Press Releases

ACLU of Virginia secures release of man held for months without being charged with a single immigration violation

"Although we’re relieved that our client is finally free, he should never have been illegally imprisoned in the first place,” said Sophia Gregg, Immigrants’ Rights Attorney for the ACLU of Virginia.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights

Youngkin administration still needs to restore illegally-purged voters

“Virginia governors have historically restored Virginians’ voting rights – not removed them," said ACLU-VA Executive Director Mary Bauer. “No administration should get to pick and choose who gets to vote, and that includes this one." 

Supreme Court of Virginia rules that people with mixed sentences are ineligible for enhanced sentence credits

The Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed the VADOC's interpretation of budget language that restricted eligibility for expanded earned sentence credits. Our cases on inchoate offenses remain pending.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

ACLU of Virginia files two new cases calling for VADOC to release people who have earned sentence credits

Today the ACLU of Virginia filed two new cases challenging the Virginia Department of Corrections’ (VADOC) refusal to award expanded sentence credits to people with certain convictions, unlawfully extending their incarceration. 
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

Youngkin administration’s disenfranchisement of thousands of Virginians is both unprecedented and unconstitutional

The Virginia Department of Elections released its Annual List Maintenance Report last week detailing the cancellation of the voting rights of 17,368 Virginians convicted of a new felony after their voting rights had been restored.

Budget establishing oversight of Virginia Department of Corrections is long overdue

"Neither the public, the media, nor even elected officials really know what goes on behind prison walls. That’s why lawmakers’ first step towards creating meaningful oversight of VADOC is so significant," said ACLU of Virginia Policy and Advocacy Strategist Shawn Weneta.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal Reform

AG Miyares’ non-binding opinion on VDOE model policies misinterprets but does not change the law

In response to Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares’ opinion on the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) model policies for the treatment of transgender and nonbinary students, ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Eden Heilman issued the following statement: 
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ Rights

Spotsylvania school board first to pass discriminatory VDOE policies for trans and nonbinary students

Spotsylvania County School Board became the first school board in the Commonwealth to enact the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)’s 2023 model policies for the treatment of transgender and nonbinary students.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ Rights

ICE is unlawfully detaining non-citizens who already won their immigration cases

Today the ACLU of Virginia, Capital Area Immigrants' Rights (CAIR) Coalition, and the National Immigration Project sued ICE on behalf of three men whom ICE is still detaining months after they won their immigration cases.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights