Kesley Vial

Kesley’s Legacy: Why No Detention is Safe

After three long years of litigation, the private prison company CoreCivic paid a settlement to the wrongful death estate of Kesley Vial, a 23-year-old Brazilian asylum seeker who died by suicide while in ICE custody at the Torrance County Detention Facility (TCDF) in Estancia, New Mexico, in August of 2022.

Latest Press Release


Billboards Celebrate NM Civil Rights Act Fifth Anniversary

To commemorate the five-year anniversary of the New Mexico Civil Rights Act (NMCRA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico has placed five billboards praising the landmark law across Albuquerque.
A billboard that says "The NM Civil Rights Act turns five. Justice never gets old" with a "Welcome to New Mexico" sign on it.

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


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New Mexico Must Keep Its Promise on Civil Rights

Five years ago, New Mexico made a promise. When our state passed the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, we declared that the rights guaranteed by the New Mexico Constitution meant something.
A graphic showing hot air ballons, a person holding their arms out towards a sunrise, and a sunset with painted clouds behind a silhouetted road sign.

The Case for Investing in New Mexico's Youth

The ACLU of New Mexico, along with partners, is prioritizing holistic solutions in juvenile justice — because we know these are the approaches that are safest and most effective for our communities.


We can’t afford not to pass the New Mexico Civil Rights Act

The New Mexico Civil Rights Act is so-named because it promises to do for the state of New Mexico exactly what the federal Civil Rights Act of 1871 did for our nation. It provides a legal mechanism for people to go to court and demand redress for violations of their rights under the Bill of Rights.

By Peter Simonson

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New Mexico can no longer shirk responsibility to end for-profit detention

Allowing private corporations to profit off of bondage and suffering in our state has perpetuated a humanitarian crisis and cost taxpayers millions in lawsuits resulting from the rampant neglect and abuse in these facilities. It is both a moral and material failure for our state.

By Nia Rucker

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Lies Have Serious Consequences

Spreading lies to stoke fear and outrage for political gain has dangerous consequences. The storming of the U.S. Capitol by armed insurrectionists egged on by former President Donald Trump’s relentless and false claims of a stolen election has demonstrated that in no uncertain terms.

By Ellie Rushforth

Lies have serious consequences

A Bad Cop's Best Friend

Qualified immunity and the quest to rebalance the scales of justice.

By Micah McCoy

A Bad Cop's Best Friend

A New Day

We will hold a Biden administration accountable just like we have held accountable every other presidential administration going back 100 years.

By Peter Simonson

A new day

Democracy on the Line

Inside the fight to protect every vote.

By Katie Hoeppner

Democracy on the line

The Questions You Probably THINK You Know the Answer to — But Likely Don’t — About ICE Detention

Our immigration detention system is complex and opaque by design. If you don't understand how it works, you're not alone.

By Hanna Johnson

10 questions immigrant detention

How They're Really Rigging Elections

Now is an excellent time to take a good hard look around at which politicians and elected leaders are undermining our democracy with word, deed, or silence - and remove them from positions of power and influence at the first available opportunity.

By Micah McCoy

Let people vote

Virus spread in NM jails, prisons should have, could have, been avoided

For the past seven months, rarely has a day gone by that the ACLU hasn’t received a desperate call or email from someone who has a family member or loved one locked up in one of our state’s jails or prisons. They are mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses – all terrified that someone they love will get sick because our state has abdicated its responsibility to prevent the unchecked spread of a deadly virus inside its detention facilities.

By Lalita Moskowitz

COVID Prisons Jails