Nonprofit Union Coalition Raises Concerns about Federal Charges Brought Against the Southern Poverty Law Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
Kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2026 - On May 7, 2026, the Southern Poverty Law Center was arraigned on federal charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and pleaded not guilty. The listed unions of the Nonprofit Union Coalition within the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) released the following statement in response to the federal charges against SPLC:
“The Department of Justice prosecution of the Southern Poverty Law Center raises serious concerns about the selective targeting of nonprofits whose missions conflict with this administration's agenda. Pursuing a criminal conviction sends the chilling message that mission-driven work seen as challenging those in power comes with legal risk. Nonprofit workers deliver critical services and advocacy that communities depend on. The constitutional rights of nonprofit employees and their organizations must be respected, not threatened. As a coalition of unions whose members work across the nonprofit sector, we stand with the union employees of the Southern Poverty Law Center and with nonprofit workers everywhere.”
Nonprofit Union Coalition members joining this statement include:
AFT
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)
Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
About the Nonprofit Union Coalition
The Nonprofit Union Coalition brings together unions representing workers across the nonprofit sector’s 12.7-million-person workforce and is led by DPE. The coalition provides nonprofit union members with a voice in federal policymaking to deepen the economic strength and sustainability of the nonprofit sector.
About DPE
The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.