Category Archives: Civil Rights
Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination Concerned Civil Rights Advocates
The nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court had a number of civil rights activists concerned; based on the judge’s decision record. In addition to concerns over his individual record, there were also overall concerns that his addition to the court would also make the current Chief Justice—a traditionally conservative voter—the swing… Read More »
Current Administration’s Department Of Justice Redefining Who Has Civil Rights
The Department of Justice’s announcement that they would be working against race-based college admissions in early September is the latest move in a series of decisions made by this administration to redefine the entire concept of civil rights. Under Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the focus has shifted from protection of the everyday citizen and… Read More »
New Report Implicates Racial Profiling In School Policing
A new report released in late September suggests that school policing involves racial profiling, criminal justice, and civil rights issues. The report is especially relevant at the moment, as debates surrounding how to make schools safer and stop shootings continue to intensify. As we hear more and more proposals that call for more police… Read More »
New York Judge Orders Man Freed, Noting “Zero Tolerance” Immigration Policy Is Cruel
In a major victory for individuals charged with immigration crimes, in late July, a New York judge (Paul Crotty) ordered an Ecuadorian immigrant (Pablo Villavicencio) freed from an immigration detention camp in New Jersey, noting that the U.S. government was applying its “zero tolerance” policy in a “cruel and thoughtless manner.” Judge Crotty also… Read More »
New Jersey Officials Question Jailing Immigrants For ICE
Since the current administration has expanded the scope of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), close to 2,000 immigrants have been placed in county jails in Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties alone here in New Jersey. Many are held solely on an immigration violation, which is a civil infraction. This is because the administration altered… Read More »
New York Council Passes Significant Uber & Lyft Restrictions & Launches Voter Registration Efforts In Jails
During the month of August, a number of important initiatives that affect New Yorkers’ civil rights moved forward, as we discuss in detail below: Increasing Voter Registration for Inmates On August 7, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new voter registration drive for the city’s correctional facilities, which will allow inmates… Read More »
In Spite Of New Record Sealing Law, Many In New York Still Have Criminal Records Unsealed
On July 4, the New York Times covered an important story about “expungement” (or, rather, record sealing) in states like New York, and how so few have been able to have their records sealed in spite of the new law that went into effect in October 2017. This law allows anyone with a conviction… Read More »
New Jersey Supreme Court Orders State To Consider Throwing Out 780,000 Warrants
The New Jersey Supreme Court may soon throw out close to 800,000 old warrants for minor offenses, such as local ordinance and parking violations, in an effort to improve the state’s municipal court system. According to Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and a recent, scathing report from the state judiciary committee, these outstanding charges raise… Read More »
Administration’s Policy Of Separating Families & Children Violates Their Civil Rights
The current administration’s decision to separate families at the border (i.e. the “zero tolerance” policy) has garnered significant attention in the news, particularly in association with various civil rights concerns. Reports indicate that nearly 700 children were separated from their families between October and April, and another 638 just between May 6 and 19… Read More »
Are Police Illegally Using DNA Evidence In Criminal Investigations?
Police tracking down the “Golden State Killer” has been in the news headlines of late, not only because he turned out to be a former police officer, but also due to the methods used by detectives to break the case. In the case, police officers reportedly used genetic data provided by the killer’s relatives… Read More »
