Even if the courts ultimately decide what they should do, that the various state and local anti-discrimination laws are the least restrictive way to advance the government`s compelling interests, the uncertainty of whether the laws will withstand an RLPA defense may deter plaintiffs from seeking redress under anti-discrimination laws. Of course, if a court were to conclude that a particular anti-discrimination law is not the slightest restrictive means of promoting an overriding government interest, a successful defense of the RLPA would completely prevent a plaintiff from acting under that stature. In both cases, the RLPA will impose an additional burden on applicants trying to defend their civil rights. For more information, see the ACLU`s press release on the trial. Ballard Spahr provided pro bono legal support as part of its pro bono litigation initiative for racial justice and equality. Help us fight this injustice by pledging your support, making donations, taking to the streets and sending a message to politicians at the ballot box: abortion is a right, and you cannot ignore us. The ACLU won a landmark Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges affirming the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry. For more than a hundred years, ACLU attorneys have been at the center of one historic trial after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. Together with lawyers across the country, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated. The ACLU was almost the only one to denounce the federal government`s internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps.
“During the legislative tour, voters across the state made a massive outcry for district plans that fairly represent people of color. The maps we submit show that underrepresentation in Louisiana is neither necessary nor natural. Continuing to allow this dilution of the vote would be a decision of the Legislative Assembly – an election that is very likely to violate section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. “The state legislature makes policy decisions that affect all aspects of life in Louisiana, including access to education, economic opportunities, housing, health care, and criminal justice. Therefore, it is imperative that all Louisians have a fair chance to elect representatives who fight for their causes. Right now, people of color in Louisiana make up 42 percent of Louisiana`s population, but only about 25 percent of our current legislators are people of color. This harsh under-representation deprives thousands of Louisians, especially in our black communities, of political power. The ACLU represented an interracial couple in the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. The court ruled that the state`s prohibitions on interracial marriage were unconstitutional.
After a record turnout in recent elections, Georgia`s legislatures passed a voter suppression bill designed to make it harder for voters, especially voters of color, to vote. We are suing. The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party or camp. Our mission is to fulfill this promise of the U.S. Constitution for all and expand the scope of its guarantees. In a victory for privacy, the Supreme Court ruled in an ACLU case, Carpenter v. United States, that sensitive location data from people`s cell phones is protected by the Fourth Amendment, which requires the government to obtain a warrant to access it. In its first year, the ACLU challenged the Palmer raids and protected immigrants and union members. For these reasons, LDF asks you to be against the RLPA, which can be used as a mechanism to prevent African Americans and other minorities from acting under state and local laws that prohibit discrimination in various areas. Despite this terrible decision, abortion remains our right.
We all deserve the power to control our bodies, our lives, and our future. Abortion is also a health care. Access should not depend on where we live, how much money we earn or who we are. Access to abortion is just one of many rights at stake – the same politicians who ban abortion are also attacking our right to vote, access birth control, marry who we love and hold police officers accountable. Under the Trump administration, we have filed more than 246 lawsuits. Brandi Levy, who championed students` free speech, was venting from campus when she posted a lengthy message on Snapchat criticizing her school and encouragement team. She was suspended by her Cheer team, but with the ACLU, she filed a lawsuit to defend students` free speech. We took the case to the Supreme Court – and we won.
You can multiply your influence in this election period by involving your friends and family in a simple conversation about voting. On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a shameful decision, roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision recognizing the constitutional right to abortion. This decision is an unprecedented attack on women`s rights and reproductive freedom, and the implications will be immediate and far-reaching. We are suing to defend our Rights under the First Amendment, to apprehend the police, and to hold law enforcement to account. The following statement on today`s letter should be attributed to ACLU of Louisiana Advocacy Director Chris Kaiser. Congressman John Conyers, Jr.2426 Rayburn Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515-2214 NBC News noted how the ACLU, Florida ACLU, Legal Defense Fund and Ballard Spahr challenged Florida`s “Stop W.O.K.E.” A law that shows how race, gender and inequality can be discussed in schools, colleges and the workplace.
“The House and Senate maps we have presented today clearly show that the Legislature has the ability to sign additional majority electoral districts for Black people and to comply with the Voting Rights Act while following traditional redistricting principles. We have presented two possible plans that include nine additional districts of the majority black House of Representatives and four additional black majority senatorial districts. And those are just two options – there are countless other district configurations that could fulfill the functions of Section 2 of the Legislative Assembly. But these maps show that fair representation is within the capabilities of the legislator. Read the full article here. (A subscription may be required.) We have more than 1,700 employees in every state, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico fighting for people`s constitutional rights. As federal courts become increasingly hostile to civil rights and civil liberties, the ACLU is turning to state courts — building on a century of experience. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (“LDF”) urges you to oppose the final passage of H.R.
1691, the Protection of Religious Freedom Act of 1999 (“RLPA”). LDF advocates for civil rights cases across the country on behalf of African Americans and other minorities to preserve equality, fairness, and justice in education, employment, housing, health care, the environment, criminal justice, and suffrage.