News and Commentary

As the leading civil rights organization in the Lone Star State, we at the ACLU of Texas believe it is our duty to keep the public informed about the state of their civil liberties. The work we do at the legislature, in the courts, and in our communities is important, but there is no better defender of civil rights than a public that is informed and engaged.

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Jun 6, 2014

"Guantánamo North" – NDAA Indefinite Detention Coming Soon to a Town Near You?

Top senators thought you wouldn't notice. Behind closed doors, they wrote up new indefinite detention and Guantánamo provisions in the annual defense policy bill, and then waited 11 days to quietly file...

By By Chris Anders, Senior Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office

Jun 5, 2014

Orange Is the New Black Is Filmed at a Real Jail Flooded with Sewage

Spoiler alert: This post is going to be disgusting.

Like the rest of you, we're incredibly excited to binge watch the second season of "Orange Is the New Black" this...

By By Ujala Sehgal, Deputy Communications Director, New York Civil Liberties Union

Spoiler alert: This post is going to be disgusting.

Like the rest of you, we're incredibly excited to binge watch the second season of "Orange Is the New Black" this...

By By Ujala Sehgal, Deputy Communications Director, New York Civil Liberties Union

Jun 4, 2014

A Message From Edward Snowden, One Year Later

Below is an email ACLU supporters received from Edward Snowden this morning, one year to the day since The Guardian broke ...

By By Edward Snowden

Below is an email ACLU supporters received from Edward Snowden this morning, one year to the day since The Guardian broke ...

By By Edward Snowden

Jun 4, 2014

Relative of Americans Killed by Drone Strikes: No Justice in U.S. Courts

Having lost faith in the ability of U.S. courts to provide justice and accountability for their relatives' deaths, the family members of three U.S. citizens killed by drone strikes in Yemen in 2011 have...

By Hina Shamsi

Jun 3, 2014

VICTORY: Judge Releases Information about Police Use of Stingray Cell Phone Trackers

A Florida judge has sided with the ACLU to order release of information about police use of “stingrays,” which are invasive surveillance devices that send out powerful signals to trick cell phones into...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project

Jun 3, 2014

U.S. Marshals Seize Local Cops’ Cell Phone Tracking Files in Extraordinary Attempt to Keep Information From Public

A run-of-the-mill public records request about cell phone surveillance submitted to a local police department in Florida has unearthed blatant violations of open government laws, including an incredible...

By By Nathan Freed Wessler, Staff Attorney, ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project