Minneapolis settles lawsuit alleging journalists were harassed, hurt covering Floyd protests
The city of Minneapolis has agreed to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that journalists were subjected to police harassment and even hurt while covering protests over the police killings of George Floyd.
Pregnant woman's arrest in carjacking case spurs call to end Detroit police facial recognition
A Detroit woman who was arrested in connection with a suspected robbery and carjacking when she was eight months pregnant is suing the city and one of its police officers for what she says is an over- reliance on facial recognition technology.
Albuquerque sued by ACLU for hounding, harassing homeless
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and others are suing the city of Albuquerque in an effort to stop officials in the stateโs largest city from destroying homeless encampments and jailing and fining people who are living on the street.
Indiana judge weighing bid to block state's new abortion ban
A top state lawyer has derided arguments that Indianaโs new abortion ban violates the state constitution, saying that Indiana had such laws in place when the constitution was drafted in 1851 and that opponents of the ban are trying to invent a state right to privacy.
36th District Court addresses cash bond discrimination with new policy in Detroit -- What we know
On Tuesday, the 36th District Court, judges, leaders like Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and civil rights advocates announced a historic agreement for major reform to the cash bail system to level the playing field for working-class Detroiters.
Voting 101: What you need to know about casting a ballot in Texas
Exercising your right to vote can be confusing or intimidating, regardless if youโre a first-time voter or a veteran. KPRC 2 News and KSAT, our San Antonio sister-station, worked to create a comprehensive resource to make sure every eligible Texan can vote and is counted.
ACLU asks Michigan Department of Civil Rights to step in after racist incidents reported at Brighton schools
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) is asking the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) to intervene in a โpotentially racially hostile education environmentโ in Brighton schools.
Police 'unlawful assembly' powers come under fire in Oregon
Law enforcement agencies can respond that way under an arcane Oregon law that critics say allows them to violate people's First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. In 1971, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated Virginiaโs unlawful assembly statute on First Amendment grounds, the ACLU of Oregon said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon says that because unlawful assembly is not a crime in Oregon, the vast majority of protesters who were arrested were charged with interfering with a peace officer. The Oregon law is still unconstitutional because it gives police outsized power to silence dissent, said Kelly Simon, the ACLU of Oregonโs interim legal director. โIronically, or maybe not so ironically in Oregon, unlawful assembly declarations too often are precursors to police violence against those asking for the government to recognize their right to be safe,โ Simon told Bynum's subcommittee.
Biden asks high court to put off wall, asylum cases
(AP Photo/Matt York)WASHINGTON โ The Biden administration has asked the Supreme Court to put off arguments over two controversial Trump administration policies that have been challenged in court now that President Joe Biden has taken steps to unwind them. In his first days as president, Biden rescinded the national emergency Trump declared on the southern border and ordered a pause in wall construction. AdThe American Civil Liberties Union, which represents groups that sued the Trump administration in both cases, has agreed to putting off both cases, acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the court. โItโs a good start that the Biden administration is not rushing to defend Trumpโs illegal wall in court, but just hitting the brakes isnโt enough. Trumpโs wall devastated border communities, the environment, and tribal sites,โ ACLU lawyer Dror Ladin said.
ACLU, for first time, elects Black person as its president
She succeeds Susan Herman, a professor at Brooklyn Law School who had served as president since 2008. Early in her career, after graduating from Yale Law School, she was a legal fellow at the ACLU in 1997-98. At NYU Law School, Archer is a professor of clinical law and director of its Civil Rights Clinic. AdโThere is no one better equipped, who best personifies or is more capable to helm the future battles for civil rights, civil liberties, and systemic equality than Deborah Archer,โ Romero said. โPresident Trump may be gone but his toxic legacy on civil rights and civil liberties is still very much with us,โ Romero said.
ACLU calls on Michigan gov. to veto Senateโs approval of changes to sex offender registry rules
LANSING, Mich. โ The Legislature approved changes last week to Michiganโs sex offender registry after federal courts declared the current policy unconstitutional. In 2006, the state prohibited those on the registry from living or loitering within 1,000 feet of school property. In 2011, the state approved a requirement for registrants to immediately report changes in addresses, vehicles and phone numbers. Since the judge's February decision, officers were advised not to take enforcement action for certain violations involving the registry and school safety zones, said Michigan State Police spokeswoman Shanon Banner. The legislation would require offenders to report changes in phone numbers and vehicles to authorities.
Michigan groups unite to urge passage of criminal justice reforms before yearโs end
LANSING, Mich. โ โWe are, so excited about this coalition, and weโre excited about these reforms. They prove that when people work together, they make genuine real process in Lansing,โ said Kimberly Buddin. Thursday, several organizations -- like Americans for Prosperity, the ACLU of Michigan, Safe and Just Michigan and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy -- presented the Justice Reform Package to the State House and Senate. They addressed key and important issues like driverโs license suspensions, mandatory minimum sentencing, case initiation, sentencing, probation, racial justice and fairness. The State House approved the package, now they move on to the Senate.
Military voters fear they're part of unsupported fraud claim
(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)LAS VEGAS โ Some military voters are concerned they have been thrust into the center of unsubstantiated fraud claims by President Donald Trumpโs campaign that several thousand people may have improperly voted in Nevada. Still, lawyers from Trumpโs campaign sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr alleging they had uncovered what they described as โcriminal voter fraudโ in Nevada. Those people were identified by โcross-referencing the names and addresses of voters with the National Change of Address database,โ according to the letter. Instead, it listed voters by the county, city, state and zip code they moved from, and the city, state and nine-digit zip code they moved to. Voting rights activists say hundreds of people on the list appear to be linked to the U.S. military.
Judge urges US to help find parents deported without kids
Most of the parents were deported to their Central American homelands, and their children were placed with sponsors in the U.S., often relatives. But it was later discovered an additional 1,556 children were taken from their parents going back to summer 2017, including the 545 kids who are still separated. The administrationโs foot-dragging has made it even tougher to find the parents because of how much time has passed, he said. The judge called for an update on Dec. 2 and set another hearing for Dec. 4 to discuss the progress. Just nine parents separated from their children were allowed back in January.
ACLU pushes for Wayne County to extend protections from foreclosure
DETROIT โ The battle over foreclosures in Wayne County took a new turn Thursday in Detroit. The American Civil Liberties Union wants the county to protect many from foreclosure for years to come. The county has taken action to protect those struggling by suspending all foreclosures through the end of the year. Now the ACLU wants to take it a step further protecting those from foreclosure for years to come. Local 4 reached out to the Wayne County Treasurerโs Office but calls have not been returned.
Parents of 545 children separated at border can't be found
SAN DIEGO โ Court-appointed lawyers said Tuesday that they have been unable to find parents of 545 children who were separated at the U.S. border with Mexico early in the Trump administration. The children were separated between July 1, 2017, and June 26, 2018, when a federal judge in San Diego ordered that children in government custody be reunited with their parents. The American Civil Liberties Union, which sued over the practice, said a court-appointed steering committee located parents of 485 children, up 47 from August. That leaves 545 still unaccounted for among the 1,030 children for whom the steering committee had telephone numbers from U.S. authorities. About two-thirds of parents of those 545 children are believed to be in their countries of origin, the ACLU said.
ACLU launches website detailing what voters need to know before Election Day
DETROIT โ The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shouldnโt stop you from voting. Engage Michigan is teaming up with the ACLU and many other organizations to create MichiganVoting.org, a website that provides information for voters. The website is expected to have information on how to get to the polls on election day. Watch the video above for the full report
Documents show large police presence at George Floyd burial
Pearland Police Chief Johnny Spires defended the large law enforcement presence. Drake said the ACLU was deeply troubled that BORTAC agents were part of the law enforcement response. BORTAC agents have been criticized for how they have detained and arrested protesters in Portland, Oregon. A representative of Customs and Border Protection in Washington, D.C., declined to comment on the work of BORTAC agents in Pearland. CBP said its special operations teams are routinely deployed to help law enforcement nationwide.
Brown U. rebuts 'conspiracy' in fight over women's sports
PROVIDENCE, R.I. Brown University rebutted what the school calls spurious conspiracy claims" as it responded to an allegation that it is failing to comply with a 1998 agreement ensuring gender equity in sports. The Ivy League school this year announced it was cutting several varsity women's and men's sports, and reducing them to club status. The agreement stemmed from a lawsuit filed after Brown dropped womens gymnastics and volleyball as varsity sports. Brown last month released internal documents, including emails from high-ranking school officials, that Public Justice and the ACLU said show Brown wanted to undermine and dismantle the 1998 agreement. Brown President Christina Paxson said the school fully supports women's sports.
ACLU sues over federal action in Portland, Oregon, protests
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, challenging the legality of the actions taken by U.S. agents sent by President Donald Trump to subdue protests in Portland. The federal agents exceeded the limits of their authority, making illegal arrests and using tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and other tactics to squelch the protests, the lawsuit alleges. A video of plaintiff and Navy veteran Christopher David's encounter with U.S. agents outside the Portland courthouse circulated widely on social media. It showed one agent hitting David with a baton and another dousing him in the face with pepper spray. Local police have arrested hundreds of people over the three months and federal agents arrested at least 94 people at the height of the demonstrations in July.
State senator charged with 'injury' to Confederate monument
NORFOLK, Va. A Virginia state senator has been charged with damaging a Confederate monument in Portsmouth during protests that also led to a demonstrator being critically injured when a statue was torn down, authorities said Monday. Lucas is a longtime Democratic legislator and a key power broker in the state Senate, joining the chamber in 1992. The monument in Portsmouth consists of a large obelisk and statues of four Confederate military personnel. Felony charges leveled against a sitting state senator are to be taken seriously, and should not be sought out for political gain, he said in a statement. "It is for that reason that the Republican Party of Virginia calls for Senator Lucas to turn herself in.
'See you in court': ACLU files nearly 400 cases versus Trump
As of this week, the ACLU has filed nearly 400 lawsuits and other legal actions against the Trump administration, some meeting with setbacks but many resulting in important victories. As of this week, the ACLU has filed nearly 400 lawsuits and other legal actions against the Trump administration, some meeting with setbacks but many resulting in important victories. Donald Trump has provided a full employment program for ACLU lawyers on all of our issues, Romero said. By a similar 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court also allowed the implementation of the Trump administration policy barring transgender people from enlisting in the military. In an email, Turley questioned the wisdom of the torrent of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Detroit says 'shoddy' work led to arrest tied to technology
Robert Williams was the victim of shoddy investigative work," police Chief James Craig said. Williams, 42, was arrested in January in front of his family at their home in Farmington Hills, a Detroit suburb. The video wasn't as clear as he felt it should be. The ACLU, which opposes the use of facial technology by police, publicized Williams' case. He blamed it on subpar work by police and prosecutors but said the technology can be useful if handled properly.
Innocent Metro Detroit man arrested after facial recognition software identified wrong man
DETROIT The controversy over the use of facial recognition technology continues after a Farmington Hill man was arrested at his home for a crime he didnt commit. They claim he was arrested based off of facial recognition software. READ: A closer look at facial recognition technologyAll of the photos had two things in common, said Williams Attorney, Victoria Burton-Harris. They were all Black faces and men.Once the cops identified Mr. Williams using facial recognition technology, said Phil Mayor with the ACLU of Michigan. The family is demanding a public apology and for the DPD to scrap its use of facial recognition software.
This never should have happened -- Wayne County prosecutor apologizes after innocent man arrested
DETROIT Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy spoke to Local 4 Defenders after a Farmington Hill man was arrested at his home for a crime he didnt commit. He was arrested after facial recognition software identified the wrong man. She said the case brought by Detroit police was based only on the departments use of facial recognition technology. I am 100% sure they arrested the wrong person.It was issued by a prosecutor that shouldnt have, Worthy said. RELATED: Facial recognition technology: Rep. Tlaib raises concerns during tour with Detroit police chiefThis never should have happened.
Urgent meeting of UN rights body sought after Floyd killing
A spokesman for the Human Rights Council in Geneva confirmed that it had received a letter Monday from the groups outlining their call, as Black Lives Matter protests continue to gain traction well beyond the United States notably in Europe. I want to appeal to the United Nations to help him. Help black men and women in America, he added. Its time the United States face the same scrutiny and judgment it is quick to pass on to other countries, said Jamil Dakwar, who heads the ACLUs human rights program. The Trump administration pulled the United States out of the council two years ago amid accusations that it was biased against Israel and counted some repressive or autocratic regimes that abuse human rights as members.
Tech-assisted COVID-19 tracking is having some issues
A second wave of tech-assisted pandemic surveillance tools is on its way, this time with the imprimatur of tech giants Apple and Google. It's traditionally conducted by trained public health workers who interview those who may have been exposed, then urge them to get tested and isolate themselves. She urged governments to set rules addressing both privacy and efficacy so that surveillance tools don't interfere with more conventional public health methods. As early as this week, Rhode Island has said it is set to launch a one-stop pandemic response phone app. It was updated on May 19, 2020, to correct information about the usage of COVID-19 contact-tracking apps.
Civil rights groups sue Oakland County Jail for immediate release of people during pandemic
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. โ On Friday, several civil rights and racial justice groups filed a federal lawsuit calling for the release of medically vulnerable people inside the Oakland County Jail, arguing that county officials are risking the lives of everyone inside and the community at large. Naming Oakland County, its Sheriff, Michael Bouchard, and Commander of Corrective Services Curtis D. Childs, the lawsuit filed by Advancement Project National Office, American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU), Civil Rights Corps (CRC), LaRene & Kriger P.L.C. and the Law Firm of Pitt, McGhee, Palmer and Rivers in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, argues that Oakland County officials are violating the constitutional rights of people in the jail by exposing them to an unnecessary risk of infection, illness or death during the coronavirus pandemic.
Court rules against warrantless searches of phones, laptops
BOSTON, MA โ A federal court in Boston has ruled that warrantless U.S. government searches of the phones and laptops of international travelers at airports and other U.S. ports of entry violate the Fourth Amendment. They say border officers must now demonstrate individualized suspicion of contraband before they can search a traveler's electronic device. The number of electronic device searches at U.S. ports of entry has increased significantly, the ACLU said. During that same period of time, it conducted 40,913 border searches of electronic devices, representing less than .01 percent of arriving international travelers. "The court said today that suspicionless searches at the border of cell phones and laptops violate the Fourth Amendment," Rossman said.
Border wall opponents in court trying to stop construction
FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2019, file photo, government contractors remove existing Normandy barriers that separate Mexico and the United States, in preparation for a section of Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River in Yuma, Ariz. A federal appeals court has heard arguments against diverting Pentagon money for border wall construction as time runs out. It says the Trump administration has moved quickly to spend the money after the Supreme Court rejected an emergency appeal to prevent work from starting in July. (AP Photo/Matt York,File)A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday on a bid to halt military funding for construction of President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico as the pace of construction increasingly raises questions about whether time is running out for the administration's critics. The Pentagon has diverted $6.1 billion to pay for construction since Trump declared a national emergency on the border in February. Ladin said in an interview that sections of wall in dispute should be torn down if the ACLU prevails.
MI GOP candidate accused of discriminating against troupe of drag performers with down syndrome
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan alleges a Republican candidate for Congress has discriminated against a troupe of drag performers with Down syndrome. The civil rights group filed a complaint Thursday with the Michigan Civil Rights Department against Peter Meijer, one of several GOP candidates running to replace the newly declared independent Rep. Justin Amash. Meijer denied access to the U.K.-based Drag Syndrome for a performance in a Grand Rapids building he owns. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Facial-recognition tech flagged 26 lawmakers as criminals
The bill would ban the use of facial recognition and any biometric surveillance system in police-worn body cameras. Currently, there are no cities in California that have that technology in their police body cameras, Ting said Tuesday at a news conference. Others says the technology is a "necessary tool"Some law enforcement agencies disagree and say the bill would impair the ability of officers. "This technology allows law enforcement agencies to compare images of hundreds of thousands of individuals, which saves time and agency resources," Mirisch writes. Other states have banned itIf the bill is passed, California will become the largest state to prohibit facial-recognition technology in police-worn body cameras.
Planned Parenthood, ACLU sue Missouri over 8-week abortion ban
Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images(CNN) - Abortion rights supporters are suing Missouri over its ban on abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, arguing that the measure is unconstitutional. "By imposing a ban on abortion prior to viability, the 8-Week Ban violates Plaintiffs' patients' rights to privacy and liberty guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution," the groups wrote. The challenge joins several others by abortion rights supporters in response to laws passed this year restricting abortion in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana and Ohio. Parson signed the Missouri measure into law in May, and it is slated to go into effect on August 28. The law would ban abortion outright should the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling legalizing abortion nationwide and establishing the age of viability at 24 weeks.
ACLU: Over 900 kids separated from families at border since last June
Immigrant asylum seekers wait at a bus station after being released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on Nov. 1, 2018, in McAllen, Texas. A federal court had ordered family separations to end at that time, except in cases where a parent is unfit or presents a danger to the child. But the ACLU filing maintains that US Customs and Border Protection agents continue to do so despite the court order, separating children based on minor offenses like traffic violations. Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that potentially thousands more parents and children the US government split up at the southern border would now be included in a lawsuit over family separations. Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said at a recent House hearing that fewer than 1,000 migrant children have been separated from their parents at the southern border this fiscal year, out of 450,000 families who have crossed.
New Arkansas law to fight 'fake meat' marketing draws lawsuit
If you think a veggie burger sounds unappealing, wait until it's listed as a "vegetable-based protein" on a restaurant menu. - If you think a veggie burger sounds unappealing, wait until it's listed as a "vegetable-based protein" on a restaurant menu. That's how it could appear in Arkansas, the latest in a string of states to pass bills that control how so-called fake meat is marketed. Companies found to misrepresent a vegetarian item as a meat product could be fined $1,000 per violation. The ACLU said companies use "meat" terminology to prevent confusion rather than cause it.
ACLU sues to block new Trump admin asylum restrictions
Since most migrants from Central America travel through Mexico, it would prevent those people from making asylum claims. The Los Angeles Times first reported on the memo and two sources familiar with the memo confirmed its accuracy to CNN. Migrants will generally be deported to their country of nationality based on the new rule, according to a source familiar with the implementation. "This is the Trump administration's most extreme run at an asylum ban yet. As of Tuesday, no guidance had been sent to the US Border Patrol workforce on implementation, according to an agency source.
ACLU, Planned Parenthood sue Arkansas over 18-week abortion ban
The challenge comes as several of the laws coming out of red state legislatures restricting abortion are being taken to court, with the two organizations also challenging Alabama's near-total abortion ban. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood have requested that US District Judge Kristine Baker, who is overseeing the Arkansas case, halt the laws from going into effect as scheduled on July 24. "Without this relief, the Restrictions will have a devastating effect on women seeking to access abortion in the state," the ACLU and Planned Parenthood argue. "By imposing a ban on abortion prior to viability, the 18-Week Ban violates Plaintiffs' patients' right to privacy guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution," the ACLU and Planned Parenthood argue in the complaint. The two groups filed the case on behalf of Little Rock Family Planning Services, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and two abortion providers against Arkansas officials, including Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
ACLU urges clerks to inform voters photo identification is not required to vote
DETROIT โ The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is reaching out to more than 100 clerks across the state Thursday urging them to inform voters that state law allows voters to cast a ballot with or without photo identification. In a letter sent to the clerks, the ACLU is asking that they post clear, accurate information about voter identification requirements at voting sites Tuesday to eliminate any confusion. If youโre a registered voter in Michigan, you have a right to vote โ with or without a photo ID,โ said Sharon Dolente, with ACLU of Michigan. โI wasnโt sure what my rights were but I assumed I could still vote,โ said White. โVoters rely on the guidance of election officials to ensure that they can exercise their fundamental right to vote,โ said Dolente.