Press Releases
about Immigrants' Rights
Mar 17, 2020
NYCLU and Bronx Defenders Seek Emergency Relief for People in ICE Detention
Expedited decision sought for people in NYC facilities as threat of COVID-19 looms
Issue Areas:
Immigrants' Rights
Mar 16, 2020
ACLU Sues ICE for Release of Immigrants Especially Vulnerable to COVID-19
SEATTLE — The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Washington, and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) sued U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement today on be...
Issue Areas:
Immigrants' Rights
Court case: Dawson v. Asher
Mar 16, 2020
ACLU of Georgia Letter to Governor Kemp, Commissioner Toomey Encourages State Actions Grounded in Science, Public Health, and Civil Liberties
ATLANTA – Today, the ACLU of Georgia delivered a letter to Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Commissioner Kathleen Toomey offering...
Mar 12, 2020
ACLU of Louisiana Demands Immediate Release of Asylum-Seekers and People Awaiting Trial, Expedited Parole Hearings for Elderly Prisoners During Coronavirus Pandemic
NEW ORLEANS – In the wake of Louisiana’s first confirmed cases of coronavirus, the ACLU of Louisiana today called for expedited parole hearings for elderly people in state pris...
Issue Areas:
Immigrants' Rights
Prisoners' Rights
Mar 02, 2020
NYCLU Lawsuit: ICE Office in NYC Has Secret No-Release Policy
NEW YORK – The New York Civil Liberties Union and The Bronx Defenders today announced a federal class-action lawsuit challenging a recently-enacted policy of New York City-area f...
Issue Areas:
Immigrants' Rights
Feb 28, 2020
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Block on Port-of-Entry Asylum Ban
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has upheld a block on the Trump administration’s attempt to restrict asylum applications to ports of entry.
The lawsuit, East Bay Sanctu...
Issue Areas:
Immigrants' Rights
Court case: East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Barr
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.
-
New YorkMay 2026
Immigrants' Rights
Barco Mercado V. Mullin. Explore Case.Barco Mercado v. Mullin
An individual detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sued the Trump administration over lack of access to legal counsel and unsafe conditions at 26 Federal Plaza, a federal building in New York where more than 100 people have been confined, sometimes for weeks, to a temporary holding facility operated by ICE. The holding facility is only meant to temporarily hold people who are immigrants for a matter of hours as they are processed before release or transported to a longer-term detention facility. It has no beds, showers, or adequate medical support. However, as ICE has increased its arrests of immigrants, it has packed people into the holding cells at 26 Federal Plaza, where they are detained for extended periods of time, often for a week or more. Detained individuals have estimated that ICE has packed between 70 to 90 people into a room of approximately 215 square feet. -
Washington, D.C.Apr 2026
Immigrants' Rights
Brown V. Mullin. Explore Case.Brown v. Mullin
This lawsuit challenges DHS’ policy of authorizing agents to enter homes without judicially signed warrants. -
TexasMay 2026
Immigrants' Rights
Lml V. Martin. Explore Case.LML v. Martin
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Texas, and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a class-action lawsuit on May 4, 2026, seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block several provisions of Senate Bill 4 (88-4) from going into effect May 15. The 2023 law is one of the most extreme anti-immigrant laws ever passed by any state legislature in the country.