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


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

How We Help the Immigrant Community Feel Seen

When Jeannie Parent and her volunteer group, KWESI, visit immigrants held in a California detention center, she’s inspired by the sense of connection and community she can foster in spite of the circumstances.

A photo of Jeannie Parent.

The Human Toll of Trump's Anti-Trans Crusade

President Donald Trump’s assault on transgender rights is a gross overreach of presidential power and yet another attempt to punish trans people just for existing.

Trans Rights, speakers, protesters, and supporters denounce the Trump Administration's persistent attacks on the transgender community. by carrying a huge sign reading" TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS".

Trump's Expanded Domestic Military Use Should Worry Us All

President Donald Trump's use of the military domestically is dangerous and deeply misguided.

Members of the National Guard patrol the area surrounding the outskirts of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Writing an Op-Ed is Not Grounds for Deportation

The U.S. government’s escalating attacks on noncitizens’ right to free speech, including our client Rümeysa Öztürk, should scare us all.

Rümeysa Öztürk headshot

2025 Legislative Wrap-up

As the dust settles on an incredibly challenging legislative session, we wanted to share our collective work over the past 60 days.

By Lena Weber

Stylized image of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, NM

Can Border Agents Search Your Electronic Devices? It’s Complicated.

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about when border agents can legally conduct searches of travelers’ electronic devices at international airports and other ports of entry. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t simple.

Security Check at the Airport

Behind Detention Walls: Leonel’s Story

By Rebecca Sheff, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of New Mexico & Zoe Bowman, Supervising Attorney at Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center 

By Rebecca Sheff

Stylized image of Leonel and his family

Behind Detention Walls: Yofer's Story

Yofer Fernando Orozco-Herrera, from Barinas, Venezuela, dreamed of a career in public service. Instead, he was forced to flee his homeland in search of safety and opportunity.

By Rebecca Sheff

Stylized image of Yofer's personal family pictures

Behind Detention Walls: Junior's Story

Junior is one of the hundreds of people held on any given day in immigration detention in New Mexico. His experience illustrates the systemic abuses that plague these facilities.

By Rebecca Sheff

Stylized image of a group of Junior's childhood pictures inside polaroid frames