News & Commentary

A road sign showing the Rio Arriba county line with Lybrook elementary just beyond it.

Locked Out: When School Boards Exclude Native Representation

At a small school district in northwestern New Mexico, many Navajo parents cannot run for local school board or vote in the school district’s elections where their children go to school. 

Latest Press Release

Oct 16, 2025

People Incarcerated in Doña Ana County Jail Sue Over Violent Paramilitary Tactics and Inhumane Treatment 

Six people who were held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC) filed a lawsuit today seeking to end the jail's practice of conducting violent, unwarranted paramilitary training operations on incarcerated people.
Body camera footage from March 8, 2025, when such training operations took place at DACDC. Various officers, masked and armed, are seen running into the quiet cells in the middle of the night.

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Stay informed on civil rights issues. Discover our latest actions and updates in the Press Release section.

A photo of Rita Padilla-Gutiérrez standing in front of her sign that reads: "Trump, racist, rapist, not my president"

More Than a Yard Sign: Fighting for Free Speech in Tomé, New Mexico

When Rita Padilla-Gutiérrez posted anti-Trump signs in her yard, Valencia County threatened her with criminal prosecution at the urging of a pro-Trump county commissioner.

By Rita-Padilla Gutiérrez

Dark blue collage image of GuJuan, featuring a recent photo of him along with a childhood picture in various color filters

Beyond the Concrete Box: Gujuan Fusilier’s Story

This blog is the third of a series based on interviews with three men currently held in the Penitentiary of New Mexico who are part of a class action lawsuit challenging the inhumane and unconstitutional conditions of New Mexico’s long-term solitary confinement unit.

By Lalita Moskowitz

Stylized image of plantiffs in front of a dark green background, a silhouette of a man sitting down on pavement looking distressed is centered in the photo stylized in green.

Beyond the Concrete Box: Human Stories from Solitary

This blog is the first of a series based on interviews with Mah-konce Hudson, GuJuan Fusilier, and O'Shay Toney, who are currently held in the Penitentiary of New Mexico.

By Lalita Moskowitz

Aug 04, 2022

Despite SCOTUS Ruling, the Biden Administration Can Prevent a Reversion to Trump's Deportation Machine

While a memo from DHS Secretary Mayorkas is in legal limbo, the administration should still take action to protect immigrant communities.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, second from right, looks up along with U.S Border Patrol agents as a drone flies overhead as he tours a section of the border wall Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Hidalgo, Texas.
Jul 21, 2022

Navajo Voters Deserve Fair Representation in San Juan County, So We Sued

San Juan County passed a redistricting map that violated the rights of Navajo voters. We filed a lawsuit along with partner organizations for new and fair maps.

By Leonardo Castañeda

Navajo Voters header image.
Jul 18, 2022

New Records Detail DHS Purchase and Use of Vast Quantities of Cell Phone Location Data

Thousands of previously unreleased records illustrate how government agencies sidestep our Fourth Amendment rights.

A photo of three cell phone towers in front of a sunset.
Jul 15, 2022

The Inhumane Conditions at MDC Are A Result of Over-Incarceration

Time and time again, we have watched and read news reports that provide a glimpse into the deplorable conditions behind the walls of MDC. A stubborn reliance on mass-incarceration is the reason why.

By Barron Jones, Lalita Moskowitz

"In truth, the conditions at MDC represent an over-incarceration crisis..."
Jul 06, 2022

Supreme Court Ruling Rejects the Promise of Miranda Rights

While the decision in Vega v. Tekoh doesn’t reduce the obligation of police to issue Miranda warnings, it eliminates a critical avenue for justice.

A close shot of a police officer putting handcuffs on someone.
Jun 27, 2022

Four Things to Know About the Supreme Court's Ruling in Egbert v. Boule

The Supreme Court's ruling in Egbert v. Boule is a blow to federal police accountability, but border residents still have rights.

By ACLU National

A U.S. Border Patrol vehicle sits parked in front of a crowd of people peering through the U.S.-Mexico border fence in San Diego.
Jun 24, 2022

With Roe Overturned, What Comes Next for Abortion Rights?

The impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade will be devastating. Here’s what comes next.

Pro-abortion signage in front of the Supreme Court.
Jun 22, 2022

Clifton White Doesn't Need Your Sympathy

Clifton White spent years in and out of prisons, eventually becoming a “jailhouse lawyer,” husband, father and finally community leader, whose activism would once again land him behind bars.

By Davida Gallegos

Photo of Clifton White holding a "free Clifton White" poster
Jun 17, 2022

Trans Joy Is Most Necessary When It Feels the Most Impossible

When forces larger than us try to break our spirit, we can respond as forcefully and effectively with joy as we can with anger, defiance, and protest.

By ACLU National

Trans activists march at the Black Transnational Rally with a rainbow flag in the West Village of Manhattan.