The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.
Issues
Learn about what's happening across the most pressing civil liberties issues of our time, and what you can do.
Spotlight
When the Constitution was written, “We the People” did not mean all of us. Slavery created a legacy of oppression for Black people that is woven into our institutions today — from education and health care to the criminal legal system. We need structural reform to dismantle the deep-seated racism and inequity that permeates our institutions — including law enforcement.
Black people are over-policed, overrepresented in jails and prisons, and disproportionately subjected to police brutality. In the wake of the countless Black lives lost at the hands of police, we’re demanding justice and fighting for a reimagined vision of policing in America — one that limits the scope, power, and responsibilities of police. Valuing Black life doesn’t just mean spending less on police — it means investing more in Black communities. To create a world where “we the people” truly means all of us, we must dismantle systemic racism and work to repair centuries of harm inflicted on communities of color.
News and Commentary
Retired Federal Probation Officer: Stop Sending People to COVID-Filled Prisons Unnecessarily
Retired Federal Probation Officer: Stop Sending People to COVID-Filled Prisons UnnecessarilyNo one should be thrown in jail for a frivolous charge — especially during a pandemic. Unfortunately, that's often not the case.
Dismantle the Department of Homeland Security. Its Tactics are Fearsome.
Dismantle the Department of Homeland Security. Its Tactics are Fearsome.The very premise of a "homeland security" bureaucracy is chilling. It's a loaded weapon that sits on the proverbial coffee table in the Oval Office.
Lives are at Stake. Will Congress Act?
Lives are at Stake. Will Congress Act?Four key actions the Senate can take to protect marginalized communities and the most vulnerable people in the United States.