Home : Immigrants' Rights

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.

ACLU of Texas Shares United Nation's Concern About Increased Level of Militarization on Border (07/28/2006)
EL PASO, TX — A United Nations human rights body today expressed grave concerns over the United States' human rights record. The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the recommendations and urged the U.S. government to take immediate and vigorous steps to implement them on both the state and federal level. Among the findings from the committee were concerns about the increased level of militarization on the U.S.-Mexico Border, National Guard troops on the U.S.-Mexico border and the enforcement of immigration laws by agents lacking adequate training on immigration issues.

Federal Judge in California Grants Citizenship to Palestinian Man After 20 Years (06/23/2006)
LOS ANGELES – In an historic case, a federal judge ruled today that a Palestinian man who came to the United States more than two decades ago seeking a better future should become a U.S. citizen. The man, Aiad Barakat, is one of the so-called L.A. 8, a group of eight people who were targeted by the government nearly 20 years ago for engaging in political speech and supporting Palestinian rights.

ACLU of Massachusetts Blasts Governor’s Plan to Use State Police as Federal Immigration Agents (06/22/2006)
BOSTON -- A plan by Governor Mitt Romney to use state police as federal immigration agents will undermine public safety by diverting scarce police resources away from real crime fighting and deterring residents from reporting crimes, while increasing the risk of illegal racial and ethnic profiling, said lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.

ACLU Urges Congress to Fix - Or Scrap - Flawed Immigration Bill (06/19/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee on the Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) provisions that were included in the immigration reform legislation being considered by Congress. A final agreement, or conference report, on that legislation is still pending, as neither chamber has appointed conferees to reconcile the House and Senate bills.

ACLU Urges Appeals Court Action on Behalf of Muslim Man Harassed by Coworkers (06/07/2006)
PORTLAND, ME -- Tomorrow, the Maine Civil Liberties Union will argue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit that a Muslim man subjected to humiliating harassment at work should receive a remedy in court.

ACLU Urges Senate to Oppose Flawed Immigration Bill, Says Legislation Fails to Protect Due Process and Privacy (05/25/2006)
WASHINGTON - With a vote in the Senate on immigration reform pending, the American Civil Liberties Union urged lawmakers to oppose the flawed legislation that fails to protect privacy and due process rights.

ACLU Calls on President Not to Deploy Military Troops to Deter Immigrants at the Mexican Border (05/15/2006)
WASHINGTON - In anticipation of President Bush’s address to the nation tonight on immigration reform, the American Civil Liberties Union today called upon the president and Congress to reject any measures that fail to uphold the letter and spirit of our laws and encouraged lawmakers to adopt immigration reform that protects the freedom and privacy of all in America.

Immigration “Reform” Bill Must Not Violate Privacy, Say ACLU and AFL-CIO; Urge Reforms to Protect All Workers in America (04/20/2006)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union and the AFL-CIO said today that any immigration reform Congress considers must not violate workers’ privacy through an intrusive, bureaucratic Employment Eligibility Verification System. The Senate is expected to address immigration when it returns next week from its Easter recess.