News & Commentary

From Arkansas to Oklahoma, politicians are pushing religion into public schools. The ACLU is fighting back to defend church-state separation and students’ rights.

This term was marked by sharp right turns in major civil rights cases, a mixed record on lower-profile cases, and mixed outcomes in an ascendant emergency docket

Businesses offering expressive services do not have a First Amendment right to refuse to serve customers based on their identity. The SCOTUS decision merely recognizes a business’s right to choose not to sell certain products to anyone.

We are community organizers, ministers, rabbis, imams, lawyers, and teachers. We are mothers, fathers, grandparents, sisters, brothers, and friends. We were born in Somalia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Mexico, the United States and other countries. We are all in America for different reasons, and we are all here for the same reasons.

The following piece originally appeared on wcsh6.com as part of their feature, "Two Maines." 

UPDATE: Mr. Darweesh, according to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), has been released. Mr. Alshawi and others remain in dentention. The ACLU, along with several groups, filed a lawsuit this morning on behalf of two Iraqi men who were en route to the United States on immigrant visas when President Trump issued an executive order banning many Muslims from entering the country.One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was traveling on an Iraqi special Immigrant Visa and had worked as an electrical engineer and contractor for the U.S. government from 2003–2010. Brandon Friedman, a former Obama administration official who commanded a platoon during the invasion of Iraq, said Mr. Darweesh had worked for him as an interpreter. He said on Twitter yesterday that Mr. Darweesh “spent years keeping U.S. soldiers alive in combat in Iraq.”The other, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, had been granted a Follow to Join Visa. His wife and 7-year-old son are lawful permanent residents residing in Houston, Texas,

On Sunday, I was honored to speak at a rally for solidarity organized by the Portland Racial Justice Congress. Here are my remarks:

You might have heard of a bill making its way through congress called the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015, or "American SAFE Act of 2015." Despite the catchy title, the bill has little to do with safety. It actually creates barriers against the most vulnerable people seeking safety in the U.S. Unfortunately, the bill has already passed the House and is headed to the Senate soon. We're calling on Senator King and Senator Collins to take a stand against this discriminatory bill and vote no on the "SAFE" Act.

UPDATE: The bill's sponsor has announced he will withdraw the bill!