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Welcome to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s Newsroom. This page contains our press releases, news clips and blog posts.
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Financial Regulators Must Address Discrimination Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Housing and Lending
Artificial Intelligence (AI) models used by banks and lenders must be carefully designed, tested, and monitored to ensure they do not reinforce and amplify historic discrimination and redlining against Black Americans and other communities of color, according...
Supreme Court Makes It More Difficult to Protect Voters of Color from Discrimination
(Washington, D.C.) - In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court made it more difficult for voters of color to protect themselves against discrimination, by changing the long-established standards for how Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act can stop discrimination in...
22 1/2 Years: Chauvin Sentencing Must Mark a New Chapter for Accountability
(MINNEAPOLIS) — Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison, Friday, for the 2020 murder of George Floyd. The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:...
HUD Moves to Restore Core Fair Housing Act Protections
(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Department of Housing of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a proposal on Friday that would restore the protections of its 2013 rule which protects groups from discriminatory housing policies. The move could set a standard for...
Our Democracy Hangs in the Balance 8 Years After Shelby County v. Holder
(Washington, D.C.) — In 2013, when the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the heart of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder, voting rights advocates feared that southern states with a history of voting discrimination would immediately return to their old...
Blog: It’s Been 8 Years Since Shelby County v. Holder. Congress Needs to Restore the Full Protections of the Voting Rights Act.
“The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in democracy.” - John Lewis Eight years ago, in the disastrous Shelby County v. Holder decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a significant provision of the Voting...
Candace Jackson-Akiwumi Brings Much Needed Racial, Professional Diversity to the Seventh Circuit
(Washington, D.C.) — For the first time in two decades, the U.S. Senate has confirmed a Black woman to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Candace Jackson-Akiwumi was confirmed with bipartisan support and is a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP....
Supreme Court Upholds First Amendment Rights for Students
(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled students have robust First Amendment rights when not at school, but that public schools can intervene in limited circumstances, such as to prevent bullying or harassment. In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court ruled...
New Project Aims to Increase Racial Equity at Flagship Universities in the Great Lakes Region
(CHICAGO) - To increase access, retention, and graduation rates for students of color at flagship universities in the Great Lakes region, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, with support from the Joyce Foundation, has launched the REASON Project. REASON...
Housing Advocates Fight for Equitable Zoning Policies
(Washington D.C.) - The American Jobs Plan’s proposal incentivizing local governments to reform zoning laws could have unintended negative consequences for low- and middle- income families, including increased displacement, while failing to dismantle segregation in...
D.C. Statehood is a Civil Rights Issue That Must be Resolved with Full Citizenship
(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee met Tuesday to hear testimony from proponents of making Washington, D.C. the nation’s 51st state. The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, president...
Judge Refuses to Hold Federal Officials Accountable After Violent 2020 Attack on Peaceful Protesters in Lafayette Square Park
(Washington, D.C.) - In a decision that defied the facts of that violent day, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich on Monday dismissed claims against former federal officials, including former Attorney General William Barr, in Black Lives Matter D.C. v....
New York City Voters’ Questions Answered at Election Protection
(NEW YORK) — Legal volunteers staffing the nonpartisan Election Protection 866-OUR-VOTE (866) 687-8683) hotline are available to answer calls from New York voters who need help casting their ballot during the June 22 mayoral primary election. The hotline...
Supreme Court Sides with Religious Bigotry in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia
(PHILADELPHIA) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a lower court ruling which allowed the city of Philadelphia to ensure that agencies participating in its foster care program do not engage in discrimination based on sexual orientation. The city banned...
Police Accountability Has Not Been Addressed Federally, Civil Rights Groups Urge Action
(WASHINGTON) – Prominent civil rights group leaders and the family of George Floyd demand that Congress address police accountability and police violence in the wake of the continued brutalization and killing of Black people. The following is a joint statement from...