Public Rights Project

📣 Just filed: More than 40 local governments and leaders defend health care access Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief on behalf of 42 local governments and leaders in support of continued Medicaid funding for health care providers, including Planned Parenthood. The federal government is unlawfully targeting the largest nationwide provider of essential reproductive and family planning health care for ideological reasons. Stopping Medicaid funding to qualified providers like Planned Parenthood will harm millions of people and burden local governments. Our brief urges an appeals court to keep a previously ordered preliminary injunction in place, ensuring that Medicaid funding is disbursed as the case moves forward. Why this matters: ☑️ Millions rely on Medicaid to access care from qualified providers like Planned Parenthood — including preventive screenings, sexual and reproductive health services, and health education. ☑️ Fewer providers means greater strain on local health systems and worse health outcomes. ☑️ Local governments will face increased financial burdens to fill the health care gap at a time when other federal funding is already jeopardized. We’re proud to support the local government leaders who are committed to protecting the well-being of their residents. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dEFThkaR

📣 104 local governments and leaders back Illinois and Chicago in opposing unlawful use of the National Guard Public Rights Project joined a coalition of cities and states urging the court to block the Trump administration’s attempt to use the U.S. National Guard as a political weapon. Soldiers in our streets should never be an acceptable tool of governance. The administration is seeking to deploy the National Guard against the City of Chicago — a move that legal experts and local leaders say violates the Constitution and undermines public safety. The amicus brief warns that allowing this kind of federal overreach would set a dangerous precedent for all communities to allow the president to target any city, anywhere and at any time — without justification or reason. It was filed on behalf of 104 local governments and leaders across the country representing tens of millions of people. This case is about more than one city or one moment. It’s about whether we allow American cities and our communities to become the playground for political targeting and retaliation. Across the country, a growing chorus of voices are standing up for constitutional limits, public safety, and the right of local governments to serve their communities free from political interference. 🔗 Read more about the filing: https://lnkd.in/g8E7sknX #RuleOfLaw #Democracy #LocalPower #CivilRights #Accountability

📣 100 local governments and leaders defend Portland and Oregon in National Guard deployment fight Last night, 100 local governments and leaders, representing millions of Americans, joined together to urge an appellate court to continue to block the Trump administration’s attempt to illegally federalize the National Guard in Portland. Public Rights Project filed an amicus brief on the coalition’s behalf. Not only does this move threaten to incite violence where there is none, it also weaponizes federal power against cities that the administration disagrees with — undermining the constitutional rights of local governments to oversee their own public safety. Our coalition’s message is clear. There is no legal or factual basis for this deployment. The Constitution entrusts local leaders — not the federal government — with the task of managing law enforcement in their communities. The harms of deploying the National Guard in cities are real. Increased risk of violence or missteps: Military troops aren’t trained like local police to handle protests, nor are they knowledgeable about local protocols. Local law enforcement is best positioned to ensure public safety in their communities. Economic disruption: A visible military presence can deter tourism and harm local businesses. Erosion of community trust: Residents report heightened anxiety, and local leaders risk losing the hard-earned trust that sustains effective public safety. Sending the National Guard into U.S. cities without cause isn’t a show of strength — it’s a brazen abuse of power that will lead to chaos and fear. We stand with Portland and Oregon, as well as the 97 other local governments and leaders, in defending local government autonomy and public safety. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/emV6XaKD

📣 Just filed: 29 local governments challenge Trump administration’s attack on more than $350 million in disaster funding. Public Rights Project and a coalition of local governments filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s attempts to put conditions on grants administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We urge the court to block the Trump administration’s illegal efforts to impose its policy preferences on immigration enforcement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Our message is clear: the federal government can’t strong arm local communities by withholding funding that Congress has already approved for unrelated emergency planning and management services. At the heart of the case is funding that supports everything from fire department equipment and public education programs to port security, terrorism response, and disaster mitigation planning. We’ve seen this cruel and unlawful tactic before, and we won’t back down. Cutting off emergency management funding doesn't make anyone safer — it only creates harm and slows recovery. We will not stand by while communities are attacked for standing up for themselves. Learn about the case: https://lnkd.in/eQ2hAJj3

More than 3,700 nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations have signed a unified letter condemning the Trump administration’s illegal efforts to silence charitable groups. From healthcare to housing, religious liberty to environmental justice, these organizations serve communities every day, and they are being targeted for it. These attacks are an abuse of power and a threat to the First Amendment. The nonprofits being attacked represent the moral backbone of our country. We won’t allow political retaliation to undermine their work. Read the full letter here and stand with us. https://lnkd.in/eUBuFrqp

🚨 Just published in The Hill: a joint op-ed from Public Rights Project and King County, WA! To keep communities running, local governments are suing Trump — and winning 🔗 http://bit.ly/46VutI5 Federal funds are the lifeblood of local communities. They keep health clinics open, buses running, and families safe in times of crisis. Those dollars belong to the people — not as leverage for unlawful conditions. We partnered with King County to expose how unlawful federal grant conditions punish local governments for doing the right thing and strip resources from the very communities those funds are meant to support. Thank you to King County for your powerful collaboration and steadfast leadership. 📢 Read and share the full op-ed: http://bit.ly/46VutI5 #CivilRights #LocalPower #ImmigrantJustice #PublicRightsProject #KingCounty #FederalFunding #ConstitutionalAccountability

You’re invited to Public Rights Project’s Q4 Funder Briefing: How you can protect free and fair elections October 15 | 2–3 p.m. ET | Zoom Election officials across the country are preparing to face disinformation, intimidation, and political interference — often with too few resources and too little support. Join us for a timely conversation with: Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds (MI) Commissioner LISA MARIE DEELEY, Philadelphia City Commissioner (PA) Mimi Marziani, PRP board member & co-founder, Marziani, Stevens & Gonzalez PLLC (TX) We'll explore the challenges ahead and how PRP’s Election Protection Hub is equipping local leaders to meet this moment. Register here: https://bit.ly/46lwcGD #ElectionProtection #Democracy #PublicRightsProject #LocalLeadership #2026Elections

Local governments are on the frontlines of defending democracy — and now they have more support behind them. Public Rights Project is honored to receive a $150,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation, part of a $10 million initiative to protect democratic values, respond to federal threats, and strengthen nonprofits in crisis. This funding will help us scale legal support for city attorneys and local leaders advancing civil rights every day. Read more: https://bit.ly/3K8dpG8

Today is Constitution Day — a moment to reflect not just on the founding ideals of our democracy, but on what it takes to protect them. At Public Rights Project, we believe the Constitution isn’t just a document. It’s a living promise of equal justice, civil rights, and accountable government. And even though that promise has historically excluded too many, it only holds if we fight for it — particularly at the state and local levels, where our most urgent civil rights battles are unfolding. From defending reproductive freedom to challenging federal overreach, our work is grounded in the belief that every government, at every level, has a role to play in advancing equity and protecting civil rights. On Constitution Day, we’re reminded that protecting democracy is not passive. It’s participatory. #ConstitutionDay #PublicRightsProject #CivilRights #LocalPower #ProtectDemocracy

🚨Amicus brief filed: Defending the Voting Rights Act This week, Public Rights Project joined the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus (LLBC) to defend the Voting Rights Act. Our amicus brief offers an important perspective that will be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court. Louisiana and a group of white voters are challenging Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map, which includes the addition of a second Black-majority district after a federal district court found that the prior map violated the Voting Rights Act. The brief argues that the updated map follows the law and is critical at a time when efforts to weaken Black political power are on the rise. The court’s decision will have major implications for Louisiana and also determine how other states draw voting districts in the future. Across the country, we’re seeing efforts to weaken the power of Black voters and legislators. We must leverage the tools we have to fight racial discrimination at the polls. Protecting elections is core to Public Rights Project’s work and we are grateful to the members of LLBC for sharing their first-hand experiences of the barriers they face and standing up for their communities. #PublicRightsProject #VotingRights #CivilRights