One Year After President Trump Deployed National Guard Troops to Washington, D.C., Statehood is More Important Than Ever

Hundreds of thousands of Washington residents oppose the Trump administration’s continued deployment of the National Guard. The only way to make sure this never happens again is to make D.C. a state

By Monica Hopkins

A person holds a white sign with bold red text and a red border reading "Statehood for the People of DC Now!" against a bright blue sky, with two blurred people in the foreground.

Trump Administration to Federal Workers: Shut Your Mouths

A rule being proposed by the Office of Personnel Management, if adopted by federal agencies, would require federal civil service workers to sign a nondisclosure agreement prohibiting them from talking without prior approval from their agency.

By Arthur B. Spitzer

Collage image with an American flag, OPM logo, and a federal officer with tape over its mouth.

Trump Administration Playbook Takes Tactics from Lavender Scare of the Cold War

A McCarthy-era effort to report LGBTQ people to the government, classify queerness as a mental disorder, and overall push queer people from public life is taking similar shape today.

Black-and-white photo of an LGBTQ rights picket on a tree-lined sidewalk beside a tall iron fence (near the White House). Protesters—mostly in suits and dresses—carry hand-lettered signs including “FIFTEEN MILLION U.S. HOMOSEXUALS PROTEST FEDERAL TREATMENT,” “FIRST-CLASS CITIZENSHIP FOR HOMOSEXUALS,” and “SEXUAL PREFERENCE IS IRRELEVANT TO EMPLOYMENT.” A uniformed police officer stands with hands on hips facing the group, while an ABC TV reporter in a suit holds a microphone at the curb; pedestrians walk past in the background.

What to Know and Do About Abortion Access in D.C.

Recent cases before the Supreme Court have endangered access to safe abortions all across the country. Here’s what you need to know about abortion in D.C., and what you can do to ensure that every person in D.C. can get a safe abortion when they need it.

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How the ACLU Won the Largest Mass Acquittal in American History

In May 1971, the Nixon administration cracked down unconstitutionally on a massive anti-Vietnam War protest with the largest mass arrests in U.S. history, but it was soon repudiated by the quick response of the ACLU of D.C.

Collage of historical photos (including a large group of protestors near the Washington Monument) and the cover of a report that reads "May Day 1971, Order Without Law"

How and Why to Testify at D.C. Council Hearings

Want to build a more just and free D.C? Testifying at a D.C. Council hearing is a great first step to take.

D.C. Council Testimony

D.C. Home Rule: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters

Can President Trump take over D.C.? What is D.C. home rule? How does it work? And why does it matter? Here are some answers to these pressing questions.

DC Home Rule

65 Years (and Counting) of Defending Civil Rights and Liberties in the Nation’s Capital

Since our founding by a group of volunteer lawyers in 1961, the ACLU of D.C. has been steadfast in defending fundamental rights and liberties in our nation’s capital.

collage of historical figures throughout aCLU-DC history include the Loving family, Dr. Martin Luther king and a clients from various cases

What Trump’s Immigration Policies Mean for Families Across the DMV

Since the start of President Trump’s second term, immigrant communities across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia have been living with an immigration agenda once again defined by fear, intimidation, and aggressive federal enforcement. While these policies are often most visible in Washington, D.C., their consequences do not stop at the District line.

Immigrants are welcome here