Tag: ACLU

Artists Mount First Amendment Challenge to New Grant Requirements by the National Endowment for the Arts

Stuart Mitchell

Artists and theater groups are challenging a new certification requirement and funding prohibition that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has imposed on grant applications. The NEA now requires applicants to attest that they will not “promote gender ideology” in order to be eligible for funding and blocks any projects that reasonably appear to “promote gender ideology” from getting an award. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Rhode Island, David Cole, and Lynette Labinger, cooperating counsel for the ACLU-RI, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court…

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ACLU Launches Storytelling Series Highlighting Harms of Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Policies, How Communities Are Fighting Back

Stuart Mitchell

The American Civil Liberties Union launched recently a new storytelling series documenting the harms of Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and how communities are fighting back. The multimedia series uplifts the voices of people nationwide – family members of undocumented people, teachers, activists, and more – and elevates the need for balanced and humane immigration policies. The project comes just thirty days after President Trump took office and reiterated his pledge to enact the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history. For weeks, the ACLU has collected stories anonymously from community members…

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ACLU Names Cecillia Wang as New National Legal Director

Stuart Mitchell

The American Civil Liberties Union announced recently that it has appointed Cecillia Wang as the organization’s next National Legal Director. Wang succeeds David Cole, who departs the organization after seven years to return to Georgetown Law. An ACLU lawyer since 2004, Wang currently serves as an ACLU deputy legal director and director of the ACLU Center for Democracy, which works to strengthen American democratic institutions and values, promote human rights, and ensure government accountability. She will become the first woman and the first woman of color to serve as the…

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ACLU Releases Legal, Legislative, and Advocacy Roadmap for Defending LGBTQ Freedom Under a Possible Second Trump Term

Stuart Mitchell

The American Civil Liberties Union launched a roadmap for defending LGBTQ people, our rights, and our health care under a possible second administration of former President Donald Trump. Following Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, his administration led a sustained, years-long effort to erase protections for LGBTQ people across the entire federal government, including efforts to “define ‘transgender’ out of existence.” While the Biden administration reversed many of those attacks, Trump himself has promised to go even further if re-elected to the White House. Trump on LGBTQ Rights details expected threats…

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ACLU Guide Urges Advocacy for People with Disabilities on Probation and Parole

Stuart Mitchell

The American Civil Liberties Union released a guide recently, outlining steps that defense attorneys can take to ensure people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to successfully complete probation and parole. “Reducing Barriers: A Guide to Obtaining Reasonable Accommodations for People with Disabilities on Supervision” highlights significant barriers that people with disabilities face to navigating their supervision requirements, including difficulties understanding their supervision obligations, effectively communicating with their supervision officer, attending frequent meetings, completing mandated treatment programs, maintaining employment, and keeping track of all these requirements. The guide also offers…

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