ACLU of Southern California

06/10/2026

Sound on to hear from (JLA) mothers who spent this past Mother’s Day advocating for their loved ones who died in L.A. County custody. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: no one deserves to die in jail.

Today, JLA sent a letter to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (L.A. BoS) about their lack of MCJ closure progress, transparency, and accountability. We join JLA in urging that the L.A. BoS follow through on their promise of “care first, jails last” and fund the first year of a proposed plan to decarcerate and ultimately close Men’s Central Jail.

People in custody deserve humane treatment and should not be subjected to unlawful, horrific and deadly conditions and violence. Full stop.

06/09/2026

No one should be afraid to walk our streets because of the color of their skin, the language they speak or where they work. However, a year after federal immigration agents launched sweeping raids across Southern California, the government continues to conduct warrantless arrests across the southland.

Yesterday, three plaintiff organizations in Vasquez Perdomo v. Mullin moved for a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump administration’s illegal practice of “arrest people first and ask questions later.”

DHS, we’ll see you in court. cc: UFW

06/02/2026

Today is Election Day! Know your voting rights: https://aclusocal.co/kyrvoting

Experiencing problems at the polls? Call the Election Protection Hotline: (866) OUR-VOTE.

05/08/2026

All people, irrespective of their race, gender, sexuality, religion or immigration status are entitled to fair pay, fair treatment on the job, and a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

Sound on to hear more from the ACLU SoCal Executive Director Chandra Bhatnagar on why we march and honor the contributions of labor organizing in this country and across the world.

04/23/2026

Our state’s resources should never be used to silence us.

Join us in calling our state legislators to pass the Protect California Rights Act — Senate Bill 1105 — that would block the administration from commandeering our state and local police to trample on our rights.

Take action here: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/ca-protectrights

04/14/2026

Access to housing is vital for health and wellbeing. The city’s rejection of the proposal fits within a long and troubling history of spatial segregation of low-income people with disabilities.

04/08/2026

Last week, a federal appeals court affirmed what we all know: exercising our rights to free speech should never be met with attacks by federal agents.

On April 1, in a win for SoCal residents and our constitutional rights, the Ninth Circuit recognized an “avalanche” of evidence demonstrating that journalists, legal observers and protesters were subjected to retaliatory force by federal agents during immigration-related protests.

As the case continues, remember we keep us safe. If you see DHS in your neighborhood, record them. And if you’re headed to a protest, visit aclusocal.org to know your rights.

04/02/2026

Over the past year, the L.A. city council and mayor have taken significant steps to create stronger sanctuary protections for immigrant Angelenos, including prohibitions on city resources being used in federal immigration enforcement.

Yet, under the leadership of Chief Jim McDonnell, the L.A. Police Department (LAPD) has failed to fully implement the city’s sanctuary protections.

Join us in urging the governing body of the LAPD, L.A. Police Commission (LAPC), to fulfill its responsibility and ensure that the LAPD fully complies with the city’s sanctuary policies and maximizes protections for immigrant Angelenos.

Send your message: aclusocal.co/lapd-comply-sanctuary-policies

03/24/2026

Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco has repeatedly drawn criticism for false or misleading claims — whether regarding his department’s lack of transparency or the alarming number of in-custody deaths in Riverside County. His latest action — seizing over half a million voter ballots — continues this troubling pattern.

Against the backdrop of the U.S. Department of Justice pressuring states to turn over unredacted voter rolls, Bianco’s fishing expedition sets a dangerous precedent and reeks of election meddling. We cannot look away as a local official engages in an authoritarian power grab straight out of President Trump’s playbook.

We join Attorney General Bonta and our state officials in demanding Bianco put an immediate end to this frivolous investigation.

The ACLU SoCal is nonpartisan and neither endorses nor opposes candidates for elected office, nor does it make financial contributions to candidates.

03/19/2026

How should you exercise your rights when confronted by ICE or other DHS agents? Sound on to hear from our chief legal and advocacy director.

03/18/2026

No matter the color of our skin, the language we speak or where we live or work, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and have our constitutional rights respected.

But ICE, CBP and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security routinely engage in racial profiling, warrantless arrests by masked agents, unlawful and inhumane detention and deadly violence. This year alone, at least 11 people have died while in ICE custody and eight have been killed by ICE or CBP agents on our streets.

We cannot allow our government to continue to tear our communities apart. As proud immigrants and/or loved ones and neighbors of immigrant families, we deserve an immigration process rooted in care and support, not fear and harm.

The ACLU SoCal joins countless activists and advocates in calling for ICE's abolition and an overhaul of our immigration process.

02/25/2026

Last week, a judge ruled that the city of Los Angeles cannot move forward with their implementation of AB 630, a bill that allows the county to dismantle and remove more recreational vehicles that serve as a last refuge for OR that shelter unhoused LA residents. The city has responded to our suit with new legislation allowing them to do so, AB 647 (Gonzalez).

The ACLU SoCal opposes continued state-level and local policy proposals to criminalize and banish unhoused neighbors. Stay connected with us to fight AB 647: aclusocal.co/be-a-socal-activist

We will continue fighting for real solutions – only housing solves houselessness!

02/16/2026

Holding our government accountable is not a crime, but we’ve seen local police stop and question people for exercising their right to record DHS agents in their communities. It’s time to send a clear message that our state’s police resources and personnel will not be used to silence Californians.

Tell your legislator to support The Protect California Rights Act: https://aclucalaction.org/bill/sb-1105/

02/02/2026

📢Bad Bunny said it right — we won't let ICE's depravity strip us of our humanity.
Our communities, neighbors, and loved ones are worth fighting for.

01/08/2026

The ACLU of Minnesota is devastated by this morning’s news that ICE shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, and is calling for an immediate and transparent investigation into the shooting.

We are waiting to learn more, but this is what we know: ICE is endangering our communities and must leave Minnesota immediately.

01/07/2026

Families deserve dignity and respect, and belong together. When families stay together, children do better and so do our communities. This victory —the drop in children entering foster care across Southern California — reflects the work by impacted parents and former foster youth, organizations, and advocates who engage in both local and statewide policy advocacy and storytelling to end family policing.

Sharing gratitude with the Reimagine Child Safety Coalition in Los Angeles for their long-standing commitment to keeping families whole in the southland.

The Imprint set out to discover why LA County's foster care placements have declined even more dramatically than the nation's.

12/11/2025

In the latest in a series of legal setbacks for Trump's deployments, a judge ruled the administration must end its deployment to Los Angeles and return control of National Guard troops to California.

11/07/2025

The world is watching the United States government attack the constitutional and human rights of its own people. We will hold the Trump administration accountable, whether they show up to defend their human rights record or not.

11/04/2025

Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, including how to resist voter intimidation efforts and get assistance at the polls.

10/30/2025

When they try to silence one of us, we stand united. David Huerta’s courage reminds us that democracy only survives when we refuse to back down.

Cuando intentan silenciar a uno de nosotros, nos mantenemos unidos. La valentía de David Huerta nos recuerda que la democracia solo sobrevive cuando nos negamos a dar marcha atrás.

ACLU California Action ACLU of Northern California ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties

They wanted to use David Huerta as a warning. That if we spoke up, they’d do everything they could to silence us. Instead, he’s become our rallying cry – for everyone who believes courage is stronger than fear.

10/29/2025

Sound on to hear about our ongoing fight for immigrants’ rights here in the southland from ACLU SoCal Chief Legal and Advocacy Officer Victor Leung. He recently presented alongside our partners and friends at the State of Black Los Angeles event.

We’ve said it before and we will say it again: our fight against this administration’s racist deportation scheme is far from over. We are working around the clock to ensure every person living in Southern California—regardless of race, occupation or status—is safe.

And we need eyes and ears on the ground now more than ever. Connect with local rapid response networks monitoring and responding to ICE raids: https://aclusocal.co/rrn-ca-s

10/21/2025

We keep us safe. Today and everyday, we will organize and advocate to keep Southern California safe and whole. Join us.

10/02/2025

Join us on Monday, October 6, 7 p.m. PT at the Los Angeles Central Library to celebrate the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson.

RSVP: https://lfla.org/event/marsha-the-joy-and-defiance-of-marsha-p-johnson/

As part of the One Institute's month-long CIRCA Festival and in partnership with the Library Foundation of Los Angeles's ALOUD series, this event will feature ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project Co-Director Chase Strangio in conversation with author, filmmaker, and artist Tourmaline to discuss her latest book Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson.