American Civil Liberties Union

Defend the rights of all people nationwide

Abortion care, trans people's right to live freely, people's right to vote - our freedoms are at stake and we need you with us. Donate today and fuel our fight back in courts, statehouses, and nationwide.

Donate Now

Electoral Spotlight

A graphic featuring Trump and Harris imagery pertaining to the constitution.

The Trump and Harris Memos

Ahead of the 2024 election, read our memos outlining each candidate's impact on our fundamental rights.

Read Our Memos

A graphic featuring images pertaining to Harris with the word "Blog."

How Harris Must End Criminal Legal System Abuse

The ACLU urges Harris to work to end mass incarceration, abolish the death penalty, and stop unlawful racial profiling.

Learn More

A graphic featuring images pertaining to Harris with the word "Memo."

Harris on the Criminal Legal System

The ACLU will push the Harris administration to expand progressive reform efforts on criminal legal policy.

What to Know

A graphic with the phrase "Know Your Rights Bus Tour."

RSVP: Know Your Right to Read Banned Books Event

Join us for the Savannah, GA leg of our Know Your Rights bus tour, featuring author Seema Yasmin and content creator Jameelah Jones.

RSVP

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

Issues

Learn about what's happening across the most pressing civil liberties issues of our time, and what you can do.

Systemic Equality

A graphic of a child standing on a parent's shoulders.

Since our nation’s founding, discriminatory policies and laws have created an unequal system in which Black communities have had their civil rights and liberties denied and have been systemically locked out of opportunities in education, housing, employment, and more.

Through our Systemic Equality agenda, we will use nationwide litigation, advocacy, and public education to advance laws and policies rooted in racial equity and end discriminatory policies, laws, and practices that have an outsized impact on Black communities.

Help us in our fight to ensure all people have equal access to housing, voting rights, education, and more by learning more, pledging your support, or donating. When we have full and equal access to education, jobs, housing, voting rights and more, better futures are possible.

News and Commentary

News & Commentary

A shirtless demonstrator (wearing glasses and a black surgical mask) holds up a sign that reads" GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IS HEALTHCARE".

LGBTQ Rights

The Supreme Court Case on Trans Health Care, Explained.

The court will soon hear a landmark legal challenge brought by the ACLU against a ban on hormone therapies for transgender youth.

A graphic featuring Harris and imagery pertaining to the criminal legal system.

Criminal Law Reform

What Kamala Harris Must Do to End Abuse in the Criminal Legal System

As a former prosecutor, Harris should understand that the executive branch has tremendous power to work to end mass incarceration, abolish the death penalty, and stop unlawful racial profiling.

A graphic featuring a crowd of people demonstrating and the Preamble to the United States Constitution.

Civil Liberties

Project 2025 Promises to Harm Our Communities and Turn Presidents Into Kings. We Won’t Stand for It.

Anyone who cares about the people, should also care about the dire impact that the Trump-backed Project 2025 will have on our civil liberties and civil rights.

In the Courts

For more than one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.

Fighting For Reproductive Freedom

People deserve the freedom to make their own medical decisions — but extreme politicians want to take that power away and deny people essential healthcare like abortion and birth control. The ACLU will never stop fighting to ensure that every person can maker their own decisions around pregnancy.

Fighting For Reproductive Freedom

A graphic that depicts individuals demonstrating for reproductive freedom.

all court cases

Fighting Trump

During the Trump administration, we filed over 246 lawsuits.

Fighting Back Against Voter Suppression in Georgia
Following record turnout in recent elections, Georgia legislators passed a voter suppression law designed to make it harder for voters, especially voters of color, to cast a ballot. We’re suing.

Defending Student Free Speech
Brandi Levy was just blowing off steam off campus when she posted an expletive message on Snapchat critical of her school and cheer team. She was suspended from her cheer team, but alongside the ACLU she sued to defend student free speech. We took the case all the way to the Supreme Court – and won.

Protecting Abortion Access in Florida
On behalf of several abortion providers, we are fighting against Florida's senseless and harmful law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy and threatens to imprison doctors who provide care beyond that point.

our history

1920

In its first year, the ACLU challenged the Palmer Raids, protecting immigrants and trade union members.

1942

The ACLU stood almost alone in denouncing the federal government’s internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps.

1967

The ACLU represented an interracial couple in the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. The court ruled that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional.

1978

The ACLU took a controversial stand for free speech by defending a Nazi group that wanted to march through the Chicago suburb of Skokie—where many Holocaust survivors lived.

2015

The ACLU won a landmark Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, affirming the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry.

2018

In a victory for privacy, the Supreme Court ruled in an ACLU case, Carpenter v. United States, that people’s sensitive cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment, requiring the government get a warrant to access it.

today

We have over 1,700 staffers in every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico fighting for people's constitutional rights.

Careers

Full-time positions and internships

Media Inquiries

Press releases and interviews

Shop

Apparel, books, and more

Financial Reports

Annual reports on governance

FOIA Collections

Public records and information

On the Ground

From signing petitions to organizing on the ground, millions of ACLU activists are helping defend our rights.

Actions Needed Now

People gathering to have their voices heard.

Stop Project 2025

Actions Needed Now

Layered yellow and black image with political figure, Capitol Hill, and American Flag

Tell Congress: America Elects Presidents, Not Kings

A man wears an "I Voted" stick with the American flag hanging in the background. Image tinted blue and pink.

Congress: Protect Our Voting Rights

Actions Needed Now

Stop Project 2025

Tell Congress: America Elects Presidents, Not Kings

Congress: Protect Our Voting Rights

Stay Informed

By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.

Get Involved

People Power is the ACLU's platform for grassroots action. We work with volunteers and supporters in every corner of the country to defend civil liberties and civil rights. Join us.

Make calls

Join a volunteer team

Host an event

Resources

For specific inquiries and resources

Careers

Full-time positions and internships

Media Inquiries

Press releases and interviews

Shop

Apparel, books, and more

Financial Reports

Annual reports on governance

FOIA Collections

Public records and information