Top Stories From the ACLU of Southern California

¿Qué opinas de pena de muerte?

El ACLU del sur de California por largo tiempo ha estado opuesto a la pena de muerte y le pedimos a la gente que hable encontra esta practica injusta e inhumana. Univision solicita opiniones sobre la pena de muerte. Diganles lo que piensan.

Dec 7, 2010 |  permalink

Pass the DREAM Act!

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California strongly urges Congress to take action and vote to pass the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act, which stands for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented students who complete two years of college or military service. This sensible proposal has long enjoyed bi-partisan support because it would enhance our economy and national security.

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Dec 6, 2010 |  permalink

Brooks Allen Named Director of Education Advocacy

On Dec. 3, 2010, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California announced Brooks Allen will serve as the new Director of Education Advocacy, a position designed to identify critical civil rights issues in California’s public schools and help create comprehensive strategies for protecting students’ rights.

Allen, 36, has been with the ACLU since 2004 as a statewide implementation lawyer for student plaintiffs in Williams v. California. The ACLU/SC, along with other civil rights organizations, filed a lawsuit against the state because of the terrible conditions in many of its public schools. The Williams case argued that California failed to provide thousands of public school students, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, with the basic necessities required for an education.

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Dec 3, 2010 |  permalink

Hector Villagra Named ACLU/SC Executive Director

On Nov. 29, the ACLU of Southern California named Hector Villagra to succeed Ramona Ripston as executive director. He becomes the first Latino to hold the post.

“It is a humbling honor to be tasked with leading an organization that has meant so much to Southern California,” Villagra said Monday. “So many diverse communities find themselves in need of civil liberties protections, and I intend to continue this organization’s proud tradition of protecting everyone’s rights.”

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Nov 29, 2010 |  permalink

Know Your Airport Rights!

As if the trauma of dealing with the family for the holidays were not enough, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) has decided to impose 'enhanced' security features. Your “choice”: get scanned, have naked pictures of you taken, and hope they aren’t saved or distributed; or allow a TSA worker to grope you.

The National ACLU has put together an excellent rights guide outlining your options when facing down TSA agents at the airport, and are collecting data about traveler experiences. Our national office is also sharing excerpts from a few of the hundreds of complaints received since these new techniques were introduced.

Whatever decision you make during this busy travel season, we hope you get through this season of security theater with outrage intact.

Nov 24, 2010 |  permalink

Conozca sus derechos! Know your Rights!

Hector Villagra, legal director for the ACLU of Southern California, spoke with Cecilia Bogran of Univision’s KMEX Channel 34, the largest Spanish-language station in Los Angeles, about the importance of knowing your rights when stopped by police or federal agents.

This educational segment on the morning show served to empower people against possible abuses by authorities. Knowledge is power, and knowing that you have the right to remain silent and demand identification are tools that can help individuals not fear those with badges.

Watch his interview with Cecilia Bogran here, and download a pdf of our Know Your Rights card in English or Spanish.

Nov 17, 2010 |  permalink

State Supremes Uphold Tuition Equality

The California Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of Assembly Bill 540, which allows students who attend at least three years of high school in California and who graduate from a California high school (or receive their GED) to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities regardless of their immigration status. The court found that federal law did not bar California from offering in-state tuition to all students who meet these requirements.

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Nov 15, 2010 |  permalink

90 Years of Protecting Liberty

Join us and the Japanese American National Museum on Saturday, Nov. 20 for a special opening reception and sneak-peek of "No Victory Ever Stays Won: The ACLU's 90 Years of Protecting Liberty," an exhibit on view at the museum from November 21 through December 11, 2010.

Our free event runs from 5-7 p.m. and features a wine and cheese reception, mingling with civil rights and civil liberties enthusiasts, and a special welcoming message by Ramona Ripston, ACLU/SC executive director, who will be retiring in a few months after 38 years as chief-visionary of the organization.

Check out the full invitation and download a pdf flyer to share!

Nov 15, 2010 |  permalink

Retaliation Against Worker Who Stood Up For His Rights

The ACLU of Southern California is deeply concerned by federal agents’ abrupt decision to detain and initiate deportation proceedings against an immigrant worker who filed a federal class action lawsuit against a Fullerton-based firm in August for labor and civil rights violations.

Osfel Andrade's arrest on Nov. 11, 2010 appears to be a direct consequence of having filed the complaint against his former employer for back wages. Federal officials must protect immigrants who are victims of unscrupulous employers; targeting them for deportation inadvertently aids those who exploit them.

“ICE went after a worker who had stood up to defend his rights and claim the back wages owed by his employer,” said Jennie Pasquarella, ACLU/SC staff attorney. “This action undercuts federal officials’ ability to go after unscrupulous employers by driving immigrant workers further underground.”

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Nov 12, 2010 |  permalink

Hope for Youth Incarcerated at Camp Challenger

On Nov. 4, we announced the settlement of a landmark class action lawsuit filed against Los Angeles County agencies alleging the failure to provide a constitutionally adequate education to youth detained at Camp Challenger, the County’s largest juvenile detention facility.

the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) and the Los Angeles Probation Department (Probation) will work extensively with a team of nationally renowned experts to implement systemic program reforms at Challenger and Christa McAuliffe High School in order to provide the required education and special education to the hundreds of youth who are detained there. The reform will cover at least 13 major areas, including literacy, instruction, transition, special education, and aftercare. The reforms will also focus on leadership at Challenger and sustainability, in order to ensure that the changes implemented as part of the settlement are permanent. The experts who will work hand-in-hand with the Challenger team under this agreement are some of the nation’s leaders in the development of educational and rehabilitative programs for youth in juvenile detention settings.

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Nov 4, 2010 |  permalink