Local advocacy at the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh - League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh

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Local Advocacy

at the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh

Welcome to the LWVPGH Local Advocacy page. In 2025 LWVUS started an advocacy program called Unite & Rise 8.5 which encourages local leagues to mobilize members and partner with other pro-democracy organizations in response to the current constitutional crisis in the US. LWVPGH initiated the advocacy efforts below as part of the Unite & Rise 8.5 initiative.

Contact Allan to get involved in one of our advocacy projects: advocacy@lwvpgh.org

Nonpartisan, but Active

LWVUS Declares that the United States is in a Constitutional Crisis

"The foundational principles that have sustained our democracy — checks and balances, the rule of law, free and fair elections — are under direct and sustained threat. In this extraordinary moment, we cannot proceed with business as usual. All Americans — no matter who you voted for in 2024 — need to come together, stand united, and fight back to save our democracy. We cannot afford to fail the generations to come.”

Read the Full Statement Here

See the LWVUS Newsroom for current
LWVUS Press Releases

Visit the LWVUS "Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy" action page and subscribe to regular update emails for calls to action on current issues.

Is this nonpartisan?

While the League of Women Voters is nonpartisan, we are political, and have established positions on a variety of political issues. Our core positions are in defense of voting rights, constitutional government processes, and constitutional rights - all of which are under threat right now.

By protesting, we are not choosing a partisan side. We are defending the rights of all parties to engage in partisan debate and decision making through the democratic process. We are not trying to preserve certain tax rates or programs or culture war stances. We are trying to preserve our system for negotiating and making decisions “by the people and for the people” . We need the democratic process so we as a country can work out our partisan disagreements.

Learn more with these resources:

Read the most recent NYT op/ed on our slide to autocracy: NYT Autocracy Index
Learn about the League of Women Voters' grassroots method for adopting policy positions for advocacy,and link to LWV positions at the local state and national levels on our Policy Positions page.
Read the policy positions of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania: Where We Stand 2025-27
Read the policy positions of the League of Women Voters of the United States: Impact on Issues 2024-2026
Visit the state and national ACLU websites for current information on exercising and defending Constitutional Rights.

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/
ACLUPA: https://www.aclupa.org/

Protecting Democracy

Protect Democracy Group

The Protect Democracy Group meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 4-5:30pm on Zoom.

Members of the Protect Democracy Group receive an update from the national League's committee looking into misinformation and disinformation and receives immigration updates.

Members of this group

-Partner with Indivisible-Regent Square to support a protest rally every Monday at 4:30 at Forbes Ave & Braddock Ave in Regent Square.

-Attend the Indivisible-Regent Square protest rally and participate in the Overpass Project (signs on bridges over interstates),

-Announce recommended advocacy actions and rallies in the weekly Blast

-Submit letters-to-the-editor.

-Call their US Senators and Representative.

"Democracy Monday" rallies

The League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh partners with Indivisible Regent Square to support a weekly rush hour demonstration at a busy intersection in Pittsburgh's Regent Square neighborhood. In this video, hear LWVPGH Advocacy Director, Allan Willinger explain why it's important to make your voice heard at pro-democracy rallies like these.

These rallies are held every Monday from 4:30 to 6 pm at the intersection of Forbes and Braddock Avenues in Regent Square.

National Day of Action Rallies

Hands Off, No Kings, Stand for Science...

The National League of Women Voters has cosponsored several nationwide days of action, including "Hands Off", and the "No Kings" protests. The Pittsburgh League has cosponsored many of these events locally, organizing groups of members to attend, tabling, and providing speakers when invited.

Immigrant Support

Immigrant Support Group

Our Immigrant Support Group members work with several partnering organizations to demonstrate in favor of immigrant rights, monitor ICE activity, advocate against ICE partnerships with local police, and provide direct assistance to immigrants. Members have participated in:

-Rapid Response training from Casa San Jose

- Abuelas Responden/Grannies Respond assisting immigrants released from detention

- Democracy Monday protests every Monday at 4:30 at Forbes & Braddock Ave in Regent Square

- Prayer Vigil led by a different faith group every Friday in front of the ICE office, 3000 Sidney St, 8:30-9:30 AM

- Frontline Dignity rapid response team
-petitioning local governments, including Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, to refuse local law enforcement agreements with ICE.

Is this a League Issue? Background Information from LWVUS

The LWVUS adopted a policy position on Immigration at the National Convention in 2008.
Read the position and a summary of recent advocacy using the position in this excerpt from the LWVUS 2024 "Impact on Issues". 2024 Impact on Issues - Immigration Excerpt

At the 2026 National Convention, the LWVUS adopted additional language on "Protecting the Rights of Immigrants":

The League of Women Voters believes that all residents of the United States, regardless of immigration status or citizenship, should be treated with dignity and respect. This means that all residents, regardless of immigration status or citizenship, should have access to essential federal, state, and local funded services, have the opportunity to avail themselves of legal representation in court and immigration proceedings, and have the opportunity to live and work in safety. The League encourages all elected officials and government leaders in the United States to take action to ensure these fundamental rights. It also means that political leaders have an obligation to condemn xenophobia, discrimination, and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

See recent LWVUS statements and actions related to immigration here: LWVUS Immigration News
In December 2025, LWVUS joined a coalition of community groups signing a letter to the White House opposing a new round of anti-humanitarian and anti-immigration policies. Letter to White House
LWVUS runs a national Immigration Interest Group online. Contact Allan Willinger if you are interested in joining.

Resources from the American Civil Liberties Union

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights
ACLU ofPA: https://www.aclupa.org/issues/immigrants-rights

Opposing 287(g) Agreements in Allegheny County

The LWVPGH Advocacy Program, along with the Program Committee, organized and sponsored a webinar on 287g agreements, how harmful they are for the municipalities that sign them, and what citizens can do about them. A 287(g) agreement between a town and ICE allows a town’s police to act as ICE agents. Our speakers were immigrant rights attorney Keith Armstrong from the ACLU-PA and LWV-PA executive director Amy Widestrom.

After this webinar League members in at least three towns started to look into their town’s approach to assisting ICE and the Advocacy Program has contacted Webinar attenders and other activists to assist in their efforts to have their town rescind a 287(g) agreement or pass a resolution or ordinance prohibiting their town from entering into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. Contact advocacy@lwvpgh.org if you would like to join or start such an effort in your town.

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