Blog

We can be pretty sure that each new day will bring two things: new threats to our civil liberties, and new stories of people standing up for their rights and winning. Behind every court ruling is a person. Behind every landmark law is a movement. Read the stories and hear the voices that ground our work.

Why Did the Government Search an Artist’s iPhone at the Border?

May 04, 2017

In late February, Aaron Gach was returning to the United States from Brussels. An artist and activist, he had been abroad exhibiting works about mass incarceration, government control, and political dissent. In his pocket was a smartphone. During a customs inspection at San Francisco International Airport, officers with Customs and Border Protection forced Aaron to submit to an i... Read More

April 29 Marked 100 Days of Resistance

May 03, 2017

On Nov. 9, 2016 we awoke to a new reality. America had elected Donald J. Trump as its 45th President. “We’ll see you in court” became the ACLU's mantra.

Federal Court Calls Trump’s Threats to Defund Sanctuary Cities Unconstitutional

Apr 26, 2017

For months, the Trump administration has tried to bully local communities into signing up to become extensions of the federal deportation system. That campaign of threats and public shaming based on flawed data — which has been mostly unsuccessful — suffered another major blow yesterday. A federal court in San Francisco ruled in two cases that the president’s threats were uncon... Read More

Lawyers for Immigrants: Why California Must Lead the Way

Apr 25, 2017

Did you know that California pioneered the public defender system in the early 1900s? It's time for our state to step up again.

Fighting Censorship: Victories in 1957 & 2017 #ACLUTimeMachine

Apr 11, 2017

The ACLU has been fighting against censorship for nearly a century. April is National Poetry Month, so we’ve been thinking about a free speech case from sixty years ago that involved a small but powerful book of poetry.

#123TCP – The Toxic Chemical in California's Tap Water

Apr 10, 2017

No one should have to turn on their tap and wonder if the water is safe to drink. But thousands of homes across the state are connected to water sources contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical called 1,2,3-TCP.

A Dangerous Trend: Immigration Arrests at State Courthouses Are on the Rise

Apr 06, 2017

One disturbing new trend is the increase in immigration arrests at state courthouses across the country. Beyond posing public safety dangers, these arrests also threaten our constitutional rights.

Freedom Shouldn't Depend on Your Bank Account Balance

Apr 06, 2017

California incarcerates thousands of people while they await their court dates - simply because they can’t afford to post bail. Meanwhile, wealthy people can easily buy their freedom.

California Could Soon Disentangle Itself from Trump's Mass Deportations

Apr 04, 2017

Two weeks ago, a mother of two was driving to church when local police pulled her over. The officer issued a fix-it ticket and within 30 minutes, immigration officers were at her door to deport her. She is now living in hiding.

"My Voice Matters." When Their Principal Tried to Remove #BlackLivesMatter from the Yearbook, These Teens Spoke Up.

Mar 24, 2017

Students on yearbook staff wrote an article about Black Lives Matter. When their principal rejected it, they knew it was time to speak up for their rights. Students have a right to free speech and expression at school. This includes political speech, cultural expression, and speech that a school district may preemptively feel is controversial.

A Border Agent Took My Sister and Me Into a Closet and Sexually Assaulted Us

Mar 22, 2017

We fled Guatemala looking for a safer and more peaceful life. What happened to us after crossing the border changed our lives.

Un oficial de inmigración nos metió a mi hermana y a mí en un armario y nos agredió sexualmente