Blog

In the heart of the Central Valley, there is a dream that refused to die. In 1908, Colonel Allen Allensworth had a vision for an 800-acre plot of land in the Central Valley: to build a thriving Black community rooted in cultivating the dignity of the human spirit while creating a haven from discrimination. Read More

Recently, the ACLU of Southern California participated in an event in Kern County on AB 60, California’s new Safe and Responsible Driver Act. The act, which went into effect on Jan. 2, 2015, permits any eligible Californian to obtain a driver license, regardless of immigration status. The excitement in the room over the AB 60 license and its importance to the community was palpable. The event, ... Read More

This is my family's American Dream story. I am a divorced, single mother, and an undocumented immigrant. I have resided in the United States for almost 30 years.We came from Pakistan, a country known for its government abuse, torture, and violence against women. My father, a customs agent, and my mother, an elementary school teacher, knew that the future of their two daughters in Pakistan held lim... Read More

Many high school students have reported being denied the opportunity to take necessary college prep classes. And a disproportionate number of those were students who were either pregnant or parenting. Read More

Public participation in decisions about whether to equip police with surveillance technology is often the exception rather than the rule in California and across the country. Oakland knows this all too well. Read More

The technology that we use for everything from balancing our budget to finding a date is constantly evolving – but the laws that protect our electronic information are stuck in the digital dark ages. Read More

In San Francisco, yet another example of police abuse came to light when Jami Tillotson was arrested outside a courtroom in the Hall of Justice while attempting to protect her clients’ right to counsel. Read More

It’s a month since AB 60 - The Safe and Responsible Driver Act went into effect: since then, all eligible Californians can apply for a driver’s license, regardless of immigration status. This is a huge victory that immigrants and advocates fought for over two decades. Read More

The Obama administration's decision eight months ago to massively expand the detention of immigrant families with children means that more newborns, toddlers, and young children will suffer imprisonment for no good reason inside dangerous detention facilities. Read More

When I met Milagro* and her toddlers, they were facing imminent deportation to Honduras – a near certain death sentence in light of the extreme violence they would face there. But now they have hope. Read More

Do you have the right to tell others that you saw an on duty cop in public? According to law enforcement in two Associated Press articles this week, the answer is “No.” Read More

It seems basic enough to ask that one be treated like a human being – that a person’s dignity be honored in life and death. But tragically for too many transgender people that is still a far off dream. Read More