As news of a Donald Trump presidency sinks in, his action plan for his first 100 days in office has made the rounds online. In the first few months of his administration, Trump proposes ending “illegal immigration act fully,” repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, and lifting the “Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward.”
This – coupled with threats of shuttering Planned Parenthood and his vice president’s shady track record with LGBTQ issues – has many worried that this new administration will put them in harm’s way. And that it’s only a matter of time until their rights are stripped away. As people prepare for the uphill struggles ahead, there are at least some actions people can take now so that they can be protected later.
So with just two months until Trump’s sworn in, here is a to-do list to help you get through the new administration:
1
If you need a visa extension, act now.
Trump has made it clear that he plans to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, but there’s no real clarity on what other actions he plans to take and how they will play out. However, one thing that immigrants with visas can do is file an extension application.
As for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applicants, there’s risk associated with applying for the protection for the first time. The processing of applications will likely take longer than two months, and by then, Trump’s administration may have done away with DACA. This means that paying filing fees – which will increase to $495 in December 2016 – may prove moot and potentially expose the applicant to the Department of Homeland Security.
But My Documented Life – which reached out to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and National Immigrant Law Center – believes that DACA renewals won’t carry a new risk. “In fact, renewing DACA may mean a DACA recipient can have a work permit until it expires one to two years into the next Administration,” the article states. “One risk, however, is again that the renewal might not be adjudicated before Trump becomes President, and the effort and money to renew will be for nothing. People who file to renew soon may be successful, as DACA renewals are currently being processed in 8 weeks with USCIS’ upgraded system.”
My Documented Life also suggests tapping into the Mission Asset Fund, the Mexican Consulate, and other DACA collaboratives’ loans to offset the cost.
2
Consider getting an IUD.
Trump and Mike Pence ran on a pro-life platform. Given this and Pence’s track record when it comes to women’s reproductive rights, many fear that under their administration, birth control pills (which are free under the Affordable Care Act) and abortions will be inaccessible, according to The Cut. In response, some women are considering getting an intrauterine device.
An IUD can protect you from getting pregnant for up to five years. Currently, many insurance companies cover the pricey devices.
3
Contribute to this restroom database to help keep the transgender community safe.
Back in April, Donald Trump said that transgender people should use whatever bathroom they’d like. But Trump and Mike Pence could undo so much of the progress that the LGBTQIA community has gained under the Obama administration. Fortune mostly points to Trump possibly upending the Department of Education’s interpretation of the law that required local schools to “treat transgender students consistent with their gender identity” and affecting an upcoming Supreme Court Case.
But people have reason to believe that a Trump presidency will be disastrous for transgender people. One of the ways that we can rally around the transgender community is to contribute to Refuge Restrooms – a database of restrooms for people who are transgender, intersex, and gender nonconforming.
“When the Safe2Pee website passed out of functionality, it left a hole in our hearts,” the site reads. “Refuge picks up the torch where Safe2Pee left off and makes the vulnerable resource available to those who find themselves in need of a place to pee safely once again. One of the biggest battlefields upon which the fight for transgender rights is taking place daily are restrooms. It seems that every other week a transgender child is made the center of a national news story because they used the restroom assigned to the gender they identify with.”
Add listings here.
4
Donate to Planned Parenthood.
Donald Trump has vowed to shut down Planned Parenthood, but the day Trump won, Planned Parenthood fired off a tweet with one simple message: “These doors stay open.” One way you can help them move forward and continue fighting is by donating money.
But the nonprofit further elaborated on its Facebook page that it’ll continue fighting to give underserved communities the medical access they deserve. “Planned Parenthood has been here for 100 years, and one thing is clear: We will never back down and we will never stop fighting to ensure that Planned Parenthood patients have access to the care they need and for the people who come from communities that need our continued support in this new reality.”
Donald Trump has vowed to shut down Planned Parenthood, but the day Trump won, Planned Parenthood fired off a tweet with one simple message: “These doors stay open.” One way you can help them move forward and continue fighting is by donating money.
But the nonprofit further elaborated on its Facebook page that it’ll continue fighting to give underserved communities the medical access they deserve. “Planned Parenthood has been here for 100 years, and one thing is clear: We will never back down and we will never stop fighting to ensure that Planned Parenthood patients have access to the care they need and for the people who come from communities that need our continued support in this new reality.”
Additionally, President Barack Obama recently made a move that could stop states and Trump from defunding Planned Parenthood. The new proposed rule forbids states from withholding Title X federal family planning money because a clinic offers abortion services. According to the Huffington Post, the new Title X rule will pass after a 30-day public comment period.
5
Visit a center that offers legal immigration services.
A legal service provider will be able to better tell you if there are other immigration options for which you qualify. But this always comes with a risk – with some trying to prey on vulnerable people. The Immigration Legal Resource Center has created community education fliers – available in English and Spanish – so that people can find the best immigration help.
Additionally the Immigration Advocates Network has put together a directory of more than 900 free or low-cost legal immigration services across the United States.
6
Get acquainted with the organizations you may need to turn to.
- Immigration: Immigrant Legal Resource Center, National Immigrant Law Center
- LGBTQ Rights: The Sylvia Rivera Project, GLAAD, National Center for Transgender Equality, Lambda Legal
- Disability Issues: Disability Law Center, American Association of People with Disabilities
- Reproductive Rights: Center for Reproductive Rights, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, NARAL Pro-Choice America
- Civil Rights: The ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP
For more ideas on what you can do to prepare for a Trump presidency, check out this Google Doc compiled by Kara Hurvitz, a Boston-based attorney and advocate. Check it out in Spanish here.