American Civil Liberties Union

Immigrants' Rights:
The ACLU has been one of the nation's leading advocates for the rights of immigrants, refugees and non-citizens, challenging unconstitutional laws and practices, countering the myths upon which many of these laws are based. Learn more about our Immigrants' Rights Project and take action to protect the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.


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Immigrants Rights : Discrimination : Legislative Documents

ACLU Backgrounder on English Only Policies in Congress (12/10/2007)
In 2006 the Senate took up an amendment to make English the national language in connection with the Comprehensive Immigration Reform (“CIR”) Act. The amendment, offered by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), passed the Senate by a vote of 62 to 35. This amendment was substantially diluted by the subsequent passage of an alternative amendment by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) which declared English as the “common and unifying language of the United States.” Both amendments, largely symbolic in nature, died when the Senate failed to pass CIR. Similar amendments were introduced and passed in the 2007 version of the CIR, which also failed to become law. Nonetheless, the fact that nearly two-thirds of the Senate voted to make English the national language illustrates the intense, and unfortunately misguided, fervor surrounding the English-only debate.

ACLU of Virginia Letter to Prince William County Board of Supervisors (07/09/2007)

Escondido, Calif., Resolution No. 2007-16 and Final Statement (01/10/2007)
Escondido, California's, Resolution No. 2007-16 and final statement.

Farmers Branch, Texas, Ordinance No. 2892 (01/02/2007)

Hazleton, Pa., Ordinance No. 2006-40 (12/26/2006)
Entitled "Illegal Immigration Relief Act Implementation Amendment," this ordinance is the third version of the city's Illegal Immigration Relief Act.

Hazleton, Pa., Ordinance No. 2006-35 (12/13/2006)

Cherokee County, Ga., Ordinance No. 2006-003 (12/05/2006)
Cherokee County, Georgia, Ordinance No. 2006-003 establishes "penalties for the harboring of illegal aliens in Cherokee County."

Escondido, Calif., Ordinance No. 2006-38 R (10/18/2006)
Entitled "An Ordinance of the City of Escondido, California Establishing Penalties for the Harboring of Illegal Aliens in the City of Escondido."

Valley Park, Mo., Ordinance No. 1715 (09/26/2006)
An ordinance amending City of Valley Park Ordinance No. 1708.

Hazleton, Pa., Ordinance No. 2006-18 (09/08/2006)
This ordinance is the second version of the city's Illegal Immigration Relief Act.

Hazleton, Pa., Ordinance No. 2006-13 (08/15/2006)
Hazleton, Pa., Ordinance No. 2006-13, entitled the "Illegal Immigration Relief Act."

Riverside, N.J., Ordinance No. 2006-#16 (07/26/2006)
Riverside, New Jersey, Ordinance No. 2006#16, entitled the "Illegal Immigration Relief Act."

Valley Park, Mo., Ordinance No. 1708 (07/17/2006)
Valley Park, Missouri, Ordinance No. 1708, entitled "An Ordinance Relating to Illegal Immigration within the City of Valley Park, Mo."

ACLU - Cuban American National Foundation Joint Statement Urging Conferees to Reject Anti-Immigrant Provisions in the Intelligence Reform Legislation (10/20/2004)

ACLU Letter to the House Urging Support of the Oxley-Frank Amendment to the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2005, H.R. 5025 (09/14/2004)

ACLU Letter to Congress Urging Support of H.R. 3266 and S. 1691, the "Wartime Treatment Study Act" (03/03/2004)

Comments to the Office of Civil Rights in Response to Policy Guidance on Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination As It Affects Persons with Limited English Proficiency ("LEP Guidance") (12/08/2003)

Letter to the House Urging Co-Sponsorship of the Permanent Partner Immigration Act (02/11/2003)

Letter to Conferees on Restrictions on Total Information Awareness and Special Registration Funding in H.J. Res. 2, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill (02/07/2003)

Letter to the House Judiciary Committee Urging Opposition to H.R. 4043, the Driver's License Federal Mandate Bill (05/16/2002)


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