Best of Stanford Legal: Inside the ACLU’s Docket with Anthony Romero
Summary
Stanford Legal host Pam Karlan interviews ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero about the organization’s massive legal workload under the Trump administration. They discuss the Supreme Court challenge to birthright citizenship, the erosion of due process, and the government’s disregard for court orders. Romero highlights the ACLU’s efforts to defend civil liberties against executive overreach and mass deportations, noting a concerning retrenchment by some law firms and philanthropists.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Stanford Legal and guest Anthony Romero
The surge in ACLU caseload under the Trump administration
Law firms pulling back and challenges to pro bono support
Historical parallels: Palmer Raids and institutional courage
Birthright citizenship challenge and the 14th Amendment
Potential chaos of ending birthright citizenship
ACLU's three buckets of work: targeting, rights, and rule of law
Government non-compliance with court orders and monitoring
Future outlook: Executive power vs. congressional oversight
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