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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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Housing Advocates Encourage Trade Groups to Support Fair Housing By Accepting ERA Funds
Landlords have both a legal and moral responsibility to accept Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds and to not pursue non-payment evictions according to a letter sent Monday to the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR)....
Memorandum Provides Much Needed Understanding to Uphold Federal Fair Housing Policies During Pandemic
(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced a memorandum of understanding Thursday agreeing to increase enforcement of fair housing and fair lending, a step in the right...
After Census Data Release, Fair Redistricting Takes Center Stage
(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Census Bureau released the first local level results of the 2020 Census data Thursday, including information about race and voting-age population. The release of today’s data will allow states to begin the redistricting process, in which...
Judge Rules NCDOL Must Create COVID-19 Worker Protections
(Raleigh, N.C.) —Superior Court Judge G. Bryan Collins ruled on Monday that the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) must consider implementing rules that would protect workers from contracting COVID-19. The ruling punctuates a 10-month effort by civil rights...
The Voting Rights Act Under Attack 56 Years After Passage
(Washington, D.C.) — On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act (VRA), transformative legislation that created robust federal oversight to address racial discrimination in elections and voting practices. For decades, voters of...
Lawyers’ Committee Partners with The CW and Vote.org to Launch New Nonpartisan Initiative to Protect the Freedom to Vote
(Washington, DC) ─ On the 56th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is joining The CW network to launch a new, nonpartisan initiative entitled “Freedom to Vote,” to help promote eligible voter...
On the Passing of Labor Leader, Richard Trumka
(Washington, D.C.) — U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Thursday on the Senate floor that Richard Trumka, longtime president of the AFL-CIO, had passed away. The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’...
Biden’s New Eviction Moratorium a Win for Communities of Color
(Washington, D.C.) —The newly announced federal eviction moratorium—replacing the one that expired on July 3rd—will target protections in communities with elevated rates of coronavirus infections and would include a new freeze in place for up to 60 days. The Centers...
Federal Trade Commission Must Protect Civil Rights, Privacy in Online Commerce
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must act to protect civil rights and privacy in online commerce by regulating unfair and deceptive practices, creating an Office of Civil Rights, and increasing enforcement against Big Tech, states a letter sent to the agency on...
Massachusetts Police Department Should Dismiss Officer Who Displayed Hitler Poster
The Williamstown Police Department (WPD) in Massachusetts should dismiss police officer Craig Eichhammer who reportedly displayed a poster of Adolf Hitler in his station locker for several years, according to a letter sent by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights...
New CDC Mask Recommendations Protect Essential Workers of Color
(Washington, D.C.) — As the world battles against the highly transmissible delta variant of the COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Tuesday that vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors in certain circumstances, reversing their...
Erinn D. Martin Selected for Maryland Very Important Professionals Award
(BALTIMORE) —The Daily Record has named Erinn D. Martin, policy counsel with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to the 2021 VIP List - Very Important Professionals Successful by 40 awards. The Daily Record created the VIP List in 2010 to recognize...
Federal Judge Tosses Lawsuit Challenging Race-Conscious Admissions Policy at the University of Texas at Austin
(Austin, Texas) — Judge Robert Pittman of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas granted the University of Texas at Austin’s motion to dismiss Monday in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. vs. University of Texas at Austin, a case which attempted to...
Judge Dismisses D.C. Police Union’s Attempts to Block Body-Worn Camera Footage
(Washington, D.C.) — The District of Columbia can publicly release body-worn camera recordings and names of officers who kill or inflict violence on civilians that the police are sworn to protect, the D.C. Superior Court ruled on July 16 when it dismissed a lawsuit...
The Dream of Homeownership Begins with Equitable Access to Insurance
Equitable access to insurance is necessary for all communities to realize the dream of homeownership. Inequality in home ownership is one of the major drivers of the racial wealth gap in the United States; as of 2020, 73.7% of white families own homes, whereas just...