In World War II, with the Nazi menace threatening the entire world, civilians as well as armed bands of partisans and guerrilla fighters worked – usually secretly and at great peril to their safety – to thwart the Nazis in German-occupied France and elsewhere. 
Understanding that a win by Nazi Germany would be dire for the world, these brave individuals published clandestine newspapers, helped the escape of Jews and Allied fliers shot down over enemy lines, committed acts of sabotage, ambushed German patrols, and conveyed intelligence information to the Allies.
Generally, the resistance in Europe was not organized, although there did emerge groups in some countries that worked together or worked alongside governments-in-exile. There were also rivalries, often between pro-Communist and anti-Communist groups. Ultimately, resistance forces helped the Allies defeat Hitler and win the war. The acclaimed movie, Schindler’s List, brought one story of heroic anti-Nazi resistance to life in 1993.
Today, with the (narrow) victory of psychopath and convicted felon Donald Trump for a second (and, we hope, final) term as President, many of us in the Democracy Coalition strongly believe that not only the United States but, in fact, the whole world is under extreme threat by Trump. Trump and his sycophants, using threats, authoritarian rhetoric, and bottomless cruelty toward those on their “enemies” lists, are poised to stop at nothing to wield power and create the US in their own white Christian nationalist image.
While our present “war” is more cultural and ideological than military (so far…), methods of resistance are not only hoped-for in this moment but also required. What is happening on these fronts, and what can the rest of us do to support the democratic mission?
Deportations and immigration
Trump and his minions have long threatened to deport millions of Americans (including citizens – they have proven that their primary goals are not about law and order but about racial animus). In the wake of the 2024 election, many immigrant advocates have begun mobilizing to fight illegal deportations. Groups include the American Civil Liberties Union, the immigrant advocacy group United We Dream, and the Immigrant Defense Project.
On the political front, Democratic Governors, notably Gavin Newsom (California), Maura Healey (Massachusetts), Phil Murphy (New Jersey), JB Pritzker (Illinois), and Jared Polis (Colorado), are vowing to fight Trump’s actions, as are mayors and leaders in a number of cities.
As might be expected, many GOP governors are planning to support Trump’s mass deportation efforts: Spencer Cox (Utah), Ron DeSantis (Florida), and Greg Abbott (Texas) have all shown their support.
Anti-deportation officials admit that resisting Trump’s efforts may not be easy, in part because laws in the states are not always consistent, and even law enforcement officials sometimes do not know how far they are able to go, for instance, in assisting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in identifying immigrants.
It should be explicitly stated – in part to counter far-right rhetoric that poisons the discussion with lies – that the crime rate among non-citizens is much lower than for citizens. The main crime that non-citizens are committing is illegal entry – and that problem has not been solved in the US primarily because of inaction on the part of Congress over decades (including Trump’s quashing of the very right-leaning bipartisan agreement in early 2024 because he did want President Joe Biden to get a victory on the issue).
One of the main reasons that people come into our country illegally is for work; conditions in their home countries are not conducive to a satisfactory life. Another argument for deportation is that illegal immigrants are “stealing” Americans’ jobs – again, not according to the evidence. 
They are actually “filling jobs that few Americans are interested in pursuing,” such as field and crop workers, of whom approximately half are undocumented. It is probably safe to say that many of the farms that feed our families would not survive without non-citizen labor.
We Americans who are concerned about this issue can do several things to resist the Trump plan to deport millions of non-citizens:
- Educate ourselves about the facts.
- Support plans in our communities to make laws fairer and more consistent.
- Support elected officials and candidates for office who support logical immigration reform.
- Support nonprofit organizations and government agencies that support immigrants who are trying to become citizens legally.
- Support local farms.
- Call out Trump and his cronies for their lies and cruelty.
Multiple issues: Attorneys General
The Hill headline says it all: “Democratic AGs rush to form line of defense against Trump.” 
Here are some of the actions taken by Attorneys General throughout the US, both in Trump’s first term and planned for when needed in the next few years:
- Democratic AGs filed or helped file over 130 multistate lawsuits against the first Trump administration, securing an impressive 83 percent win rate.
- New York AG Letitia James (D), whom we already praise and thank for having brought a successful $250 million lawsuit against Trump in 2022, announced, along with Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul, that their offices meet on a regular basis to “coordinate legal actions” and develop responses to the incoming administration.
- Similarly, Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell (D) said she is on the alert to combat threats to reproductive health care, gun safety, consumer protections and other issues, and newly-elected Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, who is currently that state’s AG, is fully prepared to defend progressive policies.
In addition, it is important to realize that states have the authority to pass their own regulations, as California did with “nation-leading air-pollution standards” long before the Environmental Protection Agency did at the national level. As NJ Democratic AG Matthew Platkin pointed out, “I don’t wake up every morning dying to sue the president of the United States or his administration. If he’s operating lawfully, we’re not going to challenge it. But when he violates the law, we’re not going to hesitate to protect our residents.”
The major organization linking Democratic AGs is the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA), “the only committee solely dedicated to electing and supporting Democratic state Attorneys General. Democratic AGs currently hold 24 seats and represent the most diverse coalition of Democratic AGs in history.” Some of the actions DAGA has taken in recent years include:
- Winning 16 of 29 competitive races against the Republican Attorneys General Association going back to 2016.
- Electing the most diverse coalition of Democratic AGs in history: nine women, six Blacks, two Asian-Americans, two Latinos, two AGs identifying as LGBTQ+, and one Muslim.
- Announcing a litmus test whereby DAGA will only support AGs and AG candidates who support abortion access and reproductive rights.
Democratic AGs are committed to the rule of law and safeguarding Americans’ rights. 
Keep our eyes on what (primarily Democratic) AGs are doing on our behalf.
Multiple issues: Protect Democracy
Protect Democracy is “a cross-ideological nonprofit group dedicated to defeating the authoritarian threat, building more resilient democratic institutions, and protecting our freedom and liberal democracy.” Working with experts in a wide variety of fields who know what they’re doing, the staff of Protect Democracy includes conservatives, moderates and progressives who work at the federal, state, and local levels.
Co-founded by Ian Bassin, Executive Director, Protect Democracy offers a six-step playbook by which Americans can participate in resisting authoritarian impulses:
- Know the signs and red lines. Seven tactics of authoritarian factions that are dangerous to democracy should be recognized: “politicizing independent institutions, spreading disinformation, aggrandizing executive power, quashing dissent, marginalizing vulnerable communities, corrupting elections, and stoking violence.”
- Engage in democracy locally. Our voices “echo louder” at the local level. As we are able, we should try to participate in city government meetings and functions, meet with our state legislators, and even run for office at the local or state level. We can also staff polls to help administer free and fair elections.
- Find your voice, lead a chorus. Talk about democracy consistently and often. Write and circulate letters; organize petitions; use social media platforms – making sure we “never share or amplify disinformation or misinformation.”
- Embrace your niche – a veteran, teacher, business leader, faith leader, tech expert, journalist, lawyer, law enforcement official.
- Remember democracy in the voting booth. Make hard choices if necessary: put democracy above party, policy and ideology.
- Keep the faith. “Authoritarianism thrives on despair, hopelessness, anger, and resentment. Democracy depends on hope and possibility. The most important tools we have are our optimism, willingness to trust and collaborate, openness to possibility, and strength in diversity.”
As registered nonprofits, Protect Democracy United (a registered 501(c)(4) social welfare organization) and Protect Democracy Project (a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization) rely on donations – another way to help!
Multiple issues: Media Matters for America
According to its website, Media Matters for America “is a web-based, not-for-profit, 501 (c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.” Among the members of the Board of Directors are Angelo Carusone, an authority on extremism, and Cecile Richards, former President of Planned Parenthood and daughter of the late Texas Governor, Ann Richards.
Media Matters’ primary work is to post rapid-response items to counter conservative misinformation in the media. In addition, Media Matters produces longer research and analytic reports and strives on a daily basis to alert us about instances of misinformation and providing us with ways to rebut false claims and take direct action against offending media institutions.
In their Take Action section, they offer us tools in the fight:
- Tell Your Cable Provider: “Don’t Let Fox Raise My Bill!”
- Tell Advertisers: Drop Fox: “Fox News is a malevolent and destructive force”
- Join the Fight to Stop Sean Hannity: “He’s A Full-Blown Propagandist”
Multiple issues: Elias Law Group
Marc Elias is a frequent, passionate and eloquent contributor to MSNBC and other outlets. As Firm Chair of Elias Law Group and founder of Democracy Docket, Elias is nationally recognized in the areas of campaign finance, voting rights, redistricting law, and litigation. He has “handled hundreds of cases involving politics, voting rights, and redistricting” and successfully argued and won four cases in SCOTUS and dozens of cases in other courts.
In a recent post in Democracy Docket, Elias has advice for all of us, among the following:
- It is now, in times that anti-democracy forces seem to be winning, that the movement needs our voice, energy and action.
- Many of us are understandably scared, worried about what Trump might do to us, our families, our jobs. We “take Trump literally and seriously when he talks about retribution” and “fear the financial, emotional and legal toll of a politically motivated investigation. It is okay to be afraid, but do not disengage or let fear rule us. “Trump is a bully and bullies prey on the weak. They understand the power of fear and exploit it. Capitulating to Trump now — even before he has been sworn in — makes you more vulnerable, not less.”
- We citizens, and our leaders, cannot allow ourselves to be too tired. Either have courage or get out of the way to stand up to Trump’s abuses.
Resistance is both required and possible – and there are many other avenues of resistance than those listed here. Let us, in our own ways, follow the lead of all the courageous individuals and groups who are fighting for our democratic values. 
Onward!