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Judge Calls Maricopa County Jail Conditions Unconstitutional (10/22/2008)
PHOENIX - A U.S. district court judge today ruled that the grossly inadequate conditions at the Maricopa County Jail, overseen by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, are unconstitutional and jeopardize the health and safety of prisoners.

Local Non-Profits to Host Voting Rights Restoration Fair on September 13 at Maryvale Community Center (09/10/2008)
PHOENIX – Local community leaders representing a broad coalition of non-profit groups from across the Valley will host a "Voting Rights Restoration Fair" on September 13 to help people with felony convictions – who have already served their time – regain their right to vote.

ACLU of Arizona Legal Director Found "Not Guilty" on Trespass Charge (09/09/2008)
PHOENIX – Maricopa County Justice of the Peace pro tempore David H. Fletcher today ruled that ACLU Foundation of Arizona Legal Director Dan Pochoda did not engage in any unlawful behavior prior to his November 3rd arrest by Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies outside the Pruitt furniture store in Phoenix.

Federal Court Blocks State from Enforcing Law Criminalizing Sale of Anti-War Shirts (08/20/2008)
PHOENIX, AZ – A federal judge today blocked Arizona from enforcing a new law that makes it a crime to sell anti-war t-shirts that list troops killed in Iraq. The permanent injunction striking down the law as unconstitutional ensures that Flagstaff activist Dan R. Frazier will be able to exercise his First Amendment rights by continuing to sell t-shirts featuring anti-war messages.

ACLU In Court Today Challenging Conditions At Maricopa County Jail (08/12/2008)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union is in a federal district court beginning today seeking to rebuff an attempt by Maricopa County and its sheriff, Joe Arpaio, to terminate a federal consent decree mandating that he maintain conditions at the Maricopa County Jail that meet constitutional minimums.

Court Blocks Local Arizona Anti-Solicitation Law (08/08/2008)
PHOENIX – The U.S District Court in Phoenix today blocked the town of Cave Creek, Arizona from enforcing an anti-solicitation ordinance that infringes on the free speech rights of day laborers in that town. The order ensures that day laborers will be able to exercise their constitutional rights by expressing their availability to work in public areas.

ACLU Reminds "America's Toughest Sheriff" That He's Not Above The Law (08/07/2008)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion yesterday to hold Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio in contempt for disobeying a court order that would allow women prisoners in Maricopa County to obtain timely, safe, and legal abortions. In addition, today's motion asks the court to provide additional safeguards for women prisoners seeking abortion care.

Demanda contra el alguacil Arpaio por el uso de perfiles raciales contra los latinos en el Condado de Maricopa (07/16/2008)
PHOENIX - El día de hoy, cinco individuos y Somos América, una coalición de latinos de la comunidad, demandaron al alguacil del Condado de Maricopa, Joe Arpaio, a la Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Maricopa (MCSO, por sus siglas en inglés) y al Condado de Maricopa, con la acusación de que los miembros de su organización eran obligados a detenerse y luego maltratados por las fuerzas del orden público debido a que eran latinos. La demanda de acción de clase, la cual se sustenta en una denuncia hecha el pasado mes de diciembre, se encuentra ante el Tribunal de Distrito del fuero federal en Arizona.

Sheriff Arpaio Sued Over Racial Profiling Of Latinos In Maricopa County (07/16/2008)
PHOENIX – Today, five individuals and Somos America, a Latino community-based coalition, sued Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) and Maricopa County, charging that they or their members were unlawfully stopped and mistreated by law enforcement because they are Latino. The class action lawsuit - which builds upon a complaint filed last December - is before the U.S. District Court in Arizona.

Federal Court Rules Strip Search Of 13-Year-Old Student For Ibuprofen Unconstitutional (07/11/2008)
SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union applauded a federal appellate court ruling today that school officials violated the constitutional rights of a 13-year-old Arizona girl when they strip searched her based on a classmate’s uncorroborated accusation that she possessed ibuprofen. Today’s 6-5 ruling from an en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reverses an earlier decision by a divided three-judge panel of the same court. Eight of the eleven judges on the en banc court held that the strip search violated Savana’s constitutional rights, and a six-judge majority further held that the school official who ordered the search is not entitled to immunity as a result of his actions.

Community Group Launches "Know Your Rights" Campaign In Response To Growing Repression (07/01/2008)
Members of Volviendo a Vivir, Respect/Respeto, and Unidos en Arizona have teamed up with Copwatch and the ACLU of Arizona to launch the Valley's largest and most wide-reaching "Know Your Rights" effort to date. Event organizers will kick-off the campaign at 10 am on Wednesday, July 2, at Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix.

Civil Rights Groups Urge Appellate Court To Overturn Arizona Employer Sanctions Law (06/12/2008)

El tribunal suspende ley local que prohíbe solicitar empleo en Arizona (06/02/2008)

ACLU Foundation of Arizona to Honor New Times Executives at Annual Bill of Rights Dinner on March 29 (05/27/2008)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Arizona will honor New Times executives Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin at its annual Bill of Rights Dinner on March 29 at the Heard Museum. The evening will feature a keynote address by Lacey, who along with Larkin, was arrested by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for exposing police misconduct and refusing to turn over records about their readers to local law enforcement.

Federal Court Hears Case Today of 13-Year-Old Student Strip Searched for Ibuprofen (03/26/2008)
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appellate court today heard oral arguments over the constitutionality of a strip search performed on a 13-year-old Arizona girl by school officials looking for ibuprofen. A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled the search constitutional on September 21, 2007, greatly expanding the circumstances under which schools may strip search students. That decision will now be reviewed by the full Ninth Circuit. The American Civil Liberties Union is co-counsel in the case.

ACLU And MALDEF File Lawsuit Against Arizona Town Over Anti-Solicitation Law (03/25/2008)
PHOENIX – A local Arizona anti-solicitation ordinance targeting day laborers violates the free speech rights of individuals who express their availability to work by standing in public areas, charged the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Arizona and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in a lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

High Court Refuses to Review Arizona Prison’s Abortion Policy (03/24/2008)
Washington, DC - The United States Supreme Court announced today that it would not review a lower court decision preventing prison officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, from interfering with women prisoners’ access to timely, safe, and legal abortion care.

Three National Privacy Experts to Address Arizona Legislators on Privacy Issues Related to REAL ID, RFID Tags (03/12/2008)
PHOENIX – Three nationally-recognized privacy experts will be in Phoenix on Thursday, March 13 to speak to legislators and members of the public about the privacy implications of everything from REAL ID and national identity cards to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and enhanced driver’s licenses.

ACLU Challenges Unlawful Strip Search Over Ibuprofen Allegation In School (03/03/2008)
SAN FRANCISCO - In legal papers delivered today, the American Civil Liberties Union joined an ongoing case to represent a 13-year-old girl unconstitutionally strip searched by school officials after a classmate’s uncorroborated accusation of ibuprofen possession. A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the search constitutional on September 21, 2007. The panel’s 2-1 decision, which greatly expands the circumstances under which schools may strip search students, will now be reviewed by the full Ninth Circuit.

Civil Rights Coalition Continues To Fight Arizona Employer Sanctions Law (02/28/2008)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Arizona, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) will continue to challenge the so-called Legal Arizona Workers Act in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The appellate court issued a decision today denying the coalition’s request to delay the law going into effect while the court considers the appeal. The court’s order did not express any view on the statute’s constitutionality and ordered the appeal to be expedited.

ACLU of Arizona Applauds Governor’s Rejection of Abstinence-Only Funds (01/18/2008)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today applauded Governor Janet Napolitano’s decision to reject funding for the state’s abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, which have proven ineffective, inaccurate, and gender-biased.

ACLU Issues REAL ID Scorecard, Urges Lawmakers to Pass Legislation Rejecting REAL ID (01/17/2008)
PHOENIX – In light of the recent release of the Department of Homeland Security regulations for the Real ID Act, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today issued a renewed call to Governor Napolitano and the Arizona Legislature to work together to reject the REAL ID Act, which would federalize state driver’s licenses and create the nation’s first-ever de facto national identity card system.

ACLU Says Enhanced Driver’s Licenses Are Insecure, Fail to Protect Personal Information (12/12/2007)
PHOENIX -- Citing serious privacy concerns with the state’s proposal to “enhance” Arizona driver’s licenses with tiny computer chips that collect personal information, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today urged state lawmakers to protect Arizona residents from identity fraud and reject efforts to introduce new driver’s licenses with controversial radio frequency identification technology.

ACLU Says Mayor Gordon’s Immigration Scheme Will Erode Immigrants' Willingness to Cooperate With Police (12/12/2007)
PHOENIX – In a letter sent today to Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona urged the mayor to abandon plans to use local police to enforce complex immigration laws, saying the proposal is a sure-fire way to reduce immigrants' willingness to cooperate with authorities in the fight against crime.

Civil Rights Coalition Files New Lawsuit Challenging Arizona Employer Sanctions Law (12/12/2007)
PHOENIX – A coalition of civil rights groups filed a new lawsuit in a Phoenix federal court today charging that the so-called Legal Arizona Workers Act unlawfully requires businesses to participate in a flawed work authorization verification database, lacks due process protections, improperly threatens businesses with a “business death penalty” that interferes with federal law, and would lead to discrimination against workers who are perceived as being foreign born.

Civil Rights Coalition to Argue in Court Today that Arizona Employer Sanctions Law is Illegal (11/14/2007)
PHOENIX –Today in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, a coalition of civil rights groups argued that the so-called Legal Arizona Workers Act illegally punishes businesses by improperly requiring their participation in a flawed work authorization verification database and would lead to discrimination against workers who are perceived as being foreign born.

ACLU of Arizona Says Arrest of Newspaper Owners Stifles Freedom of Press, Violates Privacy Rights of Readers (10/19/2007)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today blasted the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for arresting two Phoenix New Times owners, saying the arrests appear to be retaliatory in nature and part of a dragnet effort to uncover confidential information about New Times readers.

ACLU of Arizona Mourns Passing of Former Executive Director Louis Rhodes (10/16/2007)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today expressed its deep sorrow over the death of former ACLU of Arizona Executive Director Louis Rhodes, who passed away Sunday, just three years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Rhodes was the ACLU of Arizona's longest serving executive director, a position he held from 1979 to 1996. He was 59.

ACLU of Arizona Wins Major Victory in Challenge to Law Criminalizing Sale of Anti-War Shirts (09/27/2007)
PHOENIX - In a victory for free speech, a federal judge today issued a preliminary injunction halting the enforcement of an Arizona law that makes it a crime to sell anti-war t-shirts in Arizona. The landmark decision in this closely-watched lawsuit held that the misguided law is a content-based restriction on political speech that violates the First Amendment.

ACLU Applauds Arizona Supreme Court's Refusal to Review Prison Abortion Policy (09/26/2007)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Arizona Supreme Court's refusal to review a lower court decision allowing prisoners to access timely, safe, and legal abortions. The court's action, announced late yesterday, ensures that women prisoners in Arizona will be able to obtain the medical care they need.

ACLU of Arizona Urges Senator Kyl to End Hold on FOIA Bill (08/02/2007)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today urged Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) to end his hold on bipartisan legislation designed to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the public's right to know. The OPEN Government Act (S. 849) would eliminate the backlog in FOIA requests and provide reasonable consequences on federal agencies that miss deadlines for complying with FOIA.

ACLU of Arizona Lawsuit Triggers Transfer of TB Patient to Denver Hospital (07/17/2007)
PHOENIX – After spending nearly one year in a Maricopa County jail ward despite never having committed any crime, tuberculosis patient Robert Daniels will be finally transferred on Thursday to the National Jewish Medical and Research Center to receive treatment for his tuberculosis infection, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona confirmed today.

ACLU Files Lawsuit to Restore Right to Vote for Former Felons in Arizona (05/31/2007)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona and the ACLU Voting Rights Project today filed a lawsuit seeking to restore the voting rights of Arizona citizens who have completed prison terms for felony convictions but are denied their civil rights because they owe money to the state or because they committed certain types of felonies.

ACLU of Arizona Sues County Officials Over Inhumane Confinement of TB Patient (05/31/2007)
PHOENIX, AZ – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today filed a lawsuit on behalf of Robert Daniels, a tuberculosis patient who has been held in the jail ward at the Maricopa Medical Center for the past nine months, charging that treating a severely ill patient like a criminal is inhumane and unconstitutional.

ACLU Announces Multi-State Action Calling on Government to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Federally Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula (05/09/2007)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. Eleven ACLU affiliates sent letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula in their states and asking HHS to take steps to remedy the situation.

U.N. Independent Expert on Rights of Migrants Begins Fact-Finding Mission in United States (04/30/2007)
SAN DIEGO - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the official fact-finding visit to the United States by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. The ACLU is among the select groups and individuals that will be meeting with the Special Rapporteur over the next three weeks to testify about the conditions of immigrants and migrants living in the United States.

ACLU of Arizona Urges Lake Havasu Council Members to Reject Proposed Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (02/27/2007)
PHOENIX - In a letter sent today to members of the Lake Havasu City Council, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona urged city officials to reject a proposal to impose a citywide, employee-eligibility verification system regarding the hiring of immigrants. According to the ACLU, the proposed ordinance violates the constitutional principle that local government cannot override federal law and will hurt the local economy by imposing financial burdens on local employers.

ACLU of Arizona Hires New Legal Director (02/06/2007)
PHOENIX, AZ - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today announced that it has hired Daniel Pochoda as its new Legal Director. Pochoda has extensive public interest litigation experience that includes race discrimination and voting rights cases beginning with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

ACLU Applauds Arizona Court Decision Allowing Women in Prison to Obtain Abortion Care (01/23/2007)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a decision by an Arizona court of appeals allowing women prisoners to obtain timely, safe, and legal abortions.

ACLU Asks Arizona Court to Uphold Decision Allowing Women in Prison to Obtain Abortion Care (11/28/2006)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked an Arizona court of appeals to uphold a lower court decision allowing women prisoners to obtain timely, safe, and legal abortions.

Federal Court Halts Arizona’s Harmful Voter ID Law (10/05/2006)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today announced today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order that will enjoin Arizona from implementing Proposition 200’s voter ID requirements in connection with the upcoming November 7 elections.

Court Approves Settlement of ACLU Lawsuit to End Racial Profiling on Arizona Highways (08/03/2006)
PHOENIX, AZ – U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence O. Anderson today approved a settlement agreement between the American Civil Liberties Union and the Arizona Department of Public Safety to prevent racial profiling by patrol officers along Arizona's highways and streets.

ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans’ Phone Calls (05/24/2006)
NEW YORK -- Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying.

ACLU Asks Court to Uphold Decision Allowing Inmates To Access Abortion Care (05/12/2006)
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union today asked an Arizona court of appeals to uphold a lower court decision allowing inmates access to timely, safe, and legal abortions.

ACLU of Arizona Urges Voters to Report Election Day Problems (03/10/2006)
PHOENIX -- Saying Tuesday’s county and city elections across the state will likely cause confusion at the polls, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today announced it is distributing bilingual fliers throughout the state informing voters about their rights on Election Day.

ACLU of Arizona Names New Executive Director (12/29/2005)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today announced the appointment of Alessandra Soler Meetze as its new Executive Director. Meetze, who brings nearly seven years of ACLU experience to Arizona, is the first Latina to head the Arizona civil liberties organization.

ACLU of Arizona Denounces Unlawful Imprisonment of Immigrant by Minuteman Volunteer (04/07/2005)
DOUGLAS, AZ -- The American Civil Liberties Union today condemned the actions of volunteers with a controversial citizen border patrol program known as the ""Minuteman Project"" for reportedly holding an individual against his will and photographing him holding a t-shirt with a mocking slogan.

ACLU of Arizona to Provide Legal Observers During Controversial "Minuteman" Border Watch Program (03/30/2005)
PHOENIX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, in its traditional role as a guardian of civil liberties, announced today that it will be providing legal observers throughout the month of April at the site of the Minuteman Project at the Arizona-Mexico Border.

In Landmark Racial Profiling Settlement, Arizona Law Enforcement Agents Agree to Major Reforms (02/02/2005)
PHOENIX-In response to a class action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and local attorneys, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has agreed to make sweeping reforms to prevent racial profiling by patrol officers along the state's highways and streets.

ACLU Asks Arizona School District to Reject Face-Recognition Checkpoints (12/17/2003)
PHOENIX -- The American Civil Liberties Union today asked state education officials and the Washington Elementary School District Board to reconsider a plan to install facial recognition-enabled video cameras at Royal Palm Middle School to identify sex offenders and missing children who visit the school.

ACLU Joins Lawsuit Over Conditions at Jail Run by Infamous Arizona Sheriff (12/04/2003)
PHOENIX -- The American Civil Liberties Union today joined an important litigation effort to defeat Sheriff Joe Arpaio's bid to terminate existing federal protections for pre-trial detainees housed in the Maricopa County Jail -- known internationally for the degrading chain gangs and other harsh policies introduced by its infamous sheriff.

ACLU Challenges Arizona Law That Censors Anti-Death Penalty Web Sites (09/18/2003)
PHOENIX-Acting on behalf of anti-death penalty and other advocacy groups, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in Arizona federal district court seeking to invalidate a state law that bans all information about Arizona prisoners from the global Internet.

Arizona Judge Strikes Down Law that Censored Anti-Death Penalty Web Sites (05/15/2003)
PHOENIX -- The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a federal judge's ruling permanently striking down a state law that punishes prisoners who post information about themselves on the Internet and denies organizations the right to post information about prisoners on their own web sites.

Tucson City Council Passes USA PATRIOT Protest Resolution As Arizona Senator Discounts Constituents Seeking Civil Liberties Protections (05/06/2003)
TUCSON - Over the written protests of U.S. Senator John Kyl, the Tucson City Council last night passed a resolution opposing provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. The American Civil Liberties Union, which has been supporting communities across the country seeking to protect civil liberties, said it was heartened that the efforts were not going unnoticed on Capitol Hill.

Judge Blocks Arizona Law that Censored Anti-Death Penalty Web Sites (12/16/2002)
PHOENIX - Citing fears of "irreparable harm" to the First Amendment, a federal judge today halted enforcement of an Arizona law that bars all information about state prisoners from the global Internet and bans communication between prisoners and organizations that may publish information about them on their web sites.

ACLU Challenges Arizona Law That Censors Anti-Death Penalty Web Sites (07/18/2002)
PHOENIX-Acting on behalf of anti-death penalty and other advocacy groups, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in Arizona federal district court seeking to invalidate a state law that bans all information about Arizona prisoners from the global Internet. 

ACLU Warns Arizona Officials on Law That Punishes Prisoners Whose Names Appear Online (06/11/2002)
PHOENIX, AZ--The American Civil Liberties Union today sent a letter to Arizona prison officials demanding suspension of a state law that bans prisoners from contacting groups or individuals who may post information about them online.

Release of 100th Innocent From Death Row Underscores Urgent Need for Moratorium, ACLU Says (04/09/2002)
WASHINGTON--The release of Ray Krone, who spent over two years on Arizona's death row for a crime he did not commit, should be a wake-up call for elected officials and state leaders all across this country.  

Arizona ACLU Warns Against "Character Cities" (09/02/1999)
GILBERT, AZ -- Gilbert Mayor Cynthia Dunham got another sermon this week from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona about separation of church and state, the Arizona Republic reported today.

Arizona Study Shows Drug Treatment Cuts Crime (04/21/1999)
PHOENIX, AZ -- Arizona's voter-approved program of sentencing nonviolent, first- and second-time drug offenders to treatment rather than prison reduces crime and saves tax money, according to a state Supreme Court study.