WE ARE IN A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

On April 17, LWV CEO Celina Stewart and President Dianna Wynn released the following statement: 

“It has now been 87 days since the start of the Trump administration. From the flagrant disregard for congressional authority and governmental checks and balances to defying Supreme Court orders to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back home, one thing is abundantly clear: our country is in a constitutional crisis.    

The League defines a Constitutional Crisis as: 

When the executive, the legislative, or judiciary branches cannot or will not adequately protect the US Constitution, when there are explicit attempts to dismantle a functional democracy within any of the three branches, or when any level of federal government takes action to destroy democratic institutions in a manner that intentionally or purposefully jeopardizes the US Constitution.  

When these events occur, the constitution is deemed at the highest serious risk and warrants full-scale action to preserve and protect democratic institutions and civil society.” 

Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, we’ve seen increased attacks on our democratic systems and a failure by Congress to intervene. This came to a head in early April, when the president defied a Supreme Court order to return the wrongfully deported Marylander, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. 

On April 16, 2025, a US District Court Judge, James Boasberg, ruled that there is “probable cause” to find the Trump Administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his order to immediately pause deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.    

The executive branch’s blatant disregard for an order by the judicial branch constitutes an attack on our democratic system. Therefore, we consider our country to be in a Constitutional Crisis. 

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Where the League Stands: Join the National Conversation on Issues Critical to Our Democracy

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"A private, nonprofit organization, the National Constitution Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate."

Concord, MA Democracy Panel - June 7, 2024 with David Pepper, retired federal judge Nancy Gertner, Whitney Taylor, ACLU Mass. Political Director and Virginia Case Solomon, President and CEO of Common Cause

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