Court Cases

Two students, two parents of former students, and a current teacher, filed a claim in Contra Costa County Superior Court, against the State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the State of California, and Pittsburg Unified School District. The complaint alleges the state and district’s unlawful practices harm thousands of its most marginalized students, primarily children of color.

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stop its illegal practice of using third-party contractor G4S Secure Solutions to arrest people at jails and prisons to transfer them to ICE for deportation.

A habeas petition raising claims under the Immigration and Nationality Act and procedural due process clause of the Fifth Amendment.

On July 6, 2021, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California joined the legal team defending the free speech rights of a Sacramento City Councilmember’s representative, Skyler Henry—a case with important First Amendment implications.

The ACLU of Northern California, the Immigrant Defense Project, Just Futures Law, and Mijente sued the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection under the Freedom of Information Act seeking records of their use of Clearview AI’s face surveillance system.

Five residents of Pacifica sued the city for attempting to banish RV dwellers from its jurisdiction. They obtained a court injunction requiring the city to set aside and publicize the availability of two miles of streets for RV parking, to set up a “safe parking” program, and to implement other measures to assist people living in vehicles.

Advocates filed damages claims against Governor Newsom and California prison officials on behalf of four people who were transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), instead of being released back to their loved ones and allowed to reenter society after serving their time.