Home : Immigrants' Rights

Civil Rights Organizations File Lawsuit Over Unconstitutional Ordinance in Escondido, CA (11/03/2006)
ESCONDIDO, CA - A coalition of civil rights organizations and law firms today filed a lawsuit against the city of Escondido, charging that the city's anti-immigration ordinance is unconstitutional and illegal under federal and state law. In a demand letter issued last week, the coalition urged the City Council to avoid spending taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit defending the unconstitutional ordinance, and pressed instead for the measure to be repealed before the November 18 implementation date. The city failed to respond to the letter.

Undocumented Workers Bring Plea for Non-Discrimination to Human Rights Body (11/01/2006)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Employment Law Project and the Transnational Legal Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law today filed a petition urging the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to find the United States in violation of its universal human rights obligations by failing to protect millions of undocumented workers from exploitation and discrimination in the workplace.

Federal Judge Blocks Hazleton Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (10/31/2006)
SCRANTON, PA -- A federal judge today issued a temporary order blocking anti-immigrant ordinances from being enforced in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, noting that the laws could cause “irreparable harm” to the city’s residents. The ordinances were challenged in court by local business owners, landlords and residents who would be negatively impacted by the laws.

Hazleton Law Doesn’t Trump Federal Government, Groups Charge (10/30/2006)
HAZLETON, PA -- A coalition of local attorneys, civil rights and immigrants’ rights groups today filed new legal papers charging that the city of Hazleton has overstepped its authority by passing harsh anti-immigrant ordinances that are at odds with federal immigration law.

Businesses Sue Riverside, NJ Over Vague, Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (10/18/2006)
MOUNT HOLLY, NJ - A coalition of Riverside business owners, landlords and residents will file a lawsuit today in state court against Riverside Township, contending that the recently adopted Illegal Immigration Relief Act oversteps the city’s authority, is too vague, unfairly puts businesses at risk and violates civil rights under state law.

ACLU Calls on House To Reject Defective Immigration Bills (09/21/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House of Representatives to reject two immigration related measures. H.R. 6094, the Community Protection Act, and H.R. 6095, the Immigration Law Enforcement Act, will be voted on today. Both proposals waste scarce resources, unacceptably reduce or eliminate due process for both legal and undocumented immigrants, expand constitutionally suspect detention removal powers and procedures, and threaten civil liberties.

Coalition Gains Immediate Halt to Unconstitutional Ordinance in Hazleton, PA (09/01/2006)
NEW YORK - An unconstitutional ordinance passed by the Hazleton, PA City Council will not be allowed to go into effect according to a coalition of the American Civil Liberties Union, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Community Justice Project, the law firm of Cozen O’Connor and local attorneys George Barron, David Vaida, and Barry Dyller. Federal District Court Judge James M. Munley signed an Order, agreed to by the parties, that Hazleton will not enforce its so-called “Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance” at this time.

ACLU of New Jersey Survey: Immigrant Students at Risk of Exclusion in One Out of Four Schools (08/30/2006)
NEWARK, NJ -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey today called on the state Department of Education to put an end to school practices that violate state and federal laws by requiring that parents who wish to enroll their children in public school provide private information about them, such as their Social Security numbers. This practice has the most chilling effect on immigrant students seeking to register for school, the ACLU said.

ACLU of Ohio and Voting Rights Groups Challenge Voter Intimidation Provision (08/29/2006)
CLEVELAND, OH -- Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio along with the Brennan Center, Lawyers’ Committee and the ACLU Voting Rights Project filed a lawsuit challenging a voter intimidation provision in Ohio law that unfairly burdens naturalized U.S. citizens.

Suffolk County Not Authorized to Pass Anti-Immigrant Law, NYCLU Testifies (08/22/2006)
NEW YORK -- The New York Civil Liberties Union expressed strong opposition today to anti-immigrant legislation that is under consideration before the Suffolk County Legislature. The NYCLU testified that the law would foster rampant discrimination and would violate the constitutional principle that local government cannot override federal law.