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

Oct 15, 2024

Disguising Punishment As Treatment Won’t Make Us Safe

To build a truly safe world, we need investments in healing, not new forms of harm. 

By Denali Wilson

An overhead view of a solitary jail cell with a single metal bed frame and a thin mattress. The cell includes a basic toilet and sink, all enclosed within the bare, confined space, evoking a stark and austere atmosphere.
Oct 10, 2024

Breaking Bosque School’s Silence on Racism Within Its Walls

I want to see Bosque School become a high-quality place of learning where every single student, regardless of identity, is embraced, valued, and honored.

Kee Straits
Oct 02, 2024

How an Albuquerque Traffic Stop Cost Me Everything

No one should ever have to worry about the police trying to extort money from them and ruin their lives.

By Carlos Smith

Carlos Sandoval Smith
Sep 29, 2024

New Mexico Votes 2024

Election day is November 5, 2024. To vote in New Mexico, you must be registered to vote.

2024 vote header.jpg
Sep 20, 2024

Passing the Torch at the ACLU of New Mexico

After 24 years as Executive Director, Peter Simonson is stepping down from executive leadership at the ACLU of New Mexico.

By Peter Simonson

Stylized image of Peter Simonson
Aug 20, 2024

How a Harris Administration Could Chart a New Course for Immigration Reform

The ACLU urges a potential Harris-Walz administration to deliver on its campaign promise to create a clear pathway to citizenship for longtime residents while also moving to end harmful detention policies and improve asylum access.

A graphic featuring Harris and imagery pertaining to immigration.
Aug 18, 2024

Trump Promises to Militarize Police, Reincarcerate Thousands, and Expand Death Penalty

Our analysis of a potential second Trump administration's proposed criminal legal system policies include unlawful tactics that will only harm our communities.

A graphic featuring Trump and imagery pertaining to the criminal legal system.
Aug 06, 2024

How Kamala Harris Can Secure Federal Abortion Protection Once and For All

The ACLU lays out our roadmap for protecting abortion access and advocating for improved reproductive health care protections under a potential Harris presidency.

A graphic featuring Harris and imagery pertaining to reproductive rights.
Jul 30, 2024

Our First Amendment Rights Don’t Disappear at the Schoolhouse Gates

In the final installment of our free speech comic series, we consider how K-12 students , as well as adults enrolled in higher education, can exercise their First Amendment rights in school.

A comic graphic that says Know Your Rights.