News
Contraception Rule Case Advances
Yesterday the ACLU filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the first challenge to the federal contraceptive rule to reach an appeals court on the merits. The federal contraceptive rule requires health plans to cover contraception without a co-pay, and despite the…
Warrantless Wiretapping: Here to Stay
It’s official. The Senate voted 72-23 last week to extend the FISA Amendments Act another five years, which President Obama signed Sunday. Unfortunately, the public discussion of George W. Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program may soon fade back into the shadows….
Who Did We Kill This Year?
At the end of the year many news sources review a year’s worth of obituaries, usually the passing of the famous. Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride. Whitney Houston, Dave Brubeck. Joe Paterno, a reminder that people’s lives are complicated, and…
With ACLU’s Rapid Growth Comes New Leader, and Increased Emphasis on Latino Engagement
SAN DIEGO – Having grown from seven staff members to twenty-one in seven years, the San Diego ACLU today announced the promotion of Norma Chávez-Peterson to the new position of Associate Director supervising the organization’s entire advocacy portfolio. Chávez -Peterson…
Merry Christmas from the ACLU!
Every year at about this time, the ACLU begins receiving scores of Christmas cards, generally unsigned, almost always without return addresses. Many are simple and nice. But some call on us to have a “Merry Christmas—whether you like it…
U.S. Supreme Court to Review Challenges to DOMA and Prop. 8
Today the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review Edie Windsor’s challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (Windsor v. United States). The ACLU brought the case forward because it is fundamentally unfair that the legal marriages of couples like Edie…
ACLU Files Class Action Lawsuit Challenging Mandatory Immigration Lock-up
Gayle v. Napolitano is a class action lawsuit filed today on behalf of hundreds of immigrants in New Jersey subject to mandatory immigration detention. The lawsuit challenges the federal government’s policy of locking up immigrants in deportation proceedings without any…
Marriage Equality Sweeps the Nation
The nation has just had a marriage moment – a tipping point where voters in at least two states have affirmed the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. The vote illustrates that the country is getting squarely behind the notion that…
ACLU Advocates for the Right to Challenge Warrantless Wiretapping
The ACLU appeared before the Supreme Court Monday morning to argue for the right of Americans to challenge a law that instituted a far-reaching and unconstitutional surveillance regime. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 dramatically expanded the government’s authority to monitor Americans’…
More Cause for Shock and Concern at the Border, says San Diego ACLU
The following statement can be attributed to Kevin Keenan, executive director of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties. There has been yet another incident of fatal shooting of unarmed people at the U.S.-Mexico border—the third and fourth killings…
ACLU to Testify at the United Nations On Human Rights Abuses at the U.S.–Mexico Border
The American Civil Liberties Union is slated to present testimony today at the United Nations on human rights violations at the U.S.-Mexico border, including deaths as a result of the U.S. government’s border enforcement policy. The testimony will include details…
Freedom of Speech Upheld in ACLU Lawsuit Against Escondido
The City of Escondido agreed to uphold the First Amendment right of individuals to protest and record the Escondido Police Department’s controversial traffic checkpoint program, in a settlement filed today in federal court. The settlement concludes part of a case filed earlier…
Border Agents Harass Americans Taking Pictures, Threaten to Smash Cameras
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s policy and practice of prohibiting the use of cameras and video recorders at or near U.S. ports of entry is unconstitutional, said the American Civil Liberties Union Border Affiliates and the law…
Federal Appeals Court Declares “Defense of Marriage Act” Unconstitutional
NEW YORK – A federal appeals court ruled today that the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA) unconstitutionally discriminates against married same-sex couples. In striking down DOMA, the court held that government discrimination against lesbians and gay men now is…
San Diego ACLU Statement on Potential SDGE Gag Order
We understand lawyers for San Diego Gas & Electric Company believe that recent publicity may impact the upcoming trial concerning alleged discrimination by SDG&E, which is set for October 19 in San Diego Superior Court. According to the lawyers, “SDG&E…