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| Formation | April 6, 2021; 4 years ago (2021-04-06) |
|---|---|
| Founders | Stephen Miller |
| Type | 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization |
| 86-2190372 | |
| Purpose | Public interest law |
| Headquarters | 611Pennsylvania Avenue,Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Key people |
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| Website | aflegal |
America First Legal Foundation (AFL) is an American501(c)(3)nonprofit[1]conservativepublic interest organization founded in 2021 by Stephen Miller.
America First Legal is led by a president, vice president, and executive director.Stephen Miller, the current senior advisor to PresidentDonald Trump, is the organization's founder and president. The vice president isGene Hamilton, aDepartment of Justice official under Trump, and the executive director isMatthew Whitaker, the acting U.S. attorney general under Trump followingJeff Sessions's resignation.[2] America First Legal's board of directors includes Whitaker and former chief of staff for Trump,Mark Meadows.[3]
America First Legal is a conservative legal entity that focuses on administrative law and executive overreach in response to litigation during the Trump administration, including legal challenges tothe Trump travel ban,an attempt to ban TikTok, and barring migrants from seeking asylum.[3] The organization has filed lawsuits regardingdiversity, equity, and inclusion,[4]Title 42 expulsions,[5] theFirst Amendment and social media services,[6]Title IX and transgender people,[7] andaffirmative action.[8] In January 2023, the organization joined a lawsuit led byTexas attorney generalKen Paxton claiming a federal migrant parole program was unlawful.[9]
In October 2022, America First Legal sent flyers to voters inColorado's 8th congressional district that were characterized as transphobic by the Queer and Trans People of Color Program of the Latino Action Council.[10] During the2022 elections, the organization became involved in legal efforts relating to claims of apparent voter fraud in the election.[11] Flyers obtained byThe New York Times targetedAsian Americans with anti-affirmative action messaging.[12] America First Legal ran advertisements accusingthe Biden administration of "anti-white bigotry", spendingUS$5 million on radio advertisements, second to theSenate Leadership Fund.[13] Following Trump'sfederal indictment on charges of retaining classified documents, the organization sent out fundraising emails.[14]
Until July 2024, America First Legal was a member of the advisory board ofProject 2025, a collection ofconservative andright-wing policy proposals fromThe Heritage Foundation to reshape theUnited States federal government and consolidateexecutive power should theRepublican nominee win the2024 presidential election.[15][16]
In March 2021,Politico reported thatStephen Miller, the former senior advisor to presidentDonald Trump, began forming America First Legal after Trump's loss in the2020 presidential election. According toPolitico, Miller consulted theConservative Partnership Institute and lawyerKen Starr, who authored theStarr Report that led to theimpeachment of Bill Clinton, and requested funding fromChicago Cubs co-ownerTodd Ricketts.[3] Miller launched America First Legal on April 6, 2021.[17] The name refers toAmerica First, an isolationist policy observed by the United States and reinterpreted by Trump as a political slogan.[18]
America First Legal represented white farmers inTexas who sought to undo debt relief forsocially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers as part of theAmerican Rescue Plan Act.[19] In June 2021, judgeMarcia Morales Howard issued a preliminary injunction halting theDepartment of Agriculture's loan program.[20] JudgeMatthew Kacsmaryk ruled in America First Legal's favor in November 2022 that theAffordable Care Act does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.[21]
Political action committeeCitizens for Sanity is run by America First Legal employees.[22]
In December 2024, America First Legal published photos of PresidentJoe Biden and his sonHunter Biden meeting with Chinese businessmen and officials in 2013.[23] The photos were obtained from theNational Archives and Records Administration after ongoing litigation by America First Legal.[23] The photos show Joe Biden introducing Hunter toGeneral Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping, former Chinese Vice PresidentLi Yuanchao, and officials fromBHR Partners.[23] Joe Biden has stated he was not financially involved in his son's business matters.[23]