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In The Media

Follow the links below to view ACLU of Utah press releases.

ACLU of Utah in the Media:

Prior Years: [2017] [2018]

April 2019

At county convention, Lt. Gov. Cox says Utah could lose Republican majority if conservatism isn’t better explained to younger voters
St. George News
(4/27/19)

Ogden camera network credited for cutting crime by 20%
KSL
(4/26/19)

Iowa's New Law Criminalizing Undercover Investigations of Farms Faces Legal Challenges
Pacific Standard
(4/23/19)

Utah Warrant Bill Raises Stakes For Cops' Digital Data Grabs
Law360
(4/23/19)

Lehi city vs. Lehi moms: A 'muddy area' of the first amendment
Carley Porter Daily Herald
(4/21/19)

‘Trib Talk’: Planned Parenthood of Utah fights a state abortion ban and a federal gag order
Salt Lake Tribune
(4/18/19)

Priced Out
City Weekly
(4/17/19)

Bearing Witness
City Weekly
(4/17/19)

Analysis: Is abortion a potent political issue in Utah?
Utah Policy
(4/17/19)

Utah Bans Police From Searching Digital Data Without A Warrant, Closes Fourth Amendment Loophole
Forbes
(4/16/19)

Utah’s first-of-its kind data privacy law
KCPW
(4/11/19)

Rod Arquette Show Daily Rundown - Thursday, April 11, 2019
KNRS
(4/11/19)

A Utah police department is thinking about getting rid of its body cameras. Residents — including the families of people shot by officers — are rallying against the idea.
Salt Lake Tribune
(4/10/19)

Tribune Editorial: Chalk drawings are not ‘criminal mischief
Salt Lake Tribune
(4/8/19)

Criminal mischief? Lehi police crack down on chalk art protest by children, moms concerned over gravel mine
Salt Lake Tribune
(4/4/19)

LDS Church reverses policy regarding children of LGBT parents, designation of LGBT marriage as apostasy
Ogden Standard Examiner
(4/4/19)

Crime is down in and around The Gateway mall in Salt Lake City — and officials are celebrating
Salt Lake Tribune
(4/2/19)

Salt Lake mall's owners report 'dramatic' crime drop, urge Utahns to come back
Deseret News
(4/2/19)

Recent ruling could impact way state polices Rio Grande
ABC4
(4/2/19)

March 2019

Society and the State: Life, Liberty, and Your Pursuit of Happiness
Society and the State
(3/30/19)

Utah DACA recipient speaks out about obstacles to dream job
KUTV
(3/30/19)

Guest opinion: Utah makes a surprising leader for electronic privacy
Deseret News
(3/29/19)

Utah faces an expensive legal battle over abortion ban, again
KUTV
(3/28/19)

ABORTIONS PAST 18 WEEKS ARE NOW BANNED IN UTAH
World Religion News
(3/28/19)

Two DREAMers Petition Utah Supreme Court To Practice Law
KUER
(3/27/19)

Should undocumented immigrants be allowed to practice law in Utah? The ACLU and others say yes
Salt Lake Tribune
(3/27/19)

The Good Samaritan Foundation: Help for Refugees in Utah
The Borgen Project
(3/27/19)

Police officers in Salt Lake City schools will be trained to arrest students less often
Salt Lake Tribune
(3/26/19)

Salt Lake schools, city sign contract clarifying roles of school resource officers on campuses
Deseret News
(3/26/19)

Opponents moving forward with efforts to block 18-week abortion ban
ABC4
(3/26/19)

Herbert Vetoes Special Election Bill, Signs 18-Week Abortion Ban, Tobacco Age Bump, Plus 100 More
KUER
(3/26/19)

Utah bans abortions after 18 weeks, teeing up legal showdown
Associated Press
(3/26/19)

Governor signs 18-week abortion bill into law; opponents vow lawsuit
KUTV
(3/25/19)

Utah’s governor signs bill banning abortions after 18 weeks
FOX13
(3/25/19)

Settlement talks under way in lawsuit over abuse of inmates at Daggett Co. Jail
FOX13
(3/25/19)

Herbert weighs signing strict abortion ban, says ACLU lawsuit not a factor
Associated Press
(3/15/19)

This Is the End, My Friend
City Weekly
(3/15/19)

Abortion Restrictions, Stronger Beer and Smoking Bills Pass
US News
(3/15/19)

Want to Know How Your Local Jail Operates? Sorry, That May Be a Trade Secret.
Mother Jones
(3/19)

Utah legislators back a plan to drop jail sentences for some crimes by one day to help immigrants avoid deportation
Salt Lake Tribune
(3/13/19)

Utah lawmakers tee up a court fight with passage of an 18-week abortion ban
Salt Lake Tribune
(3/13/19)

'It will cost the state millions': Lawsuit awaits Utah Legislature's 18-week abortion ban
KUTV
(3/13/19)

Bill to ban abortions after 18 weeks passes Utah Legislature
FOX13
(3/13/19)

Bill banning abortions after 18 weeks passing Utah Legislature
Deseret News
(3/13/19)

Arkansas, Utah lawmakers pass 18-week abortion bans
Associated Press
(3/13/19)

Utah legislature passes bill banning abortion after 18 weeks
ABC4
(3/13/19)

States Weigh Bans on Shackling Jailed Moms During Childbirth
US News
(3/13/19)

Electronic privacy bill clears crucial vote in the Senate
ABC4
(3/12/19)

ACLU of Utah talks top legislative priorities
ABC4
(3/10/19)

Legal Panelists Focus on Free Speech Rights at Bennion Service House Dialogue
Daily Chronicle
(3/7/19)

Scott D. Pierce: FOX 13 is No. 1. So is KUTV. It all depends on what you’re counting.
Salt Lake Tribune
(3/6/19)

Concerned about deaths, Utah Legislature ties jail funding to counties' disclosure of their policies
Ogden Standard Examiner
(3/2/19)

Tougher penalties for drug dealing near shelters clears Utah House, but with concerns
Deseret News
(3/2/19)

February 2019

Utah House Passes Bill to Hinder Federal Surveillance, Warrantless Access to Cloud Data
The Libertarian Republic
(2/28/19)

Utah House passes bill banning abortion after 18 weeks
FOX13
(2/26/19)

Bill to prevent abortions after fetal Down syndrome diagnosis headed to the Utah Senate
Salt Lake Tribune
(2/22/19)

SB103: Utah hate crimes bill passes committee unanimously
BYU Daily Universe
(2/21/19)

House Judiciary Committee Moves 18-Week Abortion Ban Ahead
KUER
(2/20/19)

Bill banning abortion in Utah after 18 weeks advances in the legislature
FOX13
(2/20/19)

Utah House committee OKs bill to ban abortions after 18 weeks
Deseret News
(2/20/19)

Abortion bill advances at State Capitol
ABC4
(2/20/19)

Utah Senate passes bill tightening state rules governing property seizures by police
Ogden Standard Examiner
(2/19/19)

Utah hate-crimes law to get hearing after years of gridlock
Cache Valley Daily
(2/19/19)

Republican Utah lawmakers abandon dueling bills on changing the gender on a person’s government documents
Salt Lake Tribune
(2/14/19)

Citizen Revolt: Feb. 14
City Weekly
(2/13/19)

Lawmaker who wants to ban change of gender on birth certificate amends his bill to allow change on driver license
Salt Lake Tribune
(2/13/19)

Proposal to ban warrantless digital searches wins committee approval
Deseret News
(2/12/19)

Gehrke: All of us may end up paying for San Juan County’s litigious streak
Salt Lake Tribune
(2/11/19)

Utah police feel 'slapped down' as civil asset forfeiture bill advances
Ogden Standard Examiner
(2/7/19)

Bill intended to clarify what Utah health educators can teach about contraception stalls in committee
Deseret News
(2/7/19)

Sponsor of bill on Down syndrome abortion ban says this year’s version sidesteps constitutional issues
Salt Lake Tribune
(2/6/19)

Rollin Cook, Lamont’s choice for prison chief, faces confirmation hearing Thursday
Hartford Courant
(2/6/19)

Tech set to get a boost in '19 legislative session but USTAR could go down in flames
Deseret News
(2/3/19)

Two young adults infiltrated an immigration detention center in Florida. This Sundance film shows what they found
Deseret News
(2/3/19)

Overhaul of Utah's public defender system ‘a huge benefit’ for Juab County
Deseret News
(2/2/19)

Utah Legislature seeks input on whether to promote digital and data privacy
KSL
(2/1/19)

January 2019

A Utah lawmaker is pushing a digital privacy bill that would bar warrantless searches of data uploaded to apps or cloud platforms
Salt Lake Tribune
(1/31/18)

Utah lawmaker driving licenses from wallets to cellphones
Deseret News
(1/31/18)

Utah Lawmakers Target Trans People With Birth Certificate Bill
Out
(1/29/18)

Utah lawmaker wants to erase transgender identities from birth certificate records
Think Progress
(1/28/18)

Is gender fact or choice? Controversial bill would prohibit gender changes on Utah birth certificates
St. George News
(1/25/18)

Gehrke: That birth certificate bill? It’s a punitive swipe at Utah’s transgender community and it must be rejected.
Salt Lake Tribune
(1/24/18)

‘A person’s sex is no more subject to change than a person’s age’: Utah lawmaker defends bill to block changes to birth certificates
Salt Lake Tribune
(1/23/18)

Radioactive: January 16, 2019
KRCL
(1/16/18)

Federal judge rules ACLU lawsuit over Daggett County Jail prisoner abuse can continue against state defendant
Southern Utah Independent
(1/15/18)

Judge won’t dismiss lawsuit over abuse of inmates at Daggett County Jail
FOX13
(1/11/18)

Mandatory death sentence for cop killers? Officials say no
ABC4
(1/9/18)

Police show evidence of progress in Rio Grande, but criticism persists
KUTV
(1/7/18)

"Operation Rio Grande" arrests announced: ACLU looks behind numbers for the real story
ABC4
(1/7/18)

Utah’s state constitution bans slavery — mostly. And Rep. Sandra Hollins says mostly isn’t good enough.
Salt Lake Tribune
(1/6/18)

Incoming San Juan County commissioner’s Utah residency questioned again in lawsuit filed by unsuccessful Republican opponent
Salt Lake Tribune
(1/4/18)

ACLU Scholarship Offers Financial Aid For College To Utah Youth Activists

09 October 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU Scholarship Offers Financial Aid For College To Utah Youth Activists For Immediate Release October 9, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The ACLU of Utah’s Youth Activist Scholarship Program, now in its sixth year, recognizes Utah high school seniors who are passionate about civil liberties, and have taken a stand to show it. Three winners, selected by a committee of educators and community leaders, are each awarded a $1000 scholarship to be used toward their first year of college. Past scholarship recipients have come from many parts of Utah including Logan, Ogden, Provo, St. George, Orem, Moab, and Salt Lake City. They have positively impacted their communities by advocating for: racial justice; immigrants' rights; equal treatment for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students; increased reproductive health education; women's rights; and free speech and expression. “Every year we look forward to reviewing the scholarship applications from graduating senior high school students,” says Anna Brower, Development Director at the ACLU of Utah. “It is an inspiring experience to learn more about the outstanding Utah high school youth who advocate for civil liberties in their schools and communities.” The winners of the 2011-2012 ACLU of Utah Youth Activist Scholarship…

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Press Releases

ACLU Scholarship Offers Financial Aid For College To Utah Youth Activists

08 October 2012 Published in Newsroom

MR_Scholarship_10-04-12.pdf For Immediate Release October 9, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The ACLU of Utah’s Youth Activist Scholarship Program, now in its sixth year, recognizes Utah high school seniors who are passionate about civil liberties, and have taken a stand to show it. Three winners, selected by a committee of educators and community leaders, are each awarded a $1000 scholarship to be used toward their first year of college. Past scholarship recipients have come from many parts of Utah including Logan, Ogden, Provo, St. George, Orem, Moab, and Salt Lake City. They have positively impacted their communities by advocating for: racial justice; immigrants' rights; equal treatment for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students; increased reproductive health education; women's rights; and free speech and expression. “Every year we look forward to reviewing the scholarship applications from graduating senior high school students,” says Anna Brower, Development Director at the ACLU of Utah. “It is an inspiring experience to learn more about the outstanding Utah high school youth who advocate for civil liberties in their schools and communities.” The winners of the 2011-2012 ACLU of Utah Youth Activist Scholarship awards certainly exemplify this commitment to and passion for civil liberties.…

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Utah Supreme Court Grants Hearing on “Gang Injunction”

30 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

The ACLU of Utah, along with cooperating attorneys from the Salt Lake City law firm Parr, Brown, Gee & Loveless, will be appearing before the Utah Supreme Court on October 25th for a hearing on whether a controversial injunction issued in Weber County should be subject to immediate appeal in the state’s highest court. On August 20th, Weber County attorneys filed a complaint with the Second District Court in Ogden, asking the court to declare the “Ogden Trece” a public nuisance and impose a multi-faceted injunction regulating the activities of Ogden residents identified by the police as alleged members of the Ogden Trece The Ogden Trece has been described in various court filings and newspaper articles as a “criminal street gang” consisting of several hundred members and operating largely within the Ogden City limits. “Law enforcement certainly has an interest in stopping organized crime,” states ACLU of Utah Legal Director Darcy Goddard. “But there is no evidence here or elsewhere that so-called ‘gang injunctions’ are actually effective long-term. Nonetheless, in exchange for the County’s tenuous and unsupported promise of the possibility of ‘reduced crime,’ this injunction criminalizes a wide range of otherwise legal and constitutionally-protected activity, for literally hundreds of people,…

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Brigham City Suspends Enforcement of Free Speech Ordinance: Free Speech For All Returns to Brigham City

13 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

As of yesterday evening, representatives of the Main Street Church have been peacefully handing out their literature on the public sidewalks surrounding the LDS Temple. The Main Street Church agreed to limit the number of its representatives to four on each side of the street. This agreement does not suspend the lawsuit filed against Brigham City. Main Street Church and the ACLU of Utah have not conceded that any past enforcement of the ordinance was constitutional. They also continue to contend that the ordinance is unconstitutional on its face and that it should be completely struck down by the court.

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Free Speech for All Returns to Brigham City

13 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

Brigham City Suspends Enforcement of Free Speech Ordinance: Free Speech For All Returns to Brigham City FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY— As of 6:30 p.m. today, Brigham City, Utah has agreed not to enforce its “Free Speech Zone Ordinance” that was challenged in federal court just two days ago by the ACLU of Utah, on behalf of Main Street Church of Brigham City. Since 6:30 p.m. today, representatives of the Main Street Church have been peacefully handing out their literature on the public sidewalks surrounding the LDS Temple. The Main Street Church agreed to limit the number of its representatives to four on each side of the street. This agreement does not suspend the lawsuit filed against Brigham City. Main Street Church and the ACLU of Utah have not conceded that any past enforcement of the ordinance was constitutional. They also continue to contend that the ordinance is unconstitutional on its face and that it should be completely struck down by the court. “We are thrilled that our clients are no longer being banned from public sidewalks merely because they would like to express their views,…

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ACLU of Utah Appeals Ogden's "Gang Injunction" To Utah Supreme Court And Requests Immediate Stay

12 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

The ACLU of Utah, together with cooperating attorneys David Reymann of Parr Brown Gee & Loveless and Randy Richards of Allen, Richards & Pace, today filed a Notice of Appeal in the Second Judicial District Court for Weber County appealing the court’s so-called “gang injunction” to the Utah Supreme Court. The ACLU of Utah also requested that the district court suspend the enforcement of the injunction while the appeal is pending.

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ACLU of Utah Files Complaint Challenging Brigham City's Unconstitutional "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance

11 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU of Utah Files Complaint Challenging Brigham City's Unconstitutional "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance For Immediate Release September 11, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY— Today, the ACLU of Utah filed a complaint on behalf of the Main Street Church of Brigham City challenging Brigham City’s “Free Speech Zone” Ordinance. The suit alleges that on its face, the ordinance violates the Utah and United States Constitutions because it requires a permit for almost any conceivable form of public expression and imposes civil and criminal penalties for failing to comply. This ordinance could subject many unsuspecting people in Brigham City to liability for engaging in activities protected by the First Amendment. Because Brigham City is actively barring Main Street Church from two public sidewalks in the city, Main Street Church has also moved for a temporary restraining order to immediately prohibit Brigham City from continuing to restrict Main Street Church’s First Amendment rights to assembly, free speech, and free exercise of religion in a traditional public forum. The ACLU of Utah believes that Brigham City’s “Free Speech Zone” Ordinance turns the entire city into a place where free speech, free assembly and free exercise of religion are prohibited until people are granted a…

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The ACLU of Utah Commemorates the Life of Brian Barnard

04 September 2012 Published in Newsroom

The ACLU of Utah Commemorates the Life of Brian Barnard For Immediate Release: September 4, 2012 Brian’s death is a huge loss to the community. Whenever anyone thinks of a civil rights lawyer in Utah, they think of Brian Barnard. He has stood up for the rights of the marginalized and vulnerable for decades and has been instrumental in moving civil rights forward. Brian worked with the ACLU since the mid-1970s. He has partnered with the ACLU of Utah for nearly 40 years as a cooperating attorney on all manner of civil liberties cases. Brian had a wicked sense of humor, a passion for individual rights, and an unwavering commitment to the protection of the people on the fringes of society whose rights were most frequently under attack. One of his very first Free Speech cases with the ACLU of Utah came in 1975, when he defended a theater owner who showed the film "Deep Throat," and in so doing attacked a vague and overly broad obscenity ordinance that stifled free expression. Brian also worked on ACLU cases related to law enforcement excessive force, jail overcrowding and lack of mental health facilities, school-sanctioned prayer, the rights of protestors and…

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ACLU of Utah Helps Launch Free Deferred Action Workshops for Childhood Arrivals

04 August 2012 Published in Newsroom

The Utah Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), in collaboration with other public interest groups, is sponsoring a series of free workshops throughout Utah to help those eligible for relief from deportation under the recently announced deferred action program. Supporting partners include the ACLU of Utah, Catholic Community Services, Holy Cross Ministries, the Mexican Consulate, SLC Dream Team and Mestizo Arts and Activism.

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ACLU Seeks Details On Automatic License Plate Readers In Massive Nationwide Request

30 July 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU Seeks Details On Automatic License Plate Readers In Massive Nationwide Request FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2012 INFORMATION SOUGHT ON HOW CAMERAS ARE USED BY POLICE AGENCIES AND HOW DATA IS STORED SALT LAKE CITY –American Civil Liberties Union affiliates in 35 states, including Utah, sent requests today to local police departments and state agencies that demand information on how they use automatic license plate readers (ALPR) to track and record Americans’ movements. In addition, the ACLU’s national office filed federal Freedom of Information Act requests with the departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Transportation to learn how the federal government funds ALPR expansion nationwide and uses the technology itself. ALPRs are cameras mounted on patrol cars or on stationary objects along roads – such as telephone poles or the underside of bridges –that snap a photograph of every license plate that enters their fields of view. Typically, each photo is time, date, and GPS-stamped, stored, and sent to a database, which provides an alert to a patrol officer whenever a match or “hit” appears. ALPRs are spreading rapidly around the country, but the public has little information about how they are used to track motorists’ movements, including…

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ACLU of Utah Files Amicus Brief In Utah Supreme Court Arguing That Ban On Electronic Signatures In the Initiative Process Is Unconstitutional

19 July 2012 Published in Newsroom

Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, along with cooperating attorneys David C. Reymann and Chad R. Derum, filed an amicus curiae brief to the Utah Supreme Court in the case of Utahns for Ethical Government v. Clerks for All Counties in the State of Utah. In its brief, the ACLU of Utah argued that a ban on counting electronic signatures in the initiative process violates the Utah Constitution.

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ACLU of Utah Reaches Out To Davis School District To Discuss Constitutional Requirements

12 June 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU of Utah Reaches Out To Davis School District To Discuss Constitutional Requirements FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 12, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY— Today the ACLU of Utah sent a letter to Superintendent Bryan Bowles of the Davis School District to request a meeting to discuss the constitutional implications of the district’s recent removal of the book “Our Mothers’ House,” by Patricia Polacco, from the shelves of a school in the district. “Federal courts have consistently concluded that the First Amendment protects student access to books in their school libraries, free from limits based on the administration’s disagreement with the viewpoints expressed in the books,” said John Mejia, Legal Director of the ACLU of Utah. “From what we know of the district’s removal of the book, we have serious concerns that the district may have fallen short of these protections.” In the letter, the ACLU of Utah pointed to several cases in which courts have ruled that the First Amendment prevents schools from limiting student access to library materials containing portrayals of LGBTQ people and noted that this situation is factually similar to those cases. The letter further casts doubt on whether the removal of the book is justified by…

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ACLU Of Utah Seeks Information On Utah Police Agencies' License Plate Data Collection

25 May 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU Of Utah Seeks Information On Utah Police Agencies' License Plate Data Collection FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 25, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY— Today, on the eve of one of the busiest driving weekends of the year, the ACLU of Utah sent GRAMA requests to the Utah Highway Patrol, the Ogden City Police Department, and the Iron County Sheriff's Office seeking information about their use of automated license plate recognition ("ALPR") technology. During this year's interim session of the Utah Legislature, the Beaver County Sheriff sought authorization for the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to use ALPR technology on certain parts of I-15. According to the sheriff, the DEA intends to capture and record the license plate of every vehicle passing along those stretches of I-15 and to store that information for two years. At the hearing on this request, it was revealed that the UHP, Ogden, and Iron County appear to already be using ALPR technology. Using such technology raises concerns about how captured license plate information is being used, protected and stored. Past experience shows that the purposes for which police use data tend to expand over time, and many such uses raise significant threats to our privacy. “We…

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Utah Federal Court Protects Free Speech By Restricting Internet Law

17 May 2012 Published in Newsroom

Utah Federal Court Protects Free Speech By Restricting Internet Law FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY — People cannot be prosecuted for posting content constitutionally protected for adults on generally-accessible websites, and are not required by law to label such content that they do post, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson held yesterday. Judge Benson’s order was issued in a lawsuit challenging a Utah law that threatened the free speech rights of online content providers and Internet users. Plaintiffs included a Utah artist; trade associations representing booksellers, publishers, graphic and comic books, and librarians; and the ACLU of Utah.

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ACLU “Mobile Rights Team” Cross-Country Tour Stops at the Latino Mall in West Valley City

07 May 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU “Mobile Rights Team” cross-country tour stops at the Latino Mall in West Valley City PRESS ADVISORY May 7, 2012 When: May 12, 2012, 3:00 – 5:00 PM Where: Latino Mall, 2470 South Redwood Road, West Valley City, UT 84119 What: “Estamos Unidos” (We Are United) is a national campaign headed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against anti-immigrant laws and federal programs that involve local police and sheriffs in immigration law enforcement. We come together to protest discrimination and defend our rights even as the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing arguments on Arizona’s discriminatory, anti-immigrant law, SB 1070. The Court heard arguments on April 25, and its decision, expected by June 2012, will have an impact on laws in states like Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Utah and Indiana. The ACLU Mobile Rights Team tour launched “Estamos Unidos” on Saturday April 21 in San Francisco and will be returning to California May 14 and stay through the end of May, with workshops and rallies along the way led by ACLU and immigrant rights partners. The team will cover over 5,000 miles as it travels through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana,…

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ACLU Attorneys React to Argument at Supreme Court on Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law

25 April 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU Attorneys React to Argument at Supreme Court on Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law Arizona’s SB 1070 and Other Anti-Immigrant Laws Encourage Racial Profiling FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. WASHINGTON – Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project who attended this morning’s arguments at the Supreme Court stressed the need to stop SB 1070-type laws because they encourage racial profiling, harm public safety and lead to civil rights abuses. “The justices heard compelling arguments for why they should strike down a law that lays waste to some of our most cherished American values – freedom from unnecessary police intrusion and equality for all people, regardless of how they look or sound,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU. “Misguided laws like this one that encourage racial profiling, compromise the safety of our communities and put everyone’s fundamental civil rights at great risk should not be allowed to remain on the books.” Cecillia Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, said: “The Supreme Court heard strong arguments today for rejecting Arizona's radical attempt to turn local police into immigration agents. SB 1070 flies in the face of Congress's decision to put immigration enforcement in…

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ACLU of Utah Event to Highlight Voter Suppression

25 April 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU of Utah Event to Highlight Voter Suppression MEDIA ADVISORY April 25, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Next week, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah will host its 2012 Bill of Rights Celebration, featuring special guest and keynote speaker Spencer Overton of George Washington University Law School. The event will take place on Wednesday, May 2, at the Rail Event Center (235 N. 500 W) in Salt Lake City, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. All proceeds will benefit the ACLU of Utah Foundation. The theme of this year’s Celebration is “Power of the People.” As keynote speaker, Mr. Overton will address several obstacles to participatory democracy in this election year, including all manner of voter suppression tactics and manipulations of the voting process. Mr. Overton is the author of STEALING DEMOCRACY: The New Politics of Voter Suppression, which has received renewed interested in light of the 2012 presidential election. Mr. Overton has been a nationally-prominent voting rights expert and advocate for several years; he served on the Jimmy Carter – James Baker Commission of Federal Election Refund, in the wake of the 2000 presidential election and subsequent Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore. “Since its inception,…

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Utah High School Seniors Honored For Their Social Justice and Equality Activism

13 April 2012 Published in Newsroom

Utah High School Seniors Honored For Their Social Justice and Equality Activism FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2012 ACLU of Utah 2012 Youth Activist Scholarship Recipients Announced The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has selected three high school seniors in Utah to receive the organization’s 2012 Youth Activist Scholarship. The recipients will each receive a $1,000 scholarship, in recognition of their commitment to civil liberties through activism. The winners will be honored at the ACLU of Utah’s 2012 Bill of Rights Celebration on May 2, 2012. Since 2007, the ACLU of Utah has recognized high school seniors across Utah for their work protecting and expanding civil liberties in their schools and communities. The students are selected based not only on their activism, but also their academic excellence, leadership and tenacity in overcoming personal hardship. The winners of the 2012 Youth Activist Scholarships include: a transgender student of color who has transformed his personal challenges into inspiration for others; a young Latino immigrant fighting for racial justice and immigrant rights; and a self-proclaimed music activist seeking equal treatment and protection for LGBTQ youth. Gabriel Glissmeyer is a student at Hillcrest High School in Midvale. As a student of color…

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ACLU Of Utah Seeks To Enjoin Statute Regulating Internet Speech

12 April 2012 Published in Newsroom

ACLU Of Utah Seeks To Enjoin Statute Regulating Internet Speech FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2012 SALT LAKE CITY— Today, the ACLU of Utah as a plaintiff along with a coalition of booksellers, media companies, and artists, will argue a set of critical motions in the case of Florence v. Shurtleff, No. 05-CV-485 (United States District Court, District of Utah). In its motion, the ACLU of Utah seeks a ruling from the federal district court that a Utah statute restricting speech on the Internet is unconstitutional. Utah’s law seeks to regulate all Internet speech that may be considered “harmful to minors.” The law goes beyond constitutional limits, however, because it would result in restrictions on visual art, photography, graphic novels, and information about sexual health and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. For their part, the Utah Attorney General and the County Attorneys defending the law have made motions seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, or for a judgment that the law is constitutional. They contend that certain changes to the law since 2005 have solved the statute’s constitutional problems and that, in any event, plaintiffs have no standing to sue anymore. Since August 2006, a preliminary…

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Court Asked To Stop State From Enforcing Utah Law Regulating Internet Speech

11 April 2012 Published in Newsroom

The ACLU of Utah as a plaintiff along with a coalition of booksellers, media companies, and artists, asked the federal district court to declare that a Utah statute restricting speech on the internet is unconstitutional. Utah’s law seeks to regulate all internet speech that may be considered “harmful to minors.” The law goes beyond constitutional limits, however, because it would result in restrictions on visual art, photography, graphic novels, and information about sexual health and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth.

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