The ACLU of Virginia joined NAKASEC Virginia to send a letter Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring urging public responses to the increasing incidents of harassment, discrimination, and attacks on Asians in America amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virginia COVID-19 Justice Coalition describes actions from the governor & General Assembly as inadequate.

The ACLU of Virginia is taking legal actions against the Commonwealth of Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam, and state and local officials to ensure they are using their full authority to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, jails and correctional facilities and prevent more illnesses and deaths.

The ACLU and 12 ACLU state affiliates sent letters to state officials and state departments of health across the country urging them to collect and release aggregate race, ethnicity and other demographic data of COVID-19 testing, infections and deaths, to the extent consistent with privacy laws.

We are glad that the governor is trying to mitigate the discriminatory effects of this legislation but disappointed that he didn't simply recommend amendments that would have made regular driver's licenses available to all residents of Virginia without discrimination.

The ACLU of Virginia provided a series of recommendations earlier this week to Gov. Ralph Northam on how to alleviate the negative impact COVID-19 will have on the ability of Virginians to participate in upcoming elections.