Advocacy groups leverage anger to target Trump

The massive protests that swept the nation in answer to President Trump's executive order on Muslim travel have encouraged advocacy groups to press their case on other issues.

Trump's executive order, signed Friday, suspended entry of refugees to the U.S. for 120 days, halts admission of refugees from Syria indefinitely and bars entry for three months to residents from the predominantly Muslim countries of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The edict prompted scores of weekend rallies across the nation that drew thousands of protesters to airports, city halls and town squares in cities large and small.

A few events even lingered into the workweek: More than a hundred people gathered in Staunton, Va., for a peaceful protest. Dozens rallied at the Springfield office of Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., to protest Blunt's support of the ban.

“We’re seeing groups mobilized, energized and united across the country in support of all issues in ways we’ve not witnessed for a long time," said Beatriz Lopez, Managing Director of Communications at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. "Women’s issues, immigrant rights issues, LGBT issues, Civil rights issues, Religious liberties issues. Americans and groups are plugged to resist the President’s nefarious agenda - his sweeping attacks on immigrant families, his deeply troublesome cabinet nominees, and SCOTUS pick that will undoubtedly roll back progress and freedoms for the most marginalized communities. This is not just a one issue movement."

MoveOn.org, which champions a long list of liberal issues, said Monday that it was encouraged by America's "gorgeous showing of our resilience, strength and solidarity" during the protests.

"Our overarching goal is clear: We must help grow a mass, accessible opposition — or resistance — movement to challenge Trump’s agenda, defend front-line communities, preserve the essential foundations of our constitutional democracy and prepare to retake power in the 2017, 2018 and 2020 elections," the group said in a statement on its website.

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Trump was unyielding Monday in his position that the ban was for the good of the country. 

"There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country," he tweeted. "This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!"

Trump's adamant position is a concern to the Council on Islamic-American Relations. CAIR has seen a "big spike" in donations, interest and feedback since the executive order was announced, spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said Monday.

"Millions of Americans are very concerned about the direction he is taking our country," CAIR executive director Nihad Awad said. "Unconventional we understand. Creative, maybe. But also dangerously making policies and statements that we believe undermine our national security, our values and our standing in the world."

On Tuesday, the San Diego CAIR chapter will unveil a “Forum on Religious Freedom." The objective is to create a broad coalition dedicated to challenging Islamophobia and the "systemic attempt to marginalize the American Muslim community," the group says. CAIR-San Diego has a long list of community organizations already committed, and more participants are expected.

"It was prompted by the executive order, but this is bigger than that," Hooper said. 

The American Civil Liberties Union, which led the legal charge against the ban, said Sunday that it had received more than 350,000 online donations totaling more than $24 million over the weekend. Donations were still rolling in Monday. The non-profit organization's membership has ballooned to more than 1 million, doubling since the election, according to Executive Director Anthony Romero.

"This is merely the first skirmish in a long battle to vigorously defend the Bill of Rights from the authoritarian designs of the Trump administration," Romero said.

Contributing: Alia Dastagir, USA TODAY; Brad Zinn, News Leader; Harrison Keegan, Springfield News-Leader