Immigrants' Rights

Upholding the rights of the politically disenfranchised is vital; when the government has the power to deny legal rights and due process to one group of people, it puts all of our rights in danger. The ACLU is one of the nation's leading advocates for the rights of immigrants, refugees, and non-citizens by challenging unconstitutional laws and practices and countering the myths upon which many anti-immigrant laws are based.

Immigrants' Rights.

Upholding the rights of the politically disenfranchised is vital; when the government has the power to deny legal rights and due process to one group of people, it puts all of our rights in danger. The ACLU is one of the nation's leading advocates for the rights of immigrants, refugees, and non-citizens by challenging unconstitutional laws and practices and countering the myths upon which many anti-immigrant laws are based.

The Latest

Resource
A collage showcasing an immigrants are welcome here sign with the statue of liberty, a District of Columbia flag in orange duotone, and an image of the supreme court.

Immigrants' Rights and Resources Hub

Regardless of your immigration status, you have guaranteed rights.
Know Your Rights
A black‑and‑white photo of a protest crowd holding a sign that reads “America would be nothing without immigrants,” overlaid with an orange geometric shape and a stylized illustration of two hands reaching toward each other.

Connaissez vos droits lorsque vous êtes en contact avec l'ICE dans la région du DMV

Mais vos droits ne changent PAS lorsque vous franchissez ces frontières.
Know Your Rights
A black‑and‑white photo of a protest crowd holding a sign that reads “America would be nothing without immigrants,” overlaid with an orange geometric shape and a stylized illustration of two hands reaching toward each other.

በDMV ውስጥ ከ ICE ጋር ግንኙነት ሲያደርጉ መብቶችዎን ይወቁ

ነገር ግን እነዚህን ድንበሮች ሲያቋርጡ መብቶችዎ አይለወጡም።
Know Your Rights
A black‑and‑white photo of a protest crowd holding a sign that reads “America would be nothing without immigrants,” overlaid with an orange geometric shape and a stylized illustration of two hands reaching toward each other.

了解在DMV与ICE接触时的权利

但您的权利并不因穿越边界而改变。

Cases, Campaigns & Legislation

Legislation
Apr 29, 2026

FY27 MPD Budget

Among other things, ACLU-D.C. urges the Council to put pressure on MPD to implement all recommendations from the Office of the D.C. Auditor (Auditor) and Office of Police Complaints (OPC); pass legislation prohibiting all District government entities, including all entities designated as law enforcement, from collaborating with any federal agency for the purpose of carrying out immigration enforcement; and taking a more compassionate approach to concerns about youth misbehavior, by investing in proven crime prevention strategies, rather than punitive ones, like the youth curfew.
Position: Oversight Testimony
Legislation
Feb 25, 2026

MPD 2026 Performance Oversight

The current occupation of D.C. and overzealous policing we are witnessing from federal law enforcement agencies alongside officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD, the Department) are not new for some communities. Black, immigrant, and other marginalized people, who have long been over policed and used as scapegoats for policy failures or political fodder, have always been the canaries in the coal mine. And they have also been at the forefront of movements fighting to make this society one that truly protects and keeps all of us safe.
Status: Performance Oversight
Position: Oversight Testimony
Legislation
Oct 1, 2020

ACLU-DC Testimony Before the DC Council Committee on the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act

The ACLU-DC testified in strong support of the bill, which limits the District’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement by prohibiting cooperation between District government agencies and federal immigration authorities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Status: Introduced
Position: Support
Legislation
Feb 19, 2016

Bill 21-0422, the “UDC DREAM Amendment Act of 2015”

The ACLU supports the UDC DREAM Amendment Act of 2015, as a matter of fairness for all those high-achieving students who graduated from District high schools and successfully gained admission to the University of the District of Columbia, often against remarkable odds.
Position: Support