Newsroom
Welcome to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s Newsroom. This page contains our press releases, news clips and blog posts.
We have subject matter experts on civil rights issues ready to handle inquiries from journalists on such issues as voting rights, criminal justice, economic justice, fair housing, educational opportunity, racial justice matters and more.
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Residents in Chesapeake Detention Facility Secure Major Protections After Uncontrolled COVID-19 Outbreak
(Washington, D.C.) - Residents in the Chesapeake Detention Facility (CDF) in downtown Baltimore, will now have safer and humane protections from COVID-19 outbreaks after over a year of CDF and Maryland public officials refusing to enact them, thanks to a settlement...
Black Expectant Mothers Deserve Better Public Heath Care
Although racial health disparities have been widely-recognized throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women have shouldered the brunt of systemic inequities in health care for centuries. As highlighted during this month’s Black Maternal Health Week — a campaign...
Biden Administration Takes Steps Toward Reinstating Obama-Era Fair Housing Rules
(Washington, D.C.) — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge advanced a proposal Tuesday to reinstate the Department’s 2013 disparate impact rule, as well as an interim final rule that would reassert the federal government’s commitment to affirmatively...
Proud Boys Held Accountable for their Racist Attack on Historic Black Church in D.C.
(Washington, D.C.) – The Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church achieved a significant victory in an initial phase of its lawsuit against members of the Proud Boys, a violent all-male group with ties to white nationalism, and their leader Enrique Tarrio,...
The Torch of the Fair Housing Fight Burns Bright in Minnesota
Evictions and limited housing access can affect a renter’s housing options for the rest of their life, especially during a pandemic. While the number of evictions in Minnesota has marginally decreased, close to 16,000 evictions are filed across the state every year....
Officer’s Link to Proud Boys Shows Need for Broader Investigation of White Supremacy Within the Ranks of the Fresno Police Department
A Fresno law enforcement officer, who was an avowed local leader of the Proud Boys until recently, must be removed and an independent investigation into bigoted extremism in the department must be conducted, a letter sent to the Fresno police chief and other elected...
Craig Newmark Philanthropies Partners With National Lawyers’ Committee to Combat Voter Misinformation
(Washington, D.C.) – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced today that it has received a $500,000 grant from Craig Newmark Philanthropies to support our work to strengthen democracy for all, specifically our work to fight online misinformation and...
Honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s Legacy By Passing Voting Rights Legislation
On April 4, 1968, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life was cut short by a racist’s bullet. Though his death shocked the nation and will forever reverberate throughout our republic, the fruits of his righteous labor and those of countless others remain...
Major League Baseball Takes A Stand for Voting Rights in Georgia
(Washington, D.C.) - Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Friday that the 2021 All-Star Game and MLB draft will no longer take place in the state of Georgia after the state recently passed legislation designed to disenfranchise voters. The...
Baltimore Police Department Illegally Seized and Searched Shooting Victims’ Property at Their Most Vulnerable, Violating Their Civil Rights
(Washington, DC) — The Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) practice of unlawfully searching and seizing the personal property of survivors of violent crime without a warrant or consent is a violation of their constitutional rights, argued a lawsuit filed Thursday by...
Civil Rights Groups Urge Supreme Court to Carefully Balance Harms in Student Speech Case
(Washington, D.C.) - School districts must be able to address legitimately harmful speech such as bullying, harassment, and threats of violence- whether or not it occurs on school grounds - but must be very specific and distinct with their...
Voting Rights Act of Virginia Enacted, Providing Sweeping Reform and Security to Commonwealth Voters
(Richmond, Va.) - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam approved the Voting Rights Act of Virginia Wednesday, enacting important legislation that will ensure voters from all communities in the commonwealth have equal access to the ballot box. The legislation provides vital...
Biden’s Moves on Anti-Asian Violence Applauded
(Washington, D.C.) — President Joseph R. Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Tuesday afternoon, actions to respond to anti-Asian violence with the Department of Justice launching a 30-day expedited review into how the agency can bolster its efforts...
Blog: Census 2020 – Differential Privacy and What You Need to Know
It is something many have received in the mail, seen on tv, or even heard during a phone call: “Fill out your 2020 Census today!” The census counts the entire U.S. population once every decade. From the first census count with no privacy protections in...
Biden’s First Judicial Appointments Affirm Commitment to Diversity and Civil Rights
(Washington, D.C.) - President Joseph R. Biden announced his first nominees to the federal judiciary on Tuesday, including four Black women - three of whom for the court of appeals - and several former public defenders. The following is a statement from Erinn Martin,...