ACLJ Web Site - http://www.aclj.org
Short sample of ACLU
actions ACLU Web Site - http://www.aclu.org
Illegal immigrant protection, Homeless and
Begging Lawsuits, Religious liberty for Sikhs
ACLU briefs Congress - Illegal Immigrants with criminal convictions in
particular, have a right to access the U.S. courts
The Immigrants' Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation was
established in 1987 to expand and enforce the civil rights and civil liberties of
non-citizens and to combat public and private discrimination against immigrants.The
Immigrants' Rights Project currently targets five priority areas: unconstitutional
restrictions on the right to judicial review; the grossly unfair expedited removal
process; new indefinite and mandatory detention rules; and workers' rights.
In written testimony, ACLU Attorney Lee Gelernt specifically pointed to the importance of
the 2001 Supreme Court decision in INS v. St. Cyr, which found that immigrants have the
right to have their cases reviewed by a court before facing deportation. The decision was
significant because of the clear way in which the Court rejected any notion that
immigrants in general, or immigrants with criminal convictions in particular, had no right
to access the courts.
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Homeless People Sue San Francisco for Property Rights Violations headed
by ACLU
Ten homeless individuals filed small claims actions against the City of San Francisco for
property rights violations that occurred during last year's sweeps of Golden Gate Park.
The Coalition on homelessness and the ACLU had previously advised the City of the
illegality of summarily destroying homeless people's property. A hearing on the claims has
been set for July 30.
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Court Orders San Francisco to Pay Legal Fees in Begging Case headed
by ACLU
The decision ruled that the government could not constitutionally distinguish between the
fundraising appeals of organized charities and of destitute individuals on the public
street.
In the final installment of an eight-year legal battle that resulted in a landmark
decision that the First Amendment protects the right of poor people to request funds, US
District Judge William Orrick has ordered the City to pay $323,785.56 in fees and costs in
Blair v. Shanahan.
"This fee award underscores the significance of Judge Orrick's important 1992
decision that peaceful begging is protected expression," said Thomas McInerney, a
cooperating attorney for the ACLU who handled the case for free.
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Settlement Reached in ACLU
Lawsuit Concerning Rights of Sikh Students to Wear Ceremonial Knives to School
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Livingston Union School District and the ACLU of Northern California
announced today that they have resolved a lawsuit concerning the rights of baptized Sikh
students to wear symbolic ceremonial knives -- known as kirpans -- to school.
The parties described the settlement -- which will allow the students to wear the kirpans
subject to strict limitations on size and other restrictions designed to assure that they
cannot be misused -- as an agreement intended to promote the two important goals of
religious freedom and school security.
Stephen V. Bomse of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe, a cooperating attorney for the
ACLU, who, with ACLU staff attorney Margaret Crosby, represented the plaintiffs,
said: "This is an important achievement for religious liberty, but it is an
achievement that does not come at the cost of safety in our schools." |
