Trump Administration Attacks the Rule of Law by Threatening Attorneys
CONTACT: Anto Chavez, Communications Manager
786-218-1413 | communications@immigrationequality.org
New York, NY (March 25, 2025) — This weekend, the Trump Administration issued a presidential memorandum titled “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court,” which threatens sanctions and other unspecified action against attorneys who represent asylum seekers or who litigate against the Trump administration’s illegal policies. The memo makes the unfounded assertion that immigration attorneys are acting improperly in their efforts to represent people in an increasingly complex and restrictive immigration system.
Bridget Crawford, Immigration Equality’s Director of Law and Policy, issued the following statement:
“President Trump’s memorandum attacking attorneys is a gross abuse of executive authority that strikes at the very heart of our democracy. Make no mistake – the Trump administration has no intention of upholding the rule of law. To the contrary, the President has regularly targeted judges. Now, he is taking aim at attorneys who represent asylum seekers and attorneys who sue to have his illegal policies overturned. While this memo claims to be an attempt to address attorney misconduct, do not be fooled. That assertion is a vicious lie. What the President is really trying to do, is to frighten attorneys and law firms away from protecting democracy.
Immigration Equality and our pro bono partners pride ourselves on the fact that we uphold the very highest ethical standards in representing clients, many of whom have been brutally persecuted because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. When we file lawsuits to oppose illegal and discriminatory policies, we do so regardless of the political party in power. Collectively we devote our lives and careers to ensuring that we have a fair and just legal system.”
Aaron C. Morris, Immigration Equality’s Executive Director, issued the following statement:
“The President’s memorandum seeks to threaten immigration lawyers, the integrity of our legal system, and the very principles of due process. Attorneys should not be afraid to do what is right in America. We took an oath to zealously advocate for our clients and to defend the Constitution, and that is exactly what we will continue to do. On Friday, the President made immigration lawyers and impact litigators the canaries in the coal mine. All of us must fight this attempt to erode and erase the rule of law. Every single attorney in the United States should be screaming from the top of their lungs at this injustice.”
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For 30 years, Immigration Equality has promoted justice and equality for LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants, winning major victories in the courts and in Congress.
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