Washington, D.C.
League of Women Voters Education Fund v. Trump
On March 25, 2025, in a sweeping and unprecedented Executive Order, President Trump attempted to usurp the power to regulate federal elections from Congress and the States. Among other things, the Executive Order directs the Election Assistance Commission—an agency that Congress specifically established to be bipartisan and independent—to require voters to show a passport or other citizenship documentation in order to register to vote in federal elections. If implemented, the Executive Order would threaten the ability of millions of eligible Americans to register and vote and upend the administration of federal elections.
On behalf of leading voter registration organizations and advocacy organizations, the ACLU and co-counsel filed a lawsuit to block the Executive Order as an unconstitutional power grab.
Status: Ongoing
View Case
Visit ACLU of the District of Columbia
Featured
Washington, D.C.
Jun 2019
Human Rights
Weir v. U.S.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit in June 2019 against the United States and the head of the U.S. Coast Guard on behalf of four Jamaican fishermen, who were forcibly removed from their fishing boat and detained for over a month at sea on four U.S. Coast Guard ships in patently inhumane conditions.
All Cases
19 Washington, D.C. Cases
Washington, D.C.
Jan 2026
LGBTQ Rights
Kingdom v. Trump
Three transgender people currently incarcerated in federal custody have filed a class action lawsuit against the Trump Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) challenging an Executive Order and new BOP policies prohibiting their access to gender-affirming care. The class action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of approximately 2,000 transgender people incarcerated in federal prisons across the United States.
Explore case
Washington, D.C.
Jan 2026
LGBTQ Rights
Kingdom v. Trump
Three transgender people currently incarcerated in federal custody have filed a class action lawsuit against the Trump Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) challenging an Executive Order and new BOP policies prohibiting their access to gender-affirming care. The class action lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of approximately 2,000 transgender people incarcerated in federal prisons across the United States.
Washington, D.C.
Jan 2026
Free Speech
The New York Times Co. v. Department of Defense
Explore case
Washington, D.C.
Jan 2026
Free Speech
The New York Times Co. v. Department of Defense
Washington, D.C.
Dec 2025
Civil Liberties
Voting Rights
United States v. Evans
Representing Common Cause and two D.C. voters, the ACLU Voting Rights Project and has filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit over the federal government’s demand that D.C. turn over its entire voter registration rolls, including voters’ sensitive personal data such as drivers’ license numbers and partial social security numbers.
Explore case
Washington, D.C.
Dec 2025
Civil Liberties
Voting Rights
United States v. Evans
Representing Common Cause and two D.C. voters, the ACLU Voting Rights Project and has filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit over the federal government’s demand that D.C. turn over its entire voter registration rolls, including voters’ sensitive personal data such as drivers’ license numbers and partial social security numbers.
Washington, D.C.
Dec 2025
Immigrants' Rights
J.G.G. v. TRUMP
Emergency lawsuit filed in federal court to halt removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
Explore case
Washington, D.C.
Dec 2025
Immigrants' Rights
J.G.G. v. TRUMP
Emergency lawsuit filed in federal court to halt removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
Washington, D.C.
Oct 2025
Voting Rights
Comments on Petition of America First Legal for Rulemaking Before the Election Assistance Commission
The ACLU, along with several partner organizations, is opposing a request to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from the America First Legal Foundation (AFL) for a new rulemaking to consider changing the federal voter registration form to add a requirement for documentary proof of citizenship.
The federal voter registration form was created by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and under federal law almost all states in the country have to accept it as a form of mail voter registration. As intended by the NVRA, the form is a one page, streamlined application that an individual can complete and mail-in without providing any additional documentation. If the rules about the federal form are changed so that additional documentation is required, it is likely that many states would also change their own state voter registration forms to require documentary proof of citizenship.
This change would potentially disenfranchise millions of eligible U.S. citizens.
Explore case
Washington, D.C.
Oct 2025
Voting Rights
Comments on Petition of America First Legal for Rulemaking Before the Election Assistance Commission
The ACLU, along with several partner organizations, is opposing a request to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from the America First Legal Foundation (AFL) for a new rulemaking to consider changing the federal voter registration form to add a requirement for documentary proof of citizenship.
The federal voter registration form was created by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and under federal law almost all states in the country have to accept it as a form of mail voter registration. As intended by the NVRA, the form is a one page, streamlined application that an individual can complete and mail-in without providing any additional documentation. If the rules about the federal form are changed so that additional documentation is required, it is likely that many states would also change their own state voter registration forms to require documentary proof of citizenship.
This change would potentially disenfranchise millions of eligible U.S. citizens.