NASW Prepares to Monitor and Act on Trump Administration's Policies
By Paul R. Pace
During the first Donald Trump presidency, NASW members and the broader social work community turned to NASW to advocate for the profession and the millions of social work clients who were affected by his policies, says NASW Communications Director Greg Wright.
NASW protested when the administration rounded up migrants at the border and separated children from their families. The association pushed back when the Trump administration tried to dismantle the Affordable Care Act without producing a viable alternative.
“And we supported the LGBTQIA2S+ community when the administration attacked their rights, including an attempt to ban people who are transgender from the military,” Wright said.
Just as before, NASW will closely monitor the new administration’s policy moves, he said. The association already has issued a news release saying it will fight policies that harm immigrants, women, people of color, people who are LGBTQIA2S+ or other vulnerable populations.
“We have voiced our support for incoming Congresswoman Sarah McBride of Delaware, who will be the first openly transgender woman in Congress,” Wright said. “And the NASW legal team is part of an amicus brief supporting health care for people who are transgender.”
Wright said he also is coordinating with all NASW chapter leaders to share information about developments in their states.
Chapter Insight
Wright is asking chapters to contact the communications team at the national office with any issues they believe are important to highlight.
“We will also alert and consult with chapters on any issues we see occurring in their states that may have national significance,” Wright said.
He noted the NASW Communications Corner meetings that chapters participate in will use a portion of those gatherings to discuss political developments NASW should communicate to its members and the social work profession.
“We anticipate planning Facebook town hall meetings on a quarterly basis, or more often depending on the issues,” he added. “These events are very popular with members and the wider social work audience.”
Sharing Concerns
Soon after Trump won the 2024 election, NASW hosted a Facebook Live panel discussion to share concerns and a plan of action with members and other social workers.
NASW CEO Anthony Estreet moderated the “NASW Post Election Call to Action” discussion, available on Facebook.
“This is not new for us,” Estreet said. “Social work has its history in civil rights, gender equality, the LGBTQ community, immigration and refugee movements. We are all about this space, advocating for change.”
Panelist Ja’Bree Harris, NASW public policy and advocacy manager, pointed out that Donald Trump actually did not receive more votes in the 2024 election, but instead sustained the 76 million votes he received in 2020. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden received 84 million votes in the 2020 election, but only 64 million voted for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024.
Panelist Christina McCarthy, executive director of the NASW Florida and Virgin Islands chapters, said it’s important for social workers to focus on what they are good at: connecting and helping others.
“There is always something to fight for,” McCarthy said. “That is why we got into the job we did. Even though I’m in a red state and it looks really gloomy, I know that tomorrow I can make a difference even if that is talking to someone and saying ‘I hear you, your feelings are valid.’”
“We are not just bystanders on the journey, we’re champions of change,” Harris said. “Every time we speak up, organize and demand action, we affirm our values of community and compassion that drives our profession.”
Panelist Johanna Byrd, executive director of the NASW Pennsylvania Chapter, said social workers need to find ways to have a “shared reality” with people they may not always agree with. “If we don’t, we will never be able to build the type of community we’re thinking of,” she said. “When we talk about organizing, it’s going to be one day at a time.”
Panelist Dina Kastner, NASW public policy and advocacy manager, said social workers can make a difference in the new administration by coalition-building.
“All the issues we work on at the federal level and the state level are through coalitions,” she said. “We work with other organizations that have similar goals as we do.”
One example is public service and student loan debt relief, she said. “We can only do that by being in coalition with other groups. ... We need to work in coordination with public interest lawyers, doctors that work with federally qualified health centers, teachers, firefighters, the whole host of public servants to really get our voice (heard).”
“We need to build relationships with our elected officials no matter which side of the aisle they are on,” Kastner added. “Go to town hall meetings, write editorials in the newspapers. There are a lot of activities that can be done to make your voice heard.”
Panelist Mel Wilson, senior policy adviser for NASW, agreed that joining with like-minded organizations is key to making a difference, especially when helping families facing possible deportation.
“We have to be able to work with groups that put pressure on the administration, that allows us and others to at least monitor things,” he said, adding that groups are working to counteract mass deportation efforts.