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Civil Rights Hub

Public Rights Project’s Civil Rights Hub offers direct legal support and technical assistance for local governments.
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Young black woman with protest sign reading 'hands off my rights'

How we help

The second Trump administration poses a major threat to civil rights, signaling a clear intent to target the rights of women, immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, and workers.

In the past, local government officials could defend their communities against these attacks without fear of retribution. But the landscape has shifted. Now, pro-civil rights officials are facing immense threats — some in their own states — and at the federal level.

If we don’t fight back against these attacks, the civil rights of millions of Americans will be at risk. In response, Public Rights Project (PRP) has launched its first-ever Civil Rights Hub to help local governments officials:

  • Address threats to their funding and authority
  • Fill gaps in federal enforcement and where legal protections are eliminated
  • Bolster legal advocacy in state and federal courts
  • Support the development and defense of pro-rights policies and practices

We will prioritize work in several issue areas, including reproductive and gender rights, economic justice and security, and immigrant rights.

The Civil Rights Hub’s team of staff attorneys is ready to help protect and advance the rights of 25 million Americans in 2025. If you’re a local government official in need of legal assistance or want to learn more, please reach out.

Our services

Direct legal support and technical assistance for local government officials.

Where we work

Our focus is in the following states, but the team is available to support local government officials across all jurisdictions.

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Our past work

Since 2017, PRP has worked with local government officials to help them leverage their power and legal tools to advance civil rights. Here are a few examples of our work.

Workers’ rights: PRP helped the San Francisco and Los Angeles district attorneys recover $6+ million for workers from Handy, a gig home cleaning and maintenance company. PRP’s amicus brief outlined how the company misclassified its California workers to turn a profit.

Reproductive rights: PRP represented seven prosecuting attorneys in support of Michigan Gov. Whitmer’s request for the state Supreme Court to decide if the state constitution protected abortion rights. PRP successfully argued to uphold abortion rights in the state until voters could weigh in on a ballot measure in November 2022.

Abuses of power: In 2020, PRP served as co-counsel for Portland and Oakland arguing against deployment of federal forces at protests. The lawsuit against the first Trump administration centered on preserving local governments’ discretion over policing and community interactions.

Donate to support civil rights

We’re ready to provide legal support and training to local government officials who are working to protect and advance civil rights.