News

Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of Proposition 187, the divisive initiative passed by California voters in 1994 that sought to deny many public services to undocumented immigrants. Federal courts rejected most provisions of law as unconstitutional, but the law still remains technically on the books.With scores of community, faith, labor and legal organizations, the ACLU of Ca... Read More

Community members and members of the Drive CA Coalition released recommendations at a news conference today urging the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to improve proposed regulations that will make drivers' licenses for undocumented immigrants a reality under California's AB 60, The Safe and Responsible Driver Act. The recommendations come in the lead-up to highly anticipated public hearings wh... Read More

Today the ACLU of Northern California filed a lawsuit against the Alameda County Sheriff over a policy that requires every woman in their custody younger than 60 to submit to a pregnancy test. Read More

Today the ACLU of Northern California sued the City and County of Fresno over complete bans on cultivation of medical marijuana. The bans are inconsistent with state law that allows medical marijuana to be grown. The City and County also ban all medical marijuana dispensaries. Read More

A U.S. District Court Judge granted motions for a preliminary injunction and for class certification in our lawsuit challenging the federal government’s practice in California of detaining immigrants without bond while they face deportation proceedings. Read More

CRESCENT CITY – In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Del Norte County Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday extended a 2009 agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California resolving allegations of racial discrimination against Native American students. The agreement, which has now been extended through August 2017, provides the district with additional time to ... Read More

The Drive California Coalition, comprised of a broad range of civil and immigrants’ rights organizations, applauds members of California’s Congressional Delegation for urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to approve the California driver’s license proposed by the legislature in AB 60: “The Safe and Responsible Driver Act.” The license is carefully designed to pro... Read More

An Alameda County Superior Court Judge today ruled that Secretary of State Debra Bowen illegally stripped tens of thousands of people of their voting rights two years ago, saying people on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) and mandatory supervision under California’s Criminal Justice Realignment Act are eligible to vote. Read More

Drive California, a statewide coalition composed of a broad range of civil and immigrants’ rights groups including California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPIC), Presente, the ACLU of California, Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN), and TODEC-Training Occupational Development Educating Communities Center, strongly object to DHS’s refusal to let California move forward with creat... Read More

Today the ACLU of California and other civil rights groups sent letters to every county in California urging them to end compliance with immigration detainer requests in the wake of a recent federal court decision holding that the requests are unconstitutional and local law enforcement may be held liable for money damages for complying with them. Read More

A series of reports issued by national experts on jail conditions expose in the most graphic detail to date the Monterey County Jail as a place riddled with violence where prisoners are at serious risk of grave injury, where jail officials fail to provide prisoners with adequate medical and mental health care and where prisoners with disabilities are denied access to jail services, programs and ac... Read More

Today the ACLU filed a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of immigrants fleeing persecution who have faced months of detention while they await reasonable fear determinations, the first step in seeking protection in the U.S. when someone is forced to return following a deportation order. Read More