting faster, going farther, ignoring court orders, and showing no signs of slowing down.

That's why we're responding with everything we've got.

Hours after his second inauguration, Trump issued an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship—an extreme move that would strip the citizenship of U.S.-born children of immigrant parents. This is not only morally reprehensible, but it's a direct violation of the 14th Amendment. Within days, we filed suit to block the order. And we won. The Constitution is clear—citizenship is guaranteed to all people born on American soil, and we will defend that.

Trump's attack on birthright citizenship is just one example of a larger, horrifying pattern—a presidency unbound by precedent, marked by an abuse of authority, motivated by division, and willing to trample individual rights for political gain. In his first 100 days as president, Trump has:

—Launched a draconian immigration crackdown, reviving and expanding family separation policies at the border, pushing mass deportations without due process, and targeting long-time visa-holding residents for removal. We are fighting them in court and offering legal guidance for our residents to help immigrant families stay in the communities they call home.

—Moved to defund and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government and in public institutions. The chilling effects are already clear—schools are losing federal funding, corporations are scrubbing DEI initiatives, and government agencies are erasing any mention of diversity.

—Tried to roll back environmental safeguards, giving the green light to polluters and attempting to undermine state authority to enforce clean air and water protections.

—Threatened the legal industry by warning law firms that have challenged him in court that they may face retaliation unless they bend to his demands. This is not just unethical, it's a fundamental threat to the independence of the legal system.

—Canceled millions of dollars of funding for law enforcement, including gun violence prevention programs, police training, mental health support for law enforcement, and crime victim advocacy programs.

—Attempted to cut federal funding that would roll back research efforts on cancer, women's health, and diseases like Alzheimer's. Fortunately, a judge blocked the NIH funding cuts, but putting patients at risk shows just how low this administration is willing to go.

It's up to Democratic attorneys general to step up and fight back. But we're not just fighting back in court; we're showing up in our communities and making sure our constituents know that their voices matter. Across the country, Democratic attorneys general are holding town halls to hear directly how Trump's agenda is affecting their lives. We're hearing from parents worried about losing their child's health care, immigrants terrified of being rounded up and deported, and researchers who've lost funding for critical research into deadly diseases.

These conversations aren't just powerful, they're essential to help us understand the real-life implications of Trump's ill-conceived plans and inform our legal strategies to block these policies. As attorneys general, we are not just legal officers; we are public servants with a duty to protect the people above all else.

Meanwhile, what are our Republican colleagues doing to protect their constituents? Instead of standing up to Trump's harmful extremism, they're enabling Trump's dangerous, legally dubious policies—defending them in court and using the power of their offices to advance his political agenda. Their silence and complicity in the face of a devastating constitutional crisis speak volumes, and their inaction will be remembered.

The job of attorneys general is to enforce the law, defend democracy, and keep our communities safe. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal—from filing lawsuits and issuing legal guidance to showing up in our communities and collaborating with our Democratic colleagues—to meet this moment and fight for the people.

We won't let the Trump administration erase hard-won progress. And we will not stand by as they attack vulnerable communities who deserve protection, not persecution.

Make no mistake, the next four years will test the strength of our institutions and the will of the people, but Democratic attorneys general are committed to this fight.

Kathy Jennings is Delaware's attorney general.

Kwame Raoul is Illinois' attorney general.

The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.