Top news stories and must-read articles from the week.

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DHS separates fleeing mother from her child

A woman who fled the Congo after fearing violence was separated from her young daughter last November by the Department of Homeland Security. This separation is unwarranted and cruel. The ACLU is in the courts now, trying to reunite the two after months of brutal and unnecessary separation.

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CIA nominee involved in Bush-era torture program

Trump announced this week that deputy CIA director Gina Haspel is his nominee to become the director of the agency. During the Bush administration, it was revealed that Haspel directed CIA torture at a black site in Thailand. As the Senate considers Haspel, it is crucial that the senators take the time to critically evaluate her record on torture.

THE ACLU’S TAKE

Kobach voter fraud trial underway

Kris Kobach, who once chaired Trump’s voter fraud commission that is no longer, is in federal court in Kansas. Kobach is trying to prove that there is enough evidence of widespread voter fraud to justify the restrictive voter registration laws Kansas is trying to enact. The court’s decision will have impacts on voting laws across the country.

THE ACLU’S TAKE

The dangers of the CLOUD Act

A newly introduced piece of legislation is raising concerns for its effect on privacy and human rights. The CLOUD act allows the U.S. law enforcement to gather international data on American citizens without complying to foreign data privacy policy. A second part of the legislation opens the door for U.S. tech companies to share data on individuals (including activists) with foreign leaders, even if those leaders are known for human rights abuses.

THE ACLU’S TAKE

On March 14 we filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of the mother of a young boy, who was brutally mistreated at Long Creek Youth Development Center. While he was there, he was denied adequate medical care and services for his disability, and when his condition worsened, he was brutally attacked by two prison guards. Our hope is that this lawsuit will lead to justice for our clients, and that it will help convince the public that children do not belong in prison. Much about what we know about problems at Long Creek comes from this report from the Center for Children’s Law and Policy documenting substantial problems at Long Creek relating to medical care, staff training, the use of excessive force, and other issues. We expect to learn a great deal more over the course of the litigation.

You can learn more about this case from reporting in the Portland Press Herald, Bangor Daily News, Maine Public, and WGME.