civil
Supreme Court Actions Impacting Civil Rights The Supreme Court is enacting changes that critics say are undermining Section 1983, a crucial civil rights statute. This law, enacted during Reconstruction, allows individuals to sue state officials who violate constitutional rights, such as due process and equal protection. The concern is that these changes, largely supported by […]
The Wilmington Ten refers to ten civil rights activists who were falsely convicted and incarcerated for nearly a decade following a 1971 riot in Wilmington, North Carolina, over school desegregation. Wrongfully convicted of arson and conspiracy, the Wilmington Ten—eight African American high-school students, an African American minister, and a white female social worker—were victims of […]
The U.S. Justice Department has discontinued an investigation into claims of civil rights violations against the Mount Vernon Police Department, alongside similar actions against seven other police forces nationwide. This decision follows a December 2024 report detailing constitutional rights violations by Mount Vernon police, including the use of unreasonable force and unjustified strip searches. Investigation […]
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 85 national organizations, is urging Congress to oversee the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The coalition expresses concern over recent actions by political appointees within the division, alleging a departure from its founding mission to enforce civil rights laws. Abandoning the Civil Rights […]
A group protested at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, objecting to the fact that the head of a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office also serves as a pastor. The protest drew condemnation from various officials and religious leaders. Indictments and Legal Concerns CNN’s Don Lemon and independent […]
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with Louisiana regarding the state’s practice of suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees. The agreement aims to address potential violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Settlement Details Under the settlement, Louisiana will revise its […]
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure state National Guard units are equipped to assist law enforcement in quelling civil disturbances and ensuring public safety. The order also proposes the creation of a “standing National Guard quick reaction force” deployable across the country. National Guard Deployment […]
President Donald Trump activated 4,000 National Guard troops on June 10, 2025, to quell protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids – without a request from the state. He has also sent hundreds of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to protect unprecedented deportation operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If this feels exceptional, it […]
The Birmingham Children’s Crusade was a pivotal nonviolent protest against segregation that took place in Birmingham, Alabama, from May 2–10, 1963. The event is credited with shifting public opinion and influencing President John F. Kennedy to support federal civil rights legislation. Background of the March On April 3, 1963, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), […]
Seven individuals, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon and another journalist, have been charged with violating two federal laws in connection with a protest that disrupted a worship service in Minnesota earlier this month. The protest targeted a local field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who also serves as a pastor at […]