American Civil Liberties Union

Defend the rights of all people nationwide

With immigrant rights, trans justice, reproductive freedom, and more at risk, we’re in courts and communities across the country to protect everyone’s rights — and we need you with us.

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Spotlight

What is an Executive Order?

Explaining the history, function, and limits of a presidential executive order.

Learn More

A graphic depicting several images pertaining to immigration and citizenship.

Documenting Stories of Cruelty, Fear, and Strength

Immigrants, families, and communities share how their lives have been altered as a result of Trump’s unlawful immigration threats.

A split screen of W. Kamau Bell and Cecillia Wang.

We Don’t Get Ready, We Stay Ready

W. Kamau Bell makes his debut as At Liberty’s official host and speaks with ACLU National Legal Director Cecillia Wang.

Listen Now

A graphic depicting the capitol building and falling money.

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Tell Congress it must step up and check this violation of our rights.

Use Your Voice

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

Issues

Learn about what's happening across the most pressing civil liberties issues of our time, and what you can do.

Systemic Equality

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Since our nation’s founding, discriminatory policies and laws have created an unequal system in which Black communities have had their civil rights and liberties denied and have been systemically locked out of opportunities in education, housing, employment, and more.

Through our Systemic Equality agenda, we will use nationwide litigation, advocacy, and public education to advance laws and policies rooted in racial equity and end discriminatory policies, laws, and practices that have an outsized impact on Black communities.

Help us in our fight to ensure all people have equal access to housing, voting rights, education, and more by learning more, pledging your support, or donating. When we have full and equal access to education, jobs, housing, voting rights and more, better futures are possible.

News and Commentary

News & Commentary

Protesters in front of the Supreme Court hold signs that read, "Diversity, Opportunity, Justice", "ACLU, WE THE PEOPLE", "Affirmative Action YES!" and "Asians for Affirmative Action".

Racial Justice

DEI and Accessibility, Explained

Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility policies…

A smiling Leah Watson (a black woman wearing glasses, black business attire and a pin on her left shoulder stands next to a woman wearing a white flower dress wearing glasses and black) gathers for a picture with colleagues.

Racial Justice

'We Have to Reclaim Race and Racism'

As a former teacher, the ACLU’s Leah Watson has seen first-hand how beneficial an inclusive education can be. Today, she’s fighting attempts to deprive students of their right to learn.

Civil Liberties

Where Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Nominee Harmeet Dhillon Stands on Civil Liberties

The ACLU has more than 100 years’ experience holding power accountable. As President Donald Trump rolls out his key nominations, we analyze how his nominee for assistant attorney general for civil rights will impact civil liberties.

In the Courts

For more than one hundred years, ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated.

Fighting For Reproductive Freedom

People deserve the freedom to make their own medical decisions — but extreme politicians want to take that power away and deny people essential healthcare like abortion and birth control. The ACLU will never stop fighting to ensure that every person can maker their own decisions around pregnancy.

Fighting For Reproductive Freedom

A graphic that depicts individuals demonstrating for reproductive freedom.

all court cases

Fighting Trump

During the first Trump administration, we took over 430 legal actions.

Fighting Back Against Voter Suppression in Georgia
Following record turnout in recent elections, Georgia legislators passed a voter suppression law designed to make it harder for voters, especially voters of color, to cast a ballot. We’re suing.

Defending Student Free Speech
Brandi Levy was just blowing off steam off campus when she posted an expletive message on Snapchat critical of her school and cheer team. She was suspended from her cheer team, but alongside the ACLU she sued to defend student free speech. We took the case all the way to the Supreme Court – and won.

Protecting Abortion Access in Florida
On behalf of several abortion providers, we are fighting against Florida's senseless and harmful law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy and threatens to imprison doctors who provide care beyond that point.

our history

1920

In its first year, the ACLU challenged the Palmer Raids, protecting immigrants and trade union members.

1942

The ACLU stood almost alone in denouncing the federal government’s internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps.

1967

The ACLU represented an interracial couple in the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. The court ruled that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional.

1978

The ACLU took a controversial stand for free speech by defending a Nazi group that wanted to march through the Chicago suburb of Skokie—where many Holocaust survivors lived.

2015

The ACLU won a landmark Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, affirming the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry.

2018

In a victory for privacy, the Supreme Court ruled in an ACLU case, Carpenter v. United States, that people’s sensitive cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment, requiring the government get a warrant to access it.

today

We have over 1,700 staffers in every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico fighting for people's constitutional rights.

Careers

Full-time positions and internships

Media Inquiries

Press releases and interviews

Shop

Apparel, books, and more

Financial Reports

Annual reports on governance

FOIA Collections

Public records and information

On the Ground

From signing petitions to organizing on the ground, millions of ACLU activists are helping defend our rights.

Actions Needed Now

Paper money falling over the House of Congress.

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Actions Needed Now

A collage of images pertaining to the United States and Donald Trump.

Protect birthright citizenship

Congress: Save Medicaid Now

Actions Needed Now

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Protect birthright citizenship

Congress: Save Medicaid Now

Get Involved

People Power is the ACLU's platform for grassroots action. We work with volunteers and supporters in every corner of the country to defend civil liberties and civil rights. Join us.

Make calls

Join a volunteer team

Host an event

Tips from our Volunteers

“Pick one issue that affects you directly and one that doesn’t, and work on them. You’ll burn out if you think you have to fix everything.”
“Activism is not a competition, says Lily Levin. If you can only do an hour of activism a week, that’s OK. Do something concrete at every meeting, like call your reps or send postcards.”
“And to paraphrase MLK Jr., be prepared for infinite disappointments, but carry infinite hope that we can change everything eventually.”

Find Your Local ACLU

Your local ACLU affiliate

The ACLU has 54 local offices across the U.S. working with attorneys and activists in their communities to shape better policies and spread awareness about their states' priority civil rights issues.

Resources

For specific inquiries and resources

Careers

Full-time positions and internships

Media Inquiries

Press releases and interviews

Shop

Apparel, books, and more

Financial Reports

Annual reports on governance

FOIA Collections

Public records and information

American Civil Liberties Union

DEMOCRACY

JUSTICE

LIBERTY

Defend the rights of all people nationwide

Spotlight

What is an Executive Order?

Documenting Stories of Cruelty, Fear, and Strength

We Don’t Get Ready, We Stay Ready

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Issues

Systemic Equality

News and Commentary

DEI and Accessibility, Explained

'We Have to Reclaim Race and Racism'

Where Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Nominee Harmeet Dhillon Stands on Civil Liberties

In the Courts

Fighting For Reproductive Freedom

Fighting Trump

our history

1920

1942

1967

1978

2015

2018

today

In the Courts

On the Ground

In Your Backyard

On the Ground

Actions Needed Now

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Actions Needed Now

Protect birthright citizenship

Congress: Save Medicaid Now

Actions Needed Now

Keep DOGE Out of Our Data

Protect birthright citizenship

Congress: Save Medicaid Now

Stay informed

Get Involved

Find Your Local ACLU

Your local ACLU affiliate

Donate to the ACLU

More Ways to Give

Resources