
News
Our lawyers and advocates are among the nation's leading experts on civil liberties and constitutional freedoms. Read the latest on the ACLU of Northern California’s work. To schedule a press interview, call (415) 621-2493 or contact press@aclunc.org.
Civil Rights Groups File Complaint Against ICE and Contractors for Violating First Amendment Rights of People in Immigration Detention
Aug 26, 2021
The ACLU of Northern California and our legal partners filed a complaint against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and their contractors on behalf of eight people in detention who faced unlawful retaliation for speaking out against the inhumane and life-threatening conditions.
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California Supreme Court Rules that the State Must Address the Prolonged Detention in County Jails of Defendants Deemed Incompetent to Stand Trial
Aug 25, 2021
The California Supreme Court denied the state of California’s request for review of a Court of Appeal ruling in Stiavetti v. Clendenin, handing down a major victory for the thousands of people who languish in California county jails every year because they have been deemed incompetent to stand trial without adequate treatment for their psychiatric or intellectual disabilities.
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New ACLU Podcast Exposes California's Complicity in Slavery
Aug 12, 2021
The pilot Gold Chains episode, “California Fugitive Slave Law,” examines a racist law that allowed white slaveholders to recapture formerly enslaved African Americans and terrorized the Black community.
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ACLU: Vote No on Governor Recall
Jul 29, 2021
The ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California and ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and the board chair of ACLU California Action issued a joint statement in strong opposition to the gubernatorial recall.
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Civil Rights Organizations Sue Mountain View Over RV Parking Ban
Jul 14, 2021
The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, and Disability Rights Advocates joined with pro bono partners Hewlett Packard Enterprise and King & Spalding to file a lawsuit today against the City of Mountain View on behalf of Mountain View residents who live in RVs and oversized vehicles. The class-action lawsuit aims to strike down a law that effectively bans R...
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ACLU Joins Legal Team Defending Sacramento City Councilmember’s Representative Against Restraining Orders Sought by City Officials
Jul 07, 2021
In a case with important First Amendment implications, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California has joined the legal team defending the free speech rights of a Sacramento City Councilmember’s representative, Skyler Henry. City officials have sought restraining orders against Henry, alleging that his critical comments of government officials constitute threats to the safety of city staff.
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Coalition Urges UC Regents to End Harmful Restrictions on LGBTQ-inclusive and Reproductive Care
Jun 21, 2021
This Wednesday, at 9:30 am PT, the UC Regents will review policy on restrictive contracts that require UC medical providers and students to deny essential health care to their patients.
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California Court Rejects the State's Prolonged Detention of People with Psychiatric and Intellectual Disabilities in County Jails
Jun 16, 2021
The California Court of Appeal has ruled that the state’s prolonged detention of people who have been declared incompetent to stand trial due to psychiatric or intellectual disability violates their right to due process. This has profound implications for the thousands of people who languish in county jails every year because they cannot stand trial or pursue their defense without adequate treatme...
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Civil Rights and Legal Aid Organizations Demand California Court Ends Unconstitutional $300 Civil Assessment Fees
May 26, 2021
The demand letter contends that civil assessments violate due process, equal protection rights, and California statutes, by denying a fair hearing and imposing costs without regard to people’s ability to pay.
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Court Denies Motion for Preliminary Civil Injunction Filed by San Francisco City Attorney
May 19, 2021
Today, a San Francisco Court denied the motion for a preliminary civil injunction filed by the San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera that would have banned four people from the Tenderloin District: a 50-square block area abundant with services, businesses, and other opportunities that support marginalized communities.
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ACLU research suggests that California’s vaccine distribution plan may leave more than 2 million vulnerable residents without additional supply
May 06, 2021
The ACLU Foundation of Northern California is calling on state officials to ensure that its equity-focused COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan won’t leave some of California’s most vulnerable communities behind.
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