Press Releases

Lawsuit accuses California of allowing students at under-resourced schools to lose learning time

Statewide class action case says reduced learning time starts in kindergarten and leaves students years behind – and violates the California Constitution
Issue Areas: Education Equity

Judge rules to limit mandatory detention of immigrants in CA

Immigration judge grants motion for preliminary injunction requiring the government to give certain immigrants a bond hearing in California.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

ACLU SoCal issues statement as L.A. Police Commission considers a second term for Chief Charlie Beck

The following statement is attributed to ACLU SoCal Executive Director Hector Villagra:
Issue Areas: Police Practices

CA Congress members push back on DHS over drivers licenses for immigrants

Members of California’s Congressional Delegation urge DHS to reconsider its rejection of California’s driver license design.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

Judge says state unconstitutionally stripped tens of thousands of Californians of their right to vote

OAKLAND – 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. 

Civil rights groups urge California counties to stop complying with ICE detainers

LOS ANGELES--Today, six civil rights organizations, including the ACLU of California, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, the National Immigration Law Center and others, sent letters to every county in California urging officials 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.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

U.S. Supreme Court overturns lower court, rules Michigan’s Proposal 2 is constitutional

WASHINGTON – In a 6-2 decision today, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court and ruled that Michigan’s Proposal 2 is constitutional. Proposal 2 is a 2006 ballot initiative that led to a state constitutional ban on race-conscious college admissions policies in Michigan. It specifically barred students from lobbying universities to consider race as one of many factors in admissions.
Issue Areas: Education Equity

Detained asylum seekers sue Obama Administration to end long waits for initial interviews

SAN FRANCISCO — ACLU Foundation of Southern California, ACLU of Northern California, and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), along with the international law firm Reed Smith LLP, today filed a class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California 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 United States when someone is forced to return following a deportation order.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

How a father gets deported for a traffic violation

If you ask the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it doesn't deport parents whose most serious crime is a traffic offense.