News & Commentary

Mar 13, 2026

I'm a Texas student. Censorship threatens my education.

When I received my letter of admission, I believed I was joining a university committed to free speech and student activism. But by the time I arrived on campus, higher education in Texas had become a political battleground.

By Molly S.

image of texas a&m, university of houston and university of texas superimposed on a blue and purple background
Mar 12, 2026

Poetry, Visual Art, and Storytelling Against Cash Bail: A Q&A with Artist-in-Residence KB Brookins

Meet KB Brookins, one of our 2025–2026 artists-in-residence, whose work brings poetry, community storytelling, and visual art into conversations about pretrial detention and the harms of the cash bail system.

By Jahnara Khan

header mobile
Dec 11, 2025

Organizing For Black Trans Liberation: A Q&A with The Mahogany Project

“We will not go back into the shadows. We will not disconnect. We will not be erased.”

By Brianna Rodriguez

Image of a group of Black trans women standing together with a purple-tinted overlay on the photo and yellow text that reads "The Mahogany Project"
Oct 30, 2025

Why Police Traffic Stops Are Dangerous and Ineffective

Millions of drivers are pulled over every year for minor violations like broken taillights or tinted windows. Data shows these stops rarely make roads safer, and instead lead to racial disparities, violence, and loss of trust in police.

By Emily Reina Dindial, Emily Berkowitz

Close-up photo of the red and blue lights on top of a police car
Oct 30, 2025

What the First Amendment Really Protects

From protests and journalism to social media and campus speech, explore how the First Amendment safeguards everyone — including immigrants — and what it actually covers.

By Lora Strum

Close up photo of an ACLU protest sign that reads "Free Speech, Free Country"
Oct 14, 2025

Approved Speech Only: The Civil Rights Issues Facing Texas Students This Year

Together, we can build schools where all students — regardless of their background — feel safe, supported, and inspired to learn.

Comic with five slides that shows an animal-style student entering school and seeing a pamphlet of approved versus prohibited speech. The student sees a list of banned materials and the teacher says "Let's prepare for the toughest year yet."
Oct 09, 2025

Your Questions Answered: How to Push Back on Abuses of Power

From defending free speech to organizing locally, ACLU experts explain what actions actually work to hold the Trump administration accountable and protect democracy.

By Katie Hoeppner

Photo of a person at a protest, taken from behind, wearing a protest sign from their back that reads "Hands off the Constitution"
Sep 10, 2025

How Expanded 287(g) Program Turns Local Police Into Deportation Agents

The Trump administration has expanded the controversial program to harm more communities than ever. Families and advocates nationwide are fighting back.

By By Naureen Shah, ACLU Legislative Counsel

Photo focused on a group of military agents and police officers walking in the street.
Sep 04, 2025

Lawmakers Can’t Turn Classrooms Into Sunday Schools

From Arkansas to Oklahoma, politicians are pushing religion into public schools. The ACLU is fighting back to defend church-state separation and students’ rights.

By Heather L. Weaver

Photo of a pole with two street signs pointing in different directions, one that says "Church" and the other that says "State."