Press Releases
May 22, 2018
ACLU Responds to House Passage of First STEP Act
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives passed the First STEP Act, formerly the Prison Reform and Redemption Act, tonight by a margin of 360-59.
Jesselyn McCurdy, deputy direct...
Issue Areas:
Smart Justice
Apr 09, 2018
Five-Week Trial Exposes Inhumane, Unconstitutional Conditions at Mississippi Prison Operated by Private Contractors
Experts and Prisoners Testify to Extreme Deficiencies at East Mississippi Correctional Facility in Security, Health Care, Food, and Sanitation, Conditions that Create Dangerous, Violent Environment for Prisoners and Staff
Issue Areas:
Prisoners' Rights
Smart Justice
Court case: Dockery v. Hall
Mar 05, 2018
Trial Begins in Lawsuit Against Mississippi Department of Corrections Over Years of Unconstitutional Conditions at Privately Operated Prison
Civil Rights Groups Will Show Extreme Suffering, Abuse, and Neglect at East Mississippi Correctional Facility
Issue Areas:
Smart Justice
Court case: Dockery v. Hall
Oct 19, 2017
New Report by Prison Policy Initiative and ACLU Provides New Analysis of Fastest Growing Incarcerated Population: Women
Report Provides Important Insights Into Drivers of Women’s Incarceration as Policymakers and Advocates Seek Reforms
Issue Areas:
Smart Justice
Women's Rights
Aug 23, 2017
Federal Court Issues Restraining Order Against City of Houston in Homelessness Suit
HOUSTON — A federal court issued a temporary restraining order against the City of Houston today in an ongoing lawsuit challenging two city ordinances that target the homeless. S...
Issue Areas:
Smart Justice
Aug 08, 2017
ACLU and SPLC Sue to End Racketeering Scheme that Forced People Awaiting Trial to Pay Fees to Private Company for Freedom
Thousands of Dollars Extorted from Pretrial Detainees After Bail Was Paid
Issue Areas:
Smart Justice
Court case: Ayo v. Dunn et al
About the ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union has media staff available to handle inquiries from journalists on national issues affecting civil liberties, including questions on legislative matters that touch on civil liberties and constitutional freedoms and inquiries related to ACLU lawsuits.
To schedule an interview with an ACLU expert, email media@aclu.org.
Contact an ACLU Affiliate
The ACLU has 54 local offices across the U.S. working with attorneys and activists in their communities to shape better policies and spread awareness about their states' priority civil rights issues.
Local inquiries should be directed to the appropriate ACLU state affiliate.
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News & CommentaryMar 2026
Mass Incarceration
A Sunday At An Idaho Racetrack Ended In A Mass Immigration Raid. Hundreds Faced Cruel Detention Practices.. Explore News & Commentary.A Sunday at an Idaho Racetrack Ended in a Mass Immigration Raid. Hundreds Faced Cruel Detention Practices.
More than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement launched an unlawful and discriminatory immigration raid in Wilder, Idaho. -
News & CommentaryMar 2026
Mass Incarceration
Trump’s Firing Of Noem Signals Need For New Vision On Immigration. Explore News & Commentary.Trump’s Firing of Noem Signals Need for New Vision on Immigration
With the Department of Homeland Security losing Kristi Noem as secretary and facing a funding crisis, lawmakers have a unique opportunity to advance a new path forward for immigration. -
KentuckyMar 2026
Mass Incarceration
United States V. Adams. Explore Case.United States v. Adams
The Trump administration's Department of Justice has taken Kentucky to court in an attempt to obtain sensitive, non-public information from the state's voter registration database — including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, dates of birth, and home addresses. This lawsuit is one of nearly three dozen similar actions filed against states across the country, and reporting suggests the underlying goal is to construct an unauthorized federal voter database and use error-prone data-matching tools to target registered voters — including naturalized citizens — for potential removal from the rolls. -
News & CommentaryMar 2026
Mass Incarceration
Your Questions Answered: Can Congress Stop President Trump's Illegal War Against Iran?. Explore News & Commentary.Your Questions Answered: Can Congress Stop President Trump's Illegal War Against Iran?
Amid President Donald Trump's unconstitutional war against Iran, ACLU experts break down who has the power to declare war — and how Congress can assert its war powers.