Congressional, White House Threats to Nonprofit Status Represent an Unprecedented Power Grab

NEVADA — This week, Congress is expected to consider expanding the Treasury Secretary’s authority to include unchecked power to revoke any organization’s long-standing nonprofit status.

This legislative maneuver represents a dramatic escalation in the Trump White House’s attempts to weaponize the federal government against its enemies, including independent nonprofits. These nonprofits have long served as the backbone of American civil society, acting where the government would not, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, schools, food banks, etc. Already, Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard University’s tax status over policy disagreements. Under these new rules, the administration could threaten thousands or hundreds of thousands more groups, many without the resources they need to fight such threats.

In response, ACLU of Nevada has prepared a sign-on letter to the Nevada Congressional Delegation for nonprofit organizations concerned about the threat to their services given the proposed expansion of power for the Treasury Secretary. A link to the letter can be found here.

Statement of Athar Haseebullah, Esq., Executive Director, ACLU of Nevada:

“Any proposal that gives a few select bureaucrats the power to cancel an organization’s tax status will have a damning effect on Nevada, where our nonprofit sector fills the voids the government leaves behind. Proposals that expand unchecked federal power- including proposals to give certain federal officials the authority to unilaterally revoke an organization’s nonprofit status- are a recipe for disaster that will further destabilize Nevada and harm ordinary Nevadans. Our Congressional Delegation members should do everything in their power to ensure that our nonprofit sector isn’t destroyed because of D.C. politics.”

Shelbie Swartz, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement:

“Make no mistake: These are the actions of a White House and MAGA movement terrified of accountability for their own actions and interested only in punishing perceived enemies so they might consolidate power. Nonprofits across Nevada and this country have spent decades providing critical services. Now, Trump and his allies want to label any nonprofit as ‘terrorist’ with no proof and no due process. But this isn’t about terrorism, and it has never been about terrorism. This is about ending any opposition to the reckless policies of this administration that have empowered billionaires over the working class. Members of Congress must do better than support such a naked attempt to use the federal government as a weapon against political rivals.”

William Moore, Nevada Civic Engagement Director for Mi Familia en Accion, issued the following statement:

“No president should be given unchecked power to weaponize groups who challenge a pro-hate agenda. Nonprofit organizations are crucial for our communities, providing vital services, protecting our environment, educating the community, and defending our democracy. Trump’s latest attacks on nonprofit groups are part of a broader effort to silence and dismantle the institutions that hold power accountable. This is not just an attack on one organization- it’s an attack on all of us. Undermining nonprofits is an attempt to strip away our ability to organize, educate, and fight for a better future, and we stand against it.”

Laura Martin, Executive Director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) Action Fund, issued the following statement:

“The Trump Administration’s attack on non-profits is a blatant attack on the constitution. Non-profit organizations play a crucial role for our community, whether they provide direct services or help working-class folks participate in the policymaking process. No president, regardless of political party, should have the ability to wield their power to subvert the 1st Amendment and silence groups that they don’t agree with. Trump’s desire to silence his opponents is a dangerous violation of a fundamental freedom in America.”

Statement of Lauren Babb, Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte:

“Millions of Americans depend on the work of nonprofits for critical services, including reproductive health care. In Nevada alone, Planned Parenthood health centers serve tens of thousands of patients who depend on Planned Parenthood for affordable access to critical services including annual wellness exams, STI-testing and treatment, birth control, gender affirming care, and abortion. Every single one of these services represents the full spectrum of reproductive care, and any threat to remove that care from the Trump administration goes against our ability to serve Nevadans and will result in worsening health outcomes in our state. We need members of Congress to stand up against the Trump administration’s blatant attempt to politicize and criminalize nonprofits whose only goal is striving to make their communities happier, healthier, and safer.”

Kaylyn Kardavani, Executive Director of New Day Nevada, issued the following statement:

“The Trump administration and its allies in Congress are engaged in a deliberate effort to suppress dissent and consolidate power by targeting nonprofit organizations that serve the public. This is not a matter of national security—it is a political strategy aimed at discrediting and dismantling those who advocate for working families. New Day Nevada works every day to improve the lives of Nevadans by fighting to lower costs for working families, advance equity, and ensure that government works for the people it serves. These attacks are designed to keep everyday Americans, including Nevadans, trapped in cycles of debt and disempowerment. Labeling community-based nonprofits as ‘terrorist’ organizations without evidence or due process is not only reckless—it is a fundamental threat to civil society and democracy. Members of Congress must reject this misuse of federal authority and defend the rights of organizations that serve the public good.”

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