Tag Archives: ACLU

Julia Conley, Common Dreams The Biden administration is conducting a first-of-its-kind federal investigation into book banning by a school district, stepping up its response to nationwide right-wing attacks on LGBTQ+ people and the libraries and schools that seek to create a welcoming environment for the community. The Office for Civil …

Civil libertarians on Friday applauded as a federal judge blocked enforcement of an Arizona law restricting how people can film police officers after agreeing that the legislation is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge John Tuchi granted a preliminary injunction sought by the ACLU of Arizona and media outlets on the grounds …

Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Stop WOKE Act suffered a two-punch blow Thursday as a federal judge blocked parts of the controversial law and a coalition of civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit against what they are calling “racially motivated censorship.” U.S. District Judge …

by Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix June 1, 2022 Less than two months after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, Florida health care providers have filed a lawsuit against the measure. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Leon County Circuit Court …

Originally published by The 19th Kate Sosin, Orion Rummler The Supreme Court’s draft opinion leak has James Esseks worried, and not just about abortion access. Esseks, the director of the LGBTQ & HIV Project at the ACLU, ticks off the civil rights laws he fears could be on the chopping …

The Justice Department said Wednesday that settlements have been reached in four civil cases after protesters were removed from D.C.’s Lafayette Square during civil rights demonstrations in June 2020. As part of the settlements, the United States Park Police and Secret Service will “update and clarify” policies on demonstrations “within …

A federal appeals court has temporarily reinstated a Texas law that bans abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considered the most conservative federal appeals court in the country, granted the state’s request for a temporary halt to a lower …

Yesterday, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), Reed Smith LLP, and The Arc filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Houston Area Urban League, Houston Justice, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and The Arc of Texas challenging S.B. 1, a new Texas law targeting voting rights. …

Advocates and providers for abortions asked the Supreme Court on Monday to block Texas’ abortion ban. The ban prohibits people from terminating pregnancies after six weeks. The law will take effect on Wednesday. The controversial ban allows individuals to file lawsuits against anyone who is providing or seeking abortion services. …

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division have announced that the Justice Department has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department (PhxPD). The investigation will see if the department engages in discriminatory policing, …

A federal judge blocked Arkansas’ controversial abortion bill on Tuesday. The Court wants to consider the challenge to its constitutionality. The bill would have been effective starting Friday. “Since the record at this stage of the proceedings indicates that women seeking abortions in Arkansas face an imminent threat to their …

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Ron Wyden introduced legislation on Wednesday to remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances and decriminalize marijuana in the United States. “It’s our legislative proposal to end the federal prohibition on marijuana and repair damage done by the War on …

A new Texas abortion law effectively deputizes citizens as bounty hunters for its enforcement, as anyone under this statute can now sue parties who assist women seeking abortions, earning $10,000 if the lawsuit is successful. Texas Senate Bill 8 will take effect on September 1, 2021. The law bans abortion …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed an “anti-riot” bill into law, increasing penalties for people who participate in unruly protests. The measure, which goes into effect immediately, increases the charge for protesters who destroy historical structures such as flags and memorials, raises the charge for battery on a police …

The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that its national board elected Deborah Archer as its new president. An established civil rights lawyer, scholar, and teacher, Archer began her career as the Marvin M. Karpatkin Legal Fellow at the ACLU. She has been a member of the ACLU board since …