News Releases

A Q&A about walkouts, policy regarding absences, and other student political speech at public schools.

The ACLU has filed an amicus brief challenging Pierce County’s practice of routinely examining hotel registration records without reasonable suspicion of a crime.

A summary of known federal domestic surveillance programs. Part of the package on ACLU FOIA requests for local peace groups.

In June 2005 the Tacoma City Council approved by a 6-2 vote a major reform of police accountability by establishing an independent auditor and a citizen review board. The vote culminates over two years of work by the Police Accountability Working Group, created by the Tacoma Human Rights Commission to draft a proposal for citizen oversight.

Today the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that even in times of unrest, the government cannot arrest protesters simply because of their message. The ruling came in the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington's lawsuit challenging the City of Seattle's establishment and enforcement of a No Protest Zone during the meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1999.

The ACLU is suing two federal agents for unlawfully imprisoning and seeking to deport an Iraqi refugee who had broken no laws.

The ACLU has sued the state to strike down laws that ban marriage between couples of the same sex.

The Burien City Council voted 6-0 to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The ACLU-WA is assisting Ian Spiers, a biracial community college student who was questioned and detained by local police and a Homeland Security agent for taking photographs at the Ballard Locks.

The American Civil Liberties Union today praised the Washington Court of Appeals for allowing a nonbiological mother the right to seek parental rights and visitation with her daughter after the mother's relationship with the biological mother ended.