For the ACLU of Alabama, the month of September was a busy month! So in case you missed it, here are some highlights on our work with the upcoming midterms, our effort to reform the criminal justice system, and a new case with First Amendment implications.
Photo: New Policy Analyst Dillon Nettles speaking to a group of Auburn students and residents about the upcoming election.
ACLU in Alabama
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Did you know Jefferson County will be electing the most powerful person in the criminal justice system on November 6? We’ve launched a special website to provide more information about the position, the candidates, and what’s at stake. Learn more and get involved at alabamaDA.org.
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We released a statewide blueprint detailing how to reduce the prison population in Alabama by 50%. It covers state and county-specific data, which shows not only why our prisons are the most overcrowded in the country, but also policy specific ways we can change that.
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Last week, we sued Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill for blocking Twitter users. The case was filed on behalf of three Alabama residents, who claim that blocking them is a violation of the First Amendment. Have you been blocked by a government official? Know your rights.
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A federal judge ruled Cullman County can no longer discriminate because of wealth when it comes to their bail practices. Thanks to the preliminary injunction, all individuals were immediately released, with the exception of those deemed a flight risk, dangerous, or intoxicated.
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We’ve continued to discuss the midterm elections in an effort to make being an informed voter as easy as possible. This includes presenting our 2018 Voter Guide at Auburn University with SPLC on Campus and providing a Facebook Live webinar for National Voter Registration Day.
ACLU Across the Country
Last month, a federal court ruled that the Trump administration must work in conjunction with the ACLU to locate and reunite the remaining 304 separated families. Three-fourths of the deported parents are currently residing in Guatemala. This month, the ACLU and Guatemalan immigrant advocates searched for deported parents in Guatemala to inform them on their right. The ACLU has been in negotiation with the federal government for the deported parents' rights to return to the U.S. since many were misled or confused about what they were signing and giving up. (via NPR)
Massachusetts: After police encounter, an uneasy return to Smith College (via Boston Globe)
Virginia: Virginia Prisons Ban Visitors From Wearing Tampons, Citing Contraband Concerns (via NPR)
Louisiana: Amid uproar, Louisiana mayor rescinds order banning Nike products in wake of Kaepernick ad (via Washington Post)
Missouri: Missouri Town to Finally Stop Banishing Residents Who Report Domestic Violence (via The Daily Beast)