Top members of Trump’s administration wasted no time this week baptizing lies with a new name: “alternative facts.” But in this dark new era of “post-truth,” you can count on Human Rights Watch to stand as a collective force for principle, fact, and reason.

Here are a few facts we’d like to share:

• Fact #1: Two days after some 5 million people marched demanding respect for women’s rights across the globe, Trump signed an executive order that will threaten women’s lives.
  The “Global Gag Rule” prohibits international aid to groups that in any way engage with abortion. It will restrict women’s choices and censor critical health options in clinics worldwide. This destructive policy will contribute to unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and more women dying around the world.
• Fact #2: Trump signed executive orders on immigration and border policy that could severely harm millions of immigrants and US citizens.
  These actions not only put in motion the construction of a proposed border wall extension between the US and Mexico, but set the stage for the expansion of abusive fast-track deportation procedures and overly-broad enforcement laws that could terrorize communities and break families apart.
• Fact #3: Just yesterday, Trump approved an executive order to temporarily ban nationals of some Muslim-majority countries from entering the US that could intensify xenophobia.
  Not only will the executive order heighten discrimination against affected communities and fail to address national security threats, but Trump’s plan is sure to alienate US allies and wrongly send a message to autocratic regimes that policies like this are acceptable. They are not.

Today — and every day — Human Rights Watch will stand up for truth, analyze impacts of harmful policies, and hold President Trump to account.

We’re all in this together. Thank you for standing with us when it’s needed most.

Grace Meng
Senior Researcher, US Program
Human Rights Watch
@Grace_Meng