On Title 42 – An Anniversary Urging Biden to Ditch Trump’s Illegal Expulsions

On Title 42’s Two-Year Anniversary, Advocates Urge Biden to End Illegal Expulsions WASHINGTON — On the two-year anniversary of Title 42, groups challenging expulsions of asylum-seeking families urge the Biden administration to end the deadly policy. Earlier this month the groups won a major victory in their class action lawsuit Huisha-Huisha v. Mayorkas, with the D.C. Circuit prohibiting … More On Title 42 – An Anniversary Urging Biden to Ditch Trump’s Illegal Expulsions

Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Head Back to Court Over Title 42 Expulsions

WASHINGTON — Groups that sued the Trump administration over Title 42 expulsions of asylum seekers are heading back to court after hitting an impasse in negotiations with the Biden administration to end the policy.   The American Civil Liberties Union, Texas Civil Rights Project, RAICES, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Oxfam, ACLU of Texas, … More Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Head Back to Court Over Title 42 Expulsions

Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Transit Ban as it Violates Asylum Law

San Francisco, CA (July 6, 2020) –A federal appeals court has upheld a block on the Trump administration’s attempt to make individuals who traveled through a third country on the way to the United States before arriving at the southern border ineligible for asylum, with very limited exceptions. The lawsuit, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Barr, … More Ninth Circuit Strikes Down Transit Ban as it Violates Asylum Law

Trump Loses in Federal Court as Deportation of Boy under Public Health Laws Halted

Federal Court Again Blocks Removal of Honduran Youth in First Challenge to Trump Administration’s Illegal Border Expulsion Order – Judge Says Trump Order Likely Unlawful A federal court has once again provisionally blocked the deportation of a Honduran boy in the first legal challenge to the Trump administration’s order restricting immigration at the border based on … More Trump Loses in Federal Court as Deportation of Boy under Public Health Laws Halted

VICTORY: South Carolina Lesbian Couple Case Moves Forward Challenging Foster Care Policy

VICTORY: South Carolina Lesbian Couple to Have Their Day in Court in Challenge to HHS and South Carolina Foster Care Policy. District court allows lawsuit to go forward challenging HHS waiver that permits a government-funded South Carolina foster care agency to reject applications from same-sex parents   A U.S. District Court today denied an effort by … More VICTORY: South Carolina Lesbian Couple Case Moves Forward Challenging Foster Care Policy

Ninth Circuit Halts Trump Administration’s Forced Return to Mexico Policy

San Francisco, CA (February 28, 2020) – Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the Trump Administration’s dangerous Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), the policy which forcibly returns asylum seekers to Mexico to await their immigration court dates in perilous conditions. The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and … More Ninth Circuit Halts Trump Administration’s Forced Return to Mexico Policy

Coalition Fight the Illegality of Healthcare Discrimination against LGBTQI People

Fighting HHS: Health Care Discrimination Against LGBT People is Illegal – The first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, and allies participated in a broad coalition of organizations by submitting more than 132,400 comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), urging the federal government to … More Coalition Fight the Illegality of Healthcare Discrimination against LGBTQI People

ACLU Letter to the UN on Death of Migrant Child at the hands of Trump Administration

ACLU LETTER TO THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS CONCERNING THE DEATH OF MIGRANT CHILD FELIPE GÓMEZ ALONZO This letter calls on the U.N. human rights expert to examine U.S. failure to conduct an independent investigation into Felipe’s death in CBP custody. The letter also calls attention to U.S. government failure to … More ACLU Letter to the UN on Death of Migrant Child at the hands of Trump Administration

Groups File Lawsuit Against Trump Policy Forcibly Returning Asylum Seekers to Mexico

San Francisco, CA (February 14, 2019) –- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) filed a federal lawsuit today challenging the Trump administration’s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico and remain there while their cases are considered. “The Trump administration is forcibly returning asylum … More Groups File Lawsuit Against Trump Policy Forcibly Returning Asylum Seekers to Mexico

Court Rules Trump Policies Denying Asylum Protections to People Fleeing Domestic and Gang Violence Are Illegal

Washington, D.C. (December 19, 2018) – A federal court has struck down Trump administration policies that sought to gut asylum protections for immigrants fleeing domestic violence and gang brutality. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) challenged the administration’s new “expedited removal” policies when they were put forth by then-Attorney General … More Court Rules Trump Policies Denying Asylum Protections to People Fleeing Domestic and Gang Violence Are Illegal

Donald Trump Proclamation Set to Shut Down Access to Asylum

Today Trump issued a new Proclamation with the new interim final rule which would shut down access to asylum for many individuals and families fleeing life-threatening persecution. The rule would specifically preclude from protection those who cross the United States’ southwest border between official ports of entry. If implemented, it would result in the deportation … More Donald Trump Proclamation Set to Shut Down Access to Asylum

Federal Court Blocks Trump Admin’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers

Washington, D.C. (July 2, 2018) – A federal court has blocked the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, torture, or death in their countries of origin. It also ordered a case-by-case review of whether each asylum seeker in the class-action lawsuit should be released on humanitarian parole. The ruling stems from a challenge brought … More Federal Court Blocks Trump Admin’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers

Condemn Trump’s Cruel Separation of Babies from Moms – Join National Day of Action for Children

African Human Rights Coalition condemns the Trump administration assault on immigrants and asylum seekers: The Trump Administration has escalated the separation of families at the border, at great cost to the wellbeing and health of infants, toddlers, children and families. This insidious attempt to deter lawful immigration thwarts the intent of U.S. law, which is to grant asylum to … More Condemn Trump’s Cruel Separation of Babies from Moms – Join National Day of Action for Children

Outrage Over Trump Policy Mounts as DHS Separates Children from Parents

Washington, DC – Nationwide, observers are castigating the Trump administration’s inhumane policy of separating children from their parents. As David Leopold, Partner and Chair of Immigration for Ulmer & Berne and former President of American Immigration Lawyers Association, explained in an interview with MSNBC’s Katy Tur: “What we have going on at the border and … More Outrage Over Trump Policy Mounts as DHS Separates Children from Parents

Challenging the Trump Administration’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers

Washington, D.C. (March 15, 2018) – The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Human Rights First, and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal lawsuit today challenging the Trump administration’s arbitrary detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, torture, or death in their countries of origin. All the plaintiffs have passed credible fear screenings — … More Challenging the Trump Administration’s Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers

Trump Ban Challenged as Refugees Detained by the United States

Today the U.S. Government put its ban on Muslim refugees into action by detaining two Iraqis as they landed in the United States. Included is a contractor serving in a trusted position for the U.S. military in Iraq. According to the ACLU, lawyers for the two Iraqis who had been granted visas to enter the United States … More Trump Ban Challenged as Refugees Detained by the United States

Lawsuit Filed Seeking Information on ICE Policies for Asylum Seekers

San Francisco – The ACLU of Northern California, the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP), the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at UC Hastings College of the Law (CGRS), and pro bono counsel at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila (RSHC) today filed suit against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for refusing to release … More Lawsuit Filed Seeking Information on ICE Policies for Asylum Seekers

Transgender Troops | Military Experts Historic International Conference

Palm Center and ACLU Host Convening on Lessons Learned from Transgender Service in Foreign Militaries Posted by Melanie Nathan, October 20, 2014. WASHINGTON, DC – Currently serving ​transgender service members from five of the 18 foreign militaries that allow transgender service today gathered alongside U.S. service members in Washington D.C. The gathering, Perspectives on Transgender Military Service … More Transgender Troops | Military Experts Historic International Conference

Federal Court’s refusal of benefits in Employee Plan shows why religious exemption hurts ENDA

Federal Court Rejects Discrimination Claim Against Catholic Hospital’s Refusal to Cover Same-Sex Spouse Under Employee Benefit Plan and ENDA is in danger Why I am calling on Freedom to Marry, NCLR, Lambda Legal, GLAAD, ACLU, Transgender Law Center,  GetEQUAL to thwart the HRC push for Senate’s ENDA By Melanie Nathan, May 07, 2014. Although both … More Federal Court’s refusal of benefits in Employee Plan shows why religious exemption hurts ENDA

ACLU challenging NC ban on same-sex marriages

Posted by Melanie Nathan, July 09, 2013. Today the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) announced plans to challenge North Carolina’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples by amending a federal lawsuit filed against the state last year on behalf of six same-sex couples and their children … More ACLU challenging NC ban on same-sex marriages

Unprecedented Ruling on Immigrants’ Right | Freedom from Arbitrary Detention

Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 20, 2012 District Court Rules that “Arriving Aliens” May Not Be Subjected to Prolonged Detention Without a Hearing To Determine Whether Detention Is Justified SAN DIEGO — A district court today ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may not detain an immigrant for a prolonged period without proving that … More Unprecedented Ruling on Immigrants’ Right | Freedom from Arbitrary Detention

ACLU Sues: Abusive Treatment Of Transgender Asylum Seeker in U.S.A.

by Melanie Nathan, Dec 11, 2011 Paul Canning  from the United Kingdom has reported to O- Blog-dee O-Blog-da about a recent ACLU lawsuit:- The appalling treatment of a transgender asylum seeker held in US detention has drawn a lawsuit from the ACLU. The suit is against the federal government, local government and Corrections Corporation of … More ACLU Sues: Abusive Treatment Of Transgender Asylum Seeker in U.S.A.