25 Feb Mississippi Center for Justice Responds to Baseless Attacks from Trump Administration: We Will Not Be Silenced
February 24, 2025
Press Contact: Tara Y. Wren, twren@mscenterforjustice.org, 601-487-7504
Jackson, MS — Days ago, the Trump administration, in a White House official press release and social media, singled out the Mississippi Center for Justice as a “radical advocacy group” that advocates for “racial and economic justice,” targets religious liberty, and assists illegal immigrants seeking to skirt our nation’s laws, to justify their dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). These attacks seek to misrepresent the work of MCJ and threaten the critical funding that ensures our work to rid Mississippi of injustice – but we will continue our work of advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and we will not be silenced.
In response to the repeated attacks, Kimberly Jones Merchant, President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice, issued the following statement:
“The Trump administration is attacking MCJ because our work is making a difference for Mississippians. We’re building a future where ALL MISSISSIPPIANS matter, and those in power fear our progress in fair housing, heirs’ property preservation, wage justice, expanding access to education, and beyond. The Administration’s cuts will not improve life for Mississippians – they preserve the broken system that has failed our communities for far too long.”
“This isn’t just an effort to dismantle our work – this is a broader effort to drag the Nation and Mississippi back to its darkest days. But we refuse to be silenced. No matter the attack, we will continue our fight for the most vulnerable among us. Now more than ever, we need everyone to step off the sidelines, raise their voices, and stand with us in this fight for racial, economic, and social justice on behalf of Mississippians of all stripes.”
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Executive orders signed by the Trump administration have already disrupted funding to support MCJ’s efforts to serve communities across Mississippi, including:
● Heirs’ property preservation, which helps families, especially families of color, maintain generational wealth.
● Fair housing education and enforcement efforts that challenge discriminatory housing practices.
● Education equity efforts to provide needed resources and assistance to school districts that are critically underfunded.
MCJ’s IMPACT IN MISSISSIPPI
The Trump administration’s attack on MCJ funding could also damage our ability to deliver critical work for Mississippians. In the last year alone, MCJ has:
● Helped 400+ Mississippians expunge their records, giving them a second chance.
● Assisted 50 families in staying in their homes and avoiding eviction.
● Supported 40 families in advocating for children with special needs.
● Reached over 150 new voters and provided legal assistance to a statewide election protection effort.
● Provided critical legal assistance to individuals navigating complex financial and housing challenges.
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The Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) is a nonprofit, public-interest law firm committed to advancing racial, social, and economic justice. MCJ is dedicated to dismantling the state’s culture of inequity and injustice. Supported and staffed by attorneys and other professionals, MCJ pursues strategies to combat discrimination and poverty statewide.
To donate to MCJ click here.