News

In a first-of-its-kind decision and a victory for police accountability and transparency, an Alameda County judge has ruled that a public agency can’t charge excessive fees for police body worn camera footage. Read More

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SAN FRANCISCO — The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Northern California, and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California today filed a lawsuit against the federal government for awarding millions of dollars annually to organizations that fail to provide crucial medical care to unaccompanied immigrant minors. The government authorizes some of these organizations to refuse — on religious ... Read More

Advocates and community members unveiled their assessment of a pilot program giving federal immigration agents unfettered access to the Fresno County Jail. The program is shrouded in secrecy and leaves immigrants vulnerable to abuses by ICE. Read More

On June 21, the Dept. of Health and Human Services dismissed complaints regarding group health insurance in CA, affirming that safe and legal abortion is basic health care that all women should be able to access without interference. Read More

Sacramento – Several police officers from five Bay Area cities, including Oakland and Richmond, are currently the subject of internal investigations following allegations that over 20 current and former officers abused their power and had sex with a sex worker in exchange for protection and advanced warning about prostitution stings. Now 18, the woman says she was underage when some of the encount... Read More

San Francisco – Following the mass shooting and murder at Latin Night at Pulse, an LGBTQ club in Orlando, Florida, Abdi Soltani, Executive Director of the ACLU of Northern California, issued the following statement:We hold in our hearts those who were injured, those who were killed, and the families and loved ones who are mourning in Orlando, and throughout the country after the shooting and mass ... Read More

A lawsuit was filed today against Solano County Superior Court, challenging the court’s practice of suspending the driver’s licenses of people who are too poor to pay exorbitant traffic fines. In 2015, over 11,000 driver’s licenses were suspended in Solano County for failure to pay alone. Read More

Citing the continued widespread criminalization of young people of color through marijuana enforcement, the American Civil Liberties Union of California today announced it has endorsed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“AUMA”) to control, regulate, and tax adult use, sale and cultivation of marijuana in California. The measure is expected to qualify for the November state ballot. Read More

In a first of its kind class action settlement, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) has agreed to change its policies in four Northern California detention centers. Read More

After years of tireless work to see one of California’s most discriminatory laws repealed, today women and families across the state are rejoicing in news that Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon agreed to include funds to repeal CalWORKs Maximum Family Grant (MFG) rule in the state's 2016 Budget Act. Read More

In response to recent sweeps, in which the City and its agents have taken, discarded and/or destroyed property belonging to homeless individuals, a coalition of legal groups today delivered a demand letter to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee charging that these practices are unlawful. Read More