Building a Firewall for Freedom

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Across the nation, the federal government is attempting to dismantle long-standing protections for free speech, privacy, equality, and democracy. But freedom doesn't just live in the courts or in Washington. It begins right here in our local communities. Our state can be part of the first line of defense against federal abuses of power – but lawmakers need to hear from you.

Our Firewall for Freedom campaign aims to protect all of us from unlawful federal interference and abuses of power. When our state refuses to be complicit in unconstitutional acts, when our leaders create legal protections for our communities, and when neighbors look out for each other – that's how democracy endures.

Our state can lead the fight against the cruelty and lawlessness of the federal government. By leveraging the power of our state and embracing our spirit of Freedom and Unity, we have real opportunities to protect the rights and liberties of everyone who calls this state home.

That is why we are asking you to send this message to your elected officials and ask them to commit to joining us in building a Firewall for Freedom here in the brave little state of Vermont.

The recipients:

Your State Senator
Your State Representative
Governor Scott

Context:

That is why we are asking you to send this message to your elected officials and ask them to commit to joining us in building a Firewall for Freedom here in the brave little state of Vermont.

The recipients:

Your State Senator
Your State Representative
Governor Scott

[The Form Label field is hidden on ACLU message action forms]

Your Message

Subject Protect Vermonters from federal abuses of power

I am writing to you today to ask you to support the ACLU of Vermont's Firewall for Freedom campaign. This campaign is working to leverage state power to better protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone who calls this state home. Every day, more Vermonters are feeling the impacts of federal government overreach and abuse of power, and that is why I am asking you to support and advance the following policies.

Immigrants' Rights - No Secret Police
• Protect Sensitive Locations: Prohibit federal agents from making immigration arrests without a judicial warrant in nonpublic spaces in schools and healthcare facilities and expand Vermont's ban on civil arrests at courthouses to other government buildings.
• Provide Access to Counsel for ICE Detainees: Provide access to free legal representation to people held in state facilities for alleged civil immigration violations.
• Require Proper Identification of Law Enforcement Officers: Prohibit law enforcement officers from concealing their identities so that individuals have recourse for civil rights violations.
• Improve Detention Conditions: Improve access to language and medical services, provide free communications, and restrict exploitive prices at commissary within Vermont's prisons.
• Smarter Stops: Address over-policing and racial disparities in traffic stops by prohibiting stops for minor equipment violations and consent-based searches without probable cause.

Access to Care
• Protect Gender-Affirming Care: Ensure patients and providers have the resources they need to continue to access gender-affirming care in the face of changing federal regulations.

Privacy
• Protect Vermonters' Sensitive Information: Minimize the information that private entities and the government can collect, as well as what data can be sold or shared, to better protect Vermonters' privacy and constitutional rights.

Economic Justice
• Ensure Access to Emergency Housing by providing adequate funding and removing the barriers that have led to underutilization of the program.
• Prevent cruel and unusual punishment of people experiencing homelessness by affirming that the government cannot penalize people for engaging in life-sustaining behavior on public property.
• Fair Share for Vermont: Increase taxes on the wealthiest Vermont residents to raise state revenue and ensure support for essential state government services in the face of unprecedented cuts in federal funds.

Ensure Access to Emergency Housing: Vermont has the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the country, and the need to access General Assistance Emergency Housing services far outstrips the program’s capacity. At the same time, eligible people cannot utilize the program, and budgeted funds are going unspent because of administrative barriers. At the very least, we need to maintain current funding levels for this program and remove the barriers that have led to underutilization of the program.

Message Body

I know that we have significant challenges ahead of us, and I also want you to know that your constituents have your back as you do the work to tackle those challenges head on.

If you have any questions about the ACLU's Firewall for Freedom campaign, feel free to reach out to info@acluvt.org.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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Building a Firewall for Freedom

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