Our Work

The Ƶdares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

Know Your Rights

A

Know Your Rights

Everyone has basic rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. But we’re all too aware that there can be significant daylight between what the law requires and what happens in practice.

Knowing and exercising your rights is more important in times like these, when rights are under attack. When you know your rights, you can advocate for those rights — and help protect and defend the rights of those around you. If you find yourself in a situation where your constitutionally protected rights are being disregarded or violated, knowing your rights can help you understand what’s happening and take mental notes that you can use to help a lawyer challenge those violations later on. It’s important not only to know your rights but to also know your risks — and to prioritize your safety.

Learn more here about what your rights are, how to exercise them, and what to do when your rights are violated.

News and Commentary

Wide
Immigrants' Rights

How Your Elected Officials Are Voting on Key Legislation

How Your Elected Officials Are Voting on Key Legislation

The ACLU’s new Congressional Scorecard tracks how federal elected officials are voting on key legislation affecting core civil rights and constitutional freedoms.

Wide
People
Immigrants' Rights

ICE is Rapidly Expanding Dangerous 287(g) Agreements with Local Police

ICE is Rapidly Expanding Dangerous 287(g) Agreements with Local Police

A new Ƶreport, “Deputized for Disaster,” illustrates the dangers of the Trump administration’s rapid expansion of the 287(g) program — and how communities are increasingly afraid of local law enforcement officers sworn to protect them.

People
A
Immigrants' Rights

Rümeysa Öztürk: I Saw the Horrors of ICE Detention Firsthand. It is No Place for a Child.

Rümeysa Öztürk: I Saw the Horrors of ICE Detention Firsthand. It is No Place for a Child.

As she witnesses the news of ICE detaining thousands of children, child development scholar Rümeysa Öztürk reflects on how detention and deportation negatively impact children for a lifetime, in relation to her own experiences of being detained.

A