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


Wrongful Death Case of Kesley Vial, 23-Year-Old Brazilian Asylum Seeker, Goes to Trial in New Mexico

Placeholder image

More from the Press


Placeholder image

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

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

Otero County claims ICE facility can't be closed due to bond debt. Experts disagree.

An Otero County official said closing a controversial ICE facility would leave taxpayers responsible for tens of millions in bond debt, but an expert review of financial documents paint a markedly different picture.

By Leonardo Castañeda

Otero County Processing Center Photo

Medication Denied

A woman was denied life-saving medicine by the New Mexico Corrections Department, so we sued.

By Katie Hoeppner

Medication Denied - Photo of a stethoscope

More of the Same: Private Prison Corporations and Immigration Detention Under the Biden Administration

The Biden administration is filling private prison beds emptied out by its own Executive Order with immigrant detainees.

By ACLU National

Empty cell at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison.

A Second Chance at Life

The fight to end juvenile life without parole in New Mexico.

By Davida Gallegos

A Second Chance at Life

Tabitha's Story

A journalist fights back after police try to silence her

By Katie Hoeppner

Tabitha Clay: Tabitha's Story

Addressing Racialized Violence Against Migrants Requires a Complete Overhaul of Customs and Border Protection

Absent deep reforms, Border Patrol’s long history of racist, violent abuse means inhumanity like that displayed in Del Rio, Texas will continue to repeat itself.

By ACLU National

El Paso, Texas border wall between USA and Mexico running thru the desert.

More than just a game

Trans children already face extreme hardships that stem from coordinated attacks on their very existence and the continued discrimination they face at almost every turn. We cannot let attacks against their very existence go unchecked.

By Raychel Sanner

More than just a game

Understaffed, unsanitary ICE facility in Torrance County fails annual inspection

The privately-run ICE detention center in Torrance County failed its government inspection earlier this year, with a newly released report finding severe understaffing, unsanitary food and visitation rules that were inaccessible to people with no money.

By Leonardo Castañeda

A screenshot of surveillance video taken shortly before men detained at the Torrance County were pepper sprayed for engaging in a peaceful hunger strike protesting conditions at the facility. Surveillance and lapel video was obtained by NMILC and ACLU fro

10 Things to Know about Combating Violence in America

As communities grapple with violent crime, calls for more police have increased. Here's why policing isn't the solution to violence, and some viable alternatives.

Protesters hold a banner calling for investment in communities, not the police