This week, the Kenyan Court will be hearing a matter, at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, to challenge the Colonial Penal Codes that in essence serve to criminalize homosexuality and target the LGBTI community. The case has been brought by the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC). The case seeks to enforce the … More Kenyan Court to Hear Case That Challenges Anti-LGBTI Penal Codes
Today the United States Supreme Court denied review in two cases, Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant and Bryant v. Barber, both challenging Mississippi’s HB 1523 passed in April 2016 and effective in October 2017. The Court’s decision not to hear the cases means the worst-in-the-nation anti-LGBTQ law will remain on the books in Mississippi. … More SCOTUS Denies Review in Cases Challenging Mississippi’s Anti-LGBTQ Law
Just like the White House Insistence on Poison Pills in Exchange for the Dream Act On Tuesday, the White House will host nearly twenty lawmakers to discuss immigration. The list of White House-selected invitees is an unfortunate reflection of where the Administration and Republican strategy seems to be leaning: it is loaded up with anti-immigrant … More White House Meeting on Immigration Unbalanced Unserious Unconscionable
Washington, DC – Last week, Muslim Advocates and the law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of 87 religious groups and organizations representing or working with faith communities asking the United States District Court of the Eastern District of New York to suspend the government’s planned termination … More 87 Faith and Civil Rights Groups File Amicus Brief in Support of DACA Recipients in New York
Ninth Circuit Slaps Down Trump’s Travel Ban a Third Time: Via The Recorder : The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld an injunction against the third iteration of President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order Friday. The court, which heard oral arguments in the case last month, ruled that Trump exceeded his authority … More The 9th Circuit’s Xmas Gift to Trump: Slaps Down Trump’s Travel Ban a Third Time
Civil and Human Rights Coalition Criticizes Senate Judiciary Committee Approval of Ideological, Inexperienced Nominees WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee today voted, on a party-line basis, to advance the nominations of Gregory Katsas to the U.S. Court … More Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Ideological Inexperienced Nominees
African Human Rights Coalition Reports: Tanzania has deported three South African lawyers after they were accused of promoting homosexuality. They were among 13 people arrested on October 17 for taking part in a meeting to discuss challenging a law stopping private health clinics from providing HIV and Aids services. However, Sibongile Ndashe says they had no right … More South African Lawyers Deported From Tanzania Amidst Accusations of Promoting Homosexuality
In my capacity as executive Director of African Human Rights Coalition (African HRC), where we advocate for LGBT asylum seekers and refugees from African countries, I report as follows on the African HRC website: : Since the suspension on the United States refugee program has expired, the Trump administration has ordered new measures, supposedly a stronger vetting … More African HRC Reports on New Delays for LGBTI Refugees After Trump Suspension Ends
New York, NY- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund applauds news that a federal court in the District of Columbia has blocked enforcement of the Trump Administration’s transgender military ban. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued a preliminary injunction today. Earlier this month TLDEF filed an amicus or “friend of the court” brief with the federal court in Washington, D.C. … More TLDEF Applauds Federal Court Blocking Enforcement of Trump Admin’s Transgender Military Ban
Here is what the BBC Reports today (And I have chosen the BBC report to make my point for good reason): “US President Donald Trump will allow refugee admissions to the US to resume while announcing stricter rules for vetting applicants, US media report. It comes as the 120-day ban on refugees expires on Tuesday. … More Trump Admin Failing LGBTI Refugees Bound for U.S.A.
IAAB v. Trump Team Praises Ruling Blocking Muslim Ban 3.0 Washington, DC – Early this morning, Judge Theodore D. Chuang of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a ruling in Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB) v. Trump, blocking the Trump administration from implementing Muslim Ban 3.0, which was scheduled to go … More Another Ruling Blocking Muslim Ban 3.0
A federal judge has blocked Trump’s Third faulty Executive Order from being implemented. Today’s ruling in Hawaii v. Trump. This is likely to be appealed. Judge Derrick K. Watson in Hawaii decision means that the administration cannot restrict the entry of travelers from six of the eight countries that officials said were either unable or … More Trumps Third Attempt at Muslim Travel Ban Fails with Federal Court Block
In honor of Mom – by Melanie Nathan, October 09, 2017. (20 Tishrei 5778) The last time I wrote about my late mom, Professor Carmen Nathan was 5 years ago. On this night of her Yartzheit,* as I memorialize her extraordinary life again, two of my Facebook posts meet eye to eye: Mom was ahead … More Harvey Weinstein Triggers A Yartzheit Pact
Police in Zanzibar are reporting that 20 people have been arrested in the Tanzania semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar in an anti-homosexuality raid. The 12 women and eight men were picked up in a hotel where they were receiving training about HIV/Aids education programs. Earlier this year, authorities banned private health clinics from providing HIV/Aids services, … More Zanzibar Arrests 20 LGBTI People at HIV/AIDS Education Workshop
By Melanie Nathan, A Court reinstated custody to an ultra religious Jewish mother in Brooklyn, New York, The parent, an ex member of Hassidic Judaism, lost custody of her three children after coming out as a lesbian and finally regained her custody after more than two years of appeals. The Appeals Court ordered that Chavie … More Jewish Lesbian Mom Regains Custody of Children
Last month, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California (FHANC, formerly Fair Housing of Marin) and one of its clients settled a housing discrimination complaint, based upon disability, filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Housing office. The complaint was filed against Schultz Investment Co., Greenbrae Management Incl, Belardo Co., L.P., and Thomas … More Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California Settle Disability Complaint
TLDEF Wins Legal Victory Against Workplace Discrimination: Walmart Discriminated Against Transgender Employee Says EEOC New York, NY- A U.S. government commission has ruled in favor of Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and its client, Jessica Shyne Robison, in her battle against workplace discrimination by Walmart subsidiary, Sam’s Club East, Inc. Ms. Robison faced bigotry … More Legal Victory Against Walmart Sam’s Club – Transgender Workplace Discrimination
Today, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California (FHANC) joined the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and other partners in announcing its collection of new evidence in support of allegations that Deutsche Bank, Ocwen Financial, and Altisource companies continue to discriminate against communities of color in 30 metropolitan areas across the United States. The twenty agencies … More Bank Owned Homes Leads to Massive Housing Discrimination Complaint
Thanks to Lambda legal for providing the following call to Action: Two Trump judicial appointees with vicious anti-LGBT views are poised to become some of the most powerful judges in the country. People in Ohio have the chance to stop it. John K. Bush, nominated to fill a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals … More OHIO Urgent Call to Action to RESIST Judicial Appointments
An ever-growing chorus of cities and states are not fooled by North Carolina’s discriminatory “bait and switch” on HB2 WASHINGTON — Today, Equality NC hailed the news that Chicago and California are maintaining their bans on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina. The announcements come after North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Senate President Phil Berger, and House Speaker Tim Moore passed … More Growing List of Cities and States Banning Official Travel to North Carolina
Almost 60 Percent of incarcerated girls are sexual minorities Los Angeles – This time focused on youth in detention, a new study by scholars at the Williams Institute found that sexual minority youth are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates. Once they are incarcerated they are more likely to be held for long periods of time and experience sexual … More LGBQ Youth Disproportionately Incarcerated in the U.S. Juvenile Justice System
California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye sent a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on March 16, urging federal authorities to stop “stalking” undocumented immigrants at state courthouses. Here is the letter: Dear Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Kelly: As Chief Justice of California responsible for the safe and fair delivery … More California Chief Justice Urges Sessions and Kelly to Stop Stalking Immigrants
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Religious Freedom Act (Senate Bill 31) by a vote of 5-0 with two members abstaining. Sen. Ricardo Lara introduced the California Religious Freedom Act (S.B. 31). Senate Bill 31 prevents California agencies from sharing data that could be used to compile a federal registry based … More California Appropriations Committee Vote 5-0 to Approve Religious Freedom Act
The 159,000 signatures petitions the UK to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia , Protests Yemen war & the jailing of Raif Badawi & other political prisoners Bianca Jagger, Peter Tatchell and Baroness Jenny Jones led the hand-in of a 159,000-signature petition to the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Theresa May, at 10 Downing Street today Wednesday, … More Bianca Jagger leads Saudi petition hand-in to UK Prime Minister
February 6, 2017 Some LGBTI refugees in Africa, who were scheduled to travel under the United States Refugee Resettlement program had their travel plans revoked last week under Trump’s illicit Executive Order which suspended the refugee program. Now several have been rescheduled for travel this week, with thanks to the court order halting Trump’s ban/ suspension and … More African Human Rights Coalition Advocates Against Trump Ban
Today the Supreme Court announced that it will hear oral argument in G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board on March 28. The case is being brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a Virginia transgender boy named Gavin Grimm. Grimm is challenging a policy in his local school district that singles out transgender students for … More SCOTUS Sets Oral Argument in Historic Transgender Rights Case
This executive Order is apparently under consideration by the Trump administration and it would allow discrimination against LGBT people Order Could Impact Hundreds of Thousands of LGBT People, Including Tens of Thousands of LGBT Youth in Foster Care and Same-Sex Couples Seeking to Foster or Adopt President Trump is considering issuing an executive order that provides … More The Anti LGBT Order Being Considered by Trump
With many thanks to the Williams Institute at UCLA LAw School, we examine the LGBT Record of Supreme Court Nominee, Scalia like, Neil Gorsuch: Today, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. … More LGBT Record of Trump SCOTUS Nominee Gorsuch
Know your rights Today people have expressed concern about possible ICE raids in the Mission, San Francisco . We have been informed that this was not a general Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid but a specific search for two individuals. Activists report that ICE agents came to Good Samaritan Apartments in the Mission in San … More Update on Alleged Immigration Raids in the San Francisco Mission
CALIFORNIA REINVESTMENT COALITION AND FAIR HOUSING ADVOCATES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FILE FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT, URGING IMMEDIATE HUD INVESTIGATION INTO CIT GROUP’S ONE WEST BANK By Melanie Nathan, November 17, 2016. Yesterday, two nonprofit organizations formally filed a complaint requesting that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) investigate whether CIT Group violated and … More Bank Accused of Redlining and Violating Fair Housing Act
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