Blog
We can be pretty sure that each new day will bring two things: new threats to our civil liberties, and new stories of people standing up for their rights and winning. Behind every court ruling is a person. Behind every landmark law is a movement. Read the stories and hear the voices that ground our work.
Empowering Native Students Through Advocacy and Support: A Profile of Sonny Tripp
Oct 31, 2024
Sonny Tripp is committed to transforming educational outcomes for Native students. As an Indigenous education advocate at the Northern California Indian Development Council (NCIDC), a partner organization of ACLU NorCal, Tripp plays a crucial role in mediating between families, tribes, and school staff. “My role is to see past the labels and stereotypes that hold our kids back and to recognize eac...
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Records of Sexual Abuse Unsealed at a Federal Prison
Oct 15, 2024
The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Public Justice intervened to unseal records records related to decades of sexual abuse at a federal prison in Dublin. If the Bureau of Prisons is to be held accountable, there must be full and complete transparency as the cases against it proceed.
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Big Tech is Trying to Burn Privacy to the Ground–And They’re Using Big Tobacco’s Strategy to Do It
Oct 09, 2024
Big Tech is copying the tobacco industry's 3-step playbook designed to suffocate democratic resistance and consolidate power.
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Defending Democracy: The ACLU's Election Strategy
Oct 04, 2024
With so much at stake in this election, the ACLU has launched its most comprehensive voting rights protection and voter education programs in the organization's history. We're prepared to defend civil rights and civil liberties no matter who wins in November.
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After U.S. Supreme Court Homelessness Decision, San Francisco Cracks Down
Oct 04, 2024
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that cities can cite and arrest people simply for being homeless, San Francisco has ramped up aggressive enforcement against homeless encampments.
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The Struggle for Visibility: Defending the Right to Wear Regalia at Graduation
Sep 12, 2024
Indigenous students often face barriers when schools deny them the right to wear traditional regalia at graduation. This issue highlights a broader conflict between cultural identity and institutional policies. The blog advocates for respecting and celebrating Indigenous heritage during graduation ceremonies.
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Stories of Activism Under Siege: UCSC's Crackdown on Student Protests
Sep 06, 2024
Christine Hong, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, and Laaila, an undergraduate in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and Environmental Studies, offer their firsthand accounts of the protests and their aftermath at UC Santa Cruz.
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Immigration Detention – An Irredeemable System
Aug 28, 2024
Our new report corroborates what people detained immigrant have been saying for years: ICE is committing widespread human rights violations across its immigration detention facilities in California.
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Once Again, California Refused to Endorse Face Surveillance. Now It’s Time to Ban It.
Aug 21, 2024
For the third time in five years, California rejected a bill that would have greenlit government use of facial recognition across the state.
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Gearing up for November: A Letter from Executive Director Abdi Soltani
Jul 26, 2024
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.
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Ending Homelessness is Personal for John Do, ACLU NorCal Senior Attorney
Jul 22, 2024
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...
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Dozens of Mentally Ill People Have Died in California Jails
Jul 01, 2024
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.
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