Press Releases

The American Civil Liberties Union has media staff available to handle inquiries from journalists on issues affecting civil liberties, including questions on legislative matters that touch on civil liberties and constitutional freedoms and inquiries related to ACLU lawsuits. Reporters with questions about ACLU work, please contact media@aclum.org.

May 18, 2021

Amazon extends its face recognition technology moratorium

The threats posed last year by police use of face recognition technology are identical today. We are glad that Amazon will extend its moratorium on law enforcement use of the company’s face recognition technology, but policymakers must do more to further protect communities from this technology.
Issue Areas: Privacy and Surveillance
May 13, 2021

Former Pioneer Valley resident Niberd Abdalla wins immigration case

An immigration judge granted a local man permanent legal status, marking the end of a four-year legal effort to stay in the United States with his wife.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights
May 13, 2021

Statement of ACLU of Massachusetts on Boston tear gas ordinance

Tear gas and rubber bullets are dangerous, indiscriminate, and intended to cause acute pain. Restricting their use is just one part of the much larger work that must continue in order to achieve public safety for us all.
Issue Areas: Police Accountability
May 11, 2021

Statement of ACLU of Massachusetts on proposed MBTA fare regulations

The MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board announced it will not move forward with a new policy that would have marked driver’s licenses for non-renewal when someone does not pay their MBTA fare. Too often, debt-based driver’s license suspensions perpetuate financial instability.
Issue Areas: Criminal Law Reform
May 06, 2021

Family continues to seeks justice for young woman denied medical care in state custody

A federal court denied two motions to dismiss claims in a lawsuit filed by the family of Madelyn Linsenmeir against the Springfield Police Department and Hampden County’s Sheriff Department, allowing the wrongful death suit to move forward.
Issue Areas: Police Accountability
Apr 29, 2021

Statement of ACLU of Massachusetts on President Biden’s first 100 days

Even as President Biden has taken swift and key executive actions in his first 100 days in office, the work ahead is significant—particularly on racial justice and immigration. Massachusetts policymakers cannot wait for the federal government to act on these issues.
Issue Areas: Government Transparency
Apr 28, 2021

ACLU calls on Biden administration to shut down MA ICE detention facility

Our immigration system locks up hundreds of thousands of immigrants unnecessarily every year, separating people from their loved ones and exposing detainees to inhumane conditions of confinement. The Biden administration was elected with a mandate to fix our broken immigration system.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights
Apr 23, 2021

ACLU and EFF ask Supreme Court to review case against warrantless searches of travelers’ devices

When border officers search travelers' phones and laptops, they can access massive amounts of sensitive personal information. We are asking the Supreme Court to ensure that we don’t lose our privacy rights when we travel.
Issue Areas: Privacy and Surveillance
Apr 20, 2021

ACLU statement on Derek Chauvin guilty verdict

While this verdict brings rare accountability for police, achieving this outcome for George Floyd is only one step in addressing police abuse of power, disparate treatment, and excessive force against Black and Brown communities.
Issue Areas: Racial Justice