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With graduations behind us, the 2023-2024 academic year has concluded. It started just before the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and proceeded during Israel’s months-long military response and the ongoing war in Gaza. The year culminated with nationwide student-led protests and demonstrations, which prompted varying and escalating responses by university administrators. Now is a suitable time t... Read More

Welcome to a website operated by the American Civil Liberties Union Northern California and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Northern California (collectively, ACLU Northern California). Each such website is referred to as an ACLU of Northern California "Site." The Sites include the Union’s website at www.aclunc.org, which may host Foundation content, and any other ACLU of Northern... Read More

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson opens the door for cities to cite and arrest people simply for being homeless. However, San Francisco has policies and an ordinance requiring the city to offer shelter before clearing encampments. Our lawsuit challenging San Francisco's costly and ineffective response to homelessness will proceed. Read More

Dozens of mentally ill people have died in California jails when they should have been in state hospitals receiving treatment. An ACLU lawsuit demands answers. Read More

In recent decades, surveillance has increased exponentially. It has not made us safer. On the contrary, the explosion in AI means that surveillance systems will become more powerful and more dangerous every year. This guide makes the case for non-surveillance interventions, giving policymakers the resources they need to meet this moment. Read More

John Do is the ACLU of Northern California’s lead counsel for a lawsuit challenging the city’s costly and ineffective practice of destroying unhoused individuals’ belongings, and citing, arresting, and moving them without offering shelter. For Do, who grew up poor in subsidized public housing, ending homelessness is personal. “I’ve always seen homelessness as a direct result of decades of poor pol... Read More

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We are in unprecedented times. The race for the White House has taken dramatic and unexpected turns. At the end of its term, the U.S. Supreme Court issued final decisions with tumultuous results. Simply stated, there is nothing about this year that is “business as usual.” In that context, the ACLU has geared up across the country on multiple fronts. Here is a snapshot of how we plan to proceed. Read More

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked several provisions of the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA) that impermissibly and unconstitutionally placed content-based burdens on speech. Read More

ICE leaves one of the lead organizers of a hunger strike with neurological damage. Read More