Amicus Briefs
Across the country, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law files amicus briefs in cases that have far-reaching implications for civil rights, democracy, and equal opportunity.
Through these briefs, the Lawyers’ Committee provides courts with historical context, civil rights expertise, and the lived realities of communities affected by discrimination, helping ensure that legal decisions reflect both constitutional principles and the practical impact of policies on people’s lives.
Our 2026 amicus filings address critical issues including racial equity in education, freedom of speech and advocacy, access to public service careers, and the constitutional protections of citizenship.
Explore the briefs below to learn more about how the Lawyers’ Committee is working in courts across the country to protect civil rights and advance justice.
2026 Filings
September 2026
Rihanna Pointer, et al. v. Scott Phelps, et al.
Date Filed: September 2, 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, with the National Women’s Law Center and Covington & Burling LLP, filed an amicus brief urging the Eleventh Circuit to reverse the University of Alabama’s closure of Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six, student publications focused on women’s and Black student experiences. The brief argues that the district court’s ruling permits the University of Alabama to silence student expression, remove platforms dedicated to perspectives most likely to be overlooked, and narrow opportunities for women, Black students, and others from underrepresented communities to be heard on their own terms. The brief asserts that shutting down the publications based on their editorial perspectives violates the First Amendment, that the publications are protected student speech rather than government speech, and that neither Students for Fair Admissions nor nonbinding federal guidance without the force of law limit inclusive forums focused on race, gender, and identity.
June 2026
E.K. v. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)
Date Filed: June 3, 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law joined the National Education Association, Federal Education Association, and Education Law Center in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in support of students challenging the Department of Defense Education Activity’s removal of library books, curricular materials, and educational programming pursuant to federal executive orders targeting discussions of race, gender, and diversity. The brief argues that the government’s ideological censorship violates the First Amendment, harms students’ educational opportunities, undermines inclusive learning environments, and restricts educators’ ability to teach effectively. The amici urged the court to affirm the preliminary injunction which enjoined further removals of books and curricular content and ordered DoDEA to immediately restore books and curricular materials previously removed. And amici urged the court to extend application of the injunction to d ensure that students across all DoDEA schools retain access to diverse educational materials and ideas.
February 2026
National Council of Nonprofits v. McMahon
Date Filed: February 25, 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee and the ACLU filed an amicus brief challenging a federal rule that would restrict eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The rule allows the Department of Education to disqualify nonprofit employers based on vague claims that their activities have a “substantial illegal purpose.” The brief argues that the rule is constitutionally vague and invites discriminatory enforcement, threatening civil rights organizations and other nonprofits that rely on PSLF to recruit public-interest professionals. The filing also highlights how limiting PSLF would disproportionately harm Black borrowers and public sector workers who depend on the program to pursue careers serving vulnerable communities.
January 2026
American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Date Filed: January 28, 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee joined civil rights and education organizations in defending the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Scholars Program, which provides scholarships and support services to students of Hispanic heritage. The brief explains that federal civil rights law—including Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act—was designed as a remedial tool to address the enduring effects of discrimination, and that programs supporting historically excluded communities are consistent with that purpose. The brief also details persistent disparities facing Hispanic students in education and the workforce and argues that prohibiting such programs would undermine equal opportunity and economic mobility.
February 2026
Trump v. CASA (Birthright Citizenship Challenge)
Date Filed: February 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee joined a coalition of civil rights organizations urging the Supreme Court to reject arguments seeking to narrow the Constitution’s Citizenship Clause. The brief explains that the Fourteenth Amendment was intentionally crafted after the Civil War to guarantee broad and inclusive birthright citizenship, repudiating the racial caste system enforced in Dred Scott v. Sandford. It argues that attempts to reinterpret the clause to exclude certain children born in the United States contradict both the historical record and longstanding Supreme Court precedent.
February 2026
Media Matters for America v. Federal Trade Commission
Date Filed: February 23, 2026
The Lawyers’ Committee joined a coalition of civil rights organizations in defending the right of advocacy groups to challenge online hate speech and discrimination without facing retaliatory government investigations. The brief argues that civil rights organizations’ efforts to encourage advertisers and companies to address harmful online content are protected First Amendment activity. It warns that allowing sweeping government demands for internal records could chill advocacy efforts and undermine the ability of nonprofits to combat online harassment and discrimination targeting communities of color.