Home : Immigrants' Rights : Discrimination

Federal Judge Rules Against Policy of Denying Marriage License on Basis of Immigration Status (05/01/2007)
SCRANTON, PA - A federal judge today ruled that a county official cannot deny a marriage license to a couple simply because an applicant does not have a current visa or green card.

Pennsylvania Couple Wrongfully Denied Marriage License Because of Immigration Status, ACLU Charges (04/18/2007)
SCRANTON, PA - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Pennsylvania today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a West Hazleton couple who were denied a marriage license because of a policy that prohibits issuance of a license to anyone who cannot prove that “they are in the country legally.”

Federal Trial Over Hazleton, PA’s Anti-Immigrant Ordinances Concludes (03/22/2007)
SCRANTON, PA - Trial came to an end today in a federal challenge to prevent the city of Hazleton, PA from implementing harsh anti-immigrant ordinances that are at odds with federal law. The two-week trial revealed that Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and city officials rushed to scapegoat undocumented immigrants for several of the city’s burdens, despite evidence to the contrary.

Trial Begins in Landmark Challenge to Anti-Immigrant Laws in Hazleton, PA (03/12/2007)
SCRANTON, PA - A federal trial began here today in a landmark challenge to local ordinances that seek to punish landlords and employers who do business with undocumented immigrants. Attorneys representing residents and business owners in Hazleton, PA argued that the laws are unconstitutional because they seek to trump federal immigration policy, and would legitimize discrimination against anyone who looks or sounds foreign.

Proposed Suffolk County Law Unfairly Criminalizes Day Laborers, NYCLU Testifies (03/06/2007)
NEW YORK- The New York Civil Liberties Union today expressed its firm opposition to an anti-immigrant ordinance under consideration by the Suffolk County legislature, arguing in testimony that the bill criminalizes "standing while Latino" by unfairly targeting day laborers seeking work.

ACLU of Arizona Urges Lake Havasu Council Members to Reject Proposed Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (02/27/2007)
PHOENIX - In a letter sent today to members of the Lake Havasu City Council, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona urged city officials to reject a proposal to impose a citywide, employee-eligibility verification system regarding the hiring of immigrants. According to the ACLU, the proposed ordinance violates the constitutional principle that local government cannot override federal law and will hurt the local economy by imposing financial burdens on local employers.

Virginia's Senate Committees Reject Anti-Immigrant Legislation (02/15/2007)
RICHMOND, VA-The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today welcomed the news that two Senate committees have dispensed with most of the anti-immigrant bills in the Virginia legislature.

Civil Rights Groups File Challenge to Anti-Immigrant Ordinance in Texas (12/27/2006)
FARMERS BRANCH, TX – Today, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, along with the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, filed suit in Dallas federal district court on behalf of Farmers Branch residents and landlords challenging the city’s recently adopted anti-immigrant ordinance.

Escondido, CA Backs Down from Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (12/14/2006)
SAN DIEGO - In an unexpected but welcome reversal, the city of Escondido has agreed not to enforce a controversial city ordinance that bans renting apartments to undocumented immigrants, a coalition of civil rights organizations announced today.

Civil Rights Organizations File Lawsuit Over Unconstitutional Ordinance in Escondido, CA (11/03/2006)
ESCONDIDO, CA - A coalition of civil rights organizations and law firms today filed a lawsuit against the city of Escondido, charging that the city's anti-immigration ordinance is unconstitutional and illegal under federal and state law. In a demand letter issued last week, the coalition urged the City Council to avoid spending taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit defending the unconstitutional ordinance, and pressed instead for the measure to be repealed before the November 18 implementation date. The city failed to respond to the letter.

Undocumented Workers Bring Plea for Non-Discrimination to Human Rights Body (11/01/2006)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Employment Law Project and the Transnational Legal Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law today filed a petition urging the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to find the United States in violation of its universal human rights obligations by failing to protect millions of undocumented workers from exploitation and discrimination in the workplace.

Federal Judge Blocks Hazleton Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (10/31/2006)
SCRANTON, PA -- A federal judge today issued a temporary order blocking anti-immigrant ordinances from being enforced in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, noting that the laws could cause “irreparable harm” to the city’s residents. The ordinances were challenged in court by local business owners, landlords and residents who would be negatively impacted by the laws.

Hazleton Law Doesn’t Trump Federal Government, Groups Charge (10/30/2006)
HAZLETON, PA -- A coalition of local attorneys, civil rights and immigrants’ rights groups today filed new legal papers charging that the city of Hazleton has overstepped its authority by passing harsh anti-immigrant ordinances that are at odds with federal immigration law.

Businesses Sue Riverside, NJ Over Vague, Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (10/18/2006)
MOUNT HOLLY, NJ - A coalition of Riverside business owners, landlords and residents will file a lawsuit today in state court against Riverside Township, contending that the recently adopted Illegal Immigration Relief Act oversteps the city’s authority, is too vague, unfairly puts businesses at risk and violates civil rights under state law.

Coalition Gains Immediate Halt to Unconstitutional Ordinance in Hazleton, PA (09/01/2006)
NEW YORK - An unconstitutional ordinance passed by the Hazleton, PA City Council will not be allowed to go into effect according to a coalition of the American Civil Liberties Union, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Community Justice Project, the law firm of Cozen O’Connor and local attorneys George Barron, David Vaida, and Barry Dyller. Federal District Court Judge James M. Munley signed an Order, agreed to by the parties, that Hazleton will not enforce its so-called “Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance” at this time.

ACLU of New Jersey Survey: Immigrant Students at Risk of Exclusion in One Out of Four Schools (08/30/2006)
NEWARK, NJ -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today called on the state Department of Education to put an end to school practices that violate state and federal laws by requiring that parents who wish to enroll their children in public school provide private information about them, such as their Social Security numbers. This practice has the most chilling effect on immigrant students seeking to register for school, the ACLU said.

Suffolk County Not Authorized to Pass Anti-Immigrant Law, NYCLU Testifies (08/22/2006)
NEW YORK -- The New York Civil Liberties Union expressed strong opposition today to anti-immigrant legislation that is under consideration before the Suffolk County Legislature. The NYCLU testified that the law would foster rampant discrimination and would violate the constitutional principle that local government cannot override federal law.

Hazleton Residents Sue to Halt Harsh Anti-Immigrant Law (08/15/2006)
HAZLETON, PA - An ordinance that classifies certain immigrants as "illegal," punishes landlords and employers who do business with those immigrants and makes English the official language is unconstitutional and should be blocked immediately, according to a lawsuit filed today by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, the Community Justice Project, the law firm of Cozen O'Connor and local attorneys George Barron, David Vaida, and Barry Dyller.

ACLU of Florida, PRLDEF and Local Advocates Vow to Sue Over Palm Bay Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (08/15/2006)
PALM BAY, FL – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund and the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges today sent a letter to the City of Palm Bay expressing opposition to the anti-immigrant ordinances which are under consideration by the Palm Bay City Council. Should the Council vote to pass the ordinances, the organizations have vowed to challenge the laws in court on behalf of Palm Bay constituents.

Southern Californians Demand Citizenship After Excessive Delays (08/01/2006)
LOS ANGELES - On behalf of a U.S. military veteran, a medical doctor, small business owners and others who have been illegally denied citizenship, the America Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project and the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a class action lawsuit today against the federal government.