Press Releases

Dozens of immigrants join first-of-its-kind class action lawsuit

“Today’s order isn’t just the first lawsuit of its kind to ever be filed in the Fourth Circuit: it’s a first step towards getting justice for the dozens of people whom ICE has harmed here in Virginia," said ACLU of Virginia Staff Attorney Sophia Gregg.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

Virginia universities and public officials must protect, not suppress, student free speech

“Universities are charged with creating environments that encourage students to exercise their First Amendment rights – not ones that have license to violate students’ civil rights and civil liberties,” said ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer.
Issue Areas: First Amendment Rights

Supreme Court of Virginia ruling indicates Virginia Department of Corrections is unlawfully imprisoning potentially hundreds of people for too long

"VDOC and the Attorney General are supposed to uphold and apply the law as written, but instead, they manufactured their own interpretation of it and hoped no one would notice,” said ACLU of Virginia Senior Supervising Attorney Vishal Agraharkar.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

Lawmakers did the right thing by refusing to accept Gov. Youngkin’s attempt to undermine the right to contraception

“After the fall of Roe v. Wade, it’s become clear that extremists won’t stop at abortion, but are after all reproductive health care – including contraception,” said ACLU of Virginia Legislative and Policy Counsel Breanna Diaz. 
Issue Areas: Reproductive Rights

Gov. Youngkin's concerns about public safety are disingenuous

“If Governor Youngkin – or the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association – were serious about public safety, he wouldn’t make it harder for people to come forward when they need help," said ACLU of Virginia Policy Director Chris Kaiser.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

Federal judge greenlights lawsuit challenging Virginia’s permanent felony disenfranchisement law

“Virginia may no longer be a Confederate state, but the provision of our constitution that was specifically put in place to suppress the voting rights of Black citizens after the Civil War is still oppressing Virginians today," said ACLU of Virginia Senior Supervising Attorney Vishal Agraharkar.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
Court Cases: King v. Youngkin

ACLU of Virginia files first-of-its-kind immigration lawsuit

"Immigrant survivors of crime have rights,” said ACLU-VA Immigrants’ Rights Attorney Sophia Gregg. “Virginia law is very clear: police departments can’t arbitrarily refuse to issue U visa certifications any more than they could refuse to investigate the crimes that make people eligible for them."
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

FAMM and ACLU of Virginia release joint statement on passage of independent prison oversight

"We applaud the legislature for their bipartisan support of independent prison oversight, and encourage Governor Youngkin to sign this important legislation into law,” said ACLU of Virginia's Policy and Advocacy Strategist Shawn Weneta.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

ACLU of Virginia files suit against Virginia Department of Education on behalf of two transgender students

“VDOE’s 2023 model policies harm the very students they’re supposed to protect. They have already resulted in discrimination that violates state and federal law,” said ACLU of Virginia Senior Transgender Rights Attorney Wyatt Rolla.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ Rights