A graphic with a lime green gradient background and dark green text that reads: “2013. The War on Marijuana in Black and White. The ACLU published The War on Marijuana in Black and White: Billions of Dollars Wasted on Racially Biased Arrests, the first report to examine marijuana possession arrest rates by race for all 50 states (and D.C.) and their respective counties from 2001 to 2010. The report found: * There were over 8 million pot arrests in the U.S between 2001 and 2010. * Black people are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people despite roughly equal usage. * It costs us about $3.6 billion a year to enforce marijuana laws despite the War on Marijuana failing to lessen the substance’s use or availability.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A graphic with a lime green gradient background and dark green text that reads: “2014. DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA IN D.C. The D.C. Council passed legislation to remove criminal penalties from the possession of marijuana in amounts of one ounce or less — legislation that was supported by the ACLU-NCA. Severe racial disparities in arrests in the District for marijuana possession had been revealed by The War on Marijuana in Black and White, a report released by the ACLU the previous June.” A white and green dual-tone photo of the legislation that decriminalized marijuana in D.C. is above the text. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A graphic with a lime green gradient background and dark green text that reads: “It’s past time to end the failed War on Marijuana once and for all.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner.

It’s past time we end the failed War on Marijuana, and the broader failed War on Drugs, once and for all.

A graphic with a lime green gradient background and green stylized marijuana leaves pushing up from the bottom of the graphic. Dark green text reads: HIGH STAKES: Looking back on ACLU-D.C.’s fight to support D.C. residents and end the War on Marijuana.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the middle-right of the graphic.

A graphic with a lime green gradient background and dark green text that reads: “The War on Marijuana, like the larger War on Drugs, is a failure. Billions of dollars are spent every year on the enforcement of racist, archaic drug policies. These laws destroy anddestabilize communities, particularly Black communities. Here’s how the ACLU-D.C. has been demanding support for our District communities instead of criminalization.” A green dual-tone image of marijuana leaves in front of the American flag is to the right of the text. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A graphic with a lime green gradient background and dark green text that reads: “1999. CHALLENGING CONGRESSIONAL INTERFERENCE OVER MARIJUANA. Congress tried to block D.C. from counting votes on a 1998 initiative legalizing medical marijuana to help people suffering from debilitating health conditions and diseases. The National Capital Area ACLU (ACLU-NCA, now ACLU-D.C.) successfully challenged Congress’s action, and a court ruled Congress could not suppress political speech, including ballot measures. Congress later barred the initiative’s implementation in the FY2000 D.C. Appropriations Act.” A green dual-tone image of a ballot box covered in marijuana leaves is to the right of the text. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

We’ll put it bluntly: the War on Marijuana is bullshit. It’s racist, costly, and ensnares hundreds of thousands of people in the criminal legal system. We’ve supported D.C. residents and fought to end the failed war on Marijuana for over 20 years and we won’t stop until victory is won. 1/2

With no end in sight to their deployment, National Guard troops roam Washington Eight months after President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital and called up the National Guard, more than 2,500 troops remain.

The District is not a federal staging ground. Long-term deployments of National Guard troops without clear limits risk normalizing military presence in our everyday life.

D.C. deserves to govern itself. We need D.C. statehood now. https://bit.ly/41OCPy2

Can I submit testimony on a bill that has already had a hearing? How do I ask my D.C. Councilmember to hold a hearing on a bill I want to support? We've got all the answers you need to testify at D.C. Council hearings.

Learn more: www.acludc.org/news/how-to-testify-dc-c...

A light pink and dark green graphic with a pink and white dual-tone image of a pregnant Black woman at a doctor's appointment at the top of the graphic. Below, dark green and pink text reads: "LISTEN TO BLACK WOMEN. BELIEVE BLACK MOTHERS. SUPPORT BLACK MOTHERS. PROTECT BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH." The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner.

Black mothers deserve more than survival. Black mothers deserve safe and open-minded care.

This Black Maternal Health Week and every week after, we will continue to protect the pregnancy journey for Black mothers in our fight to safeguard reproductive freedom for all in D.C.

A dark red graphic with a collage of a semi-transparent photo of a depiction of D.C. slaves celebrating the passing of the D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act and a white scribble overlayed a dark red abstract shape. Below is white text that reads: “Eight months before slaves were liberated in the American South, over 3,000 slaves were freed in the nation’s capital after President Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act on April 16, 1862. Emancipation was about restoring Black peoples’ right to dignity, equality, and self-determination. Those objectives remain unfulfilled today without D.C. statehood.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A dark red graphic with a collage of a semi-transparent photo of the D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act and a white scribble overlayed a dark red abstract shape. Below is white text that reads: “The ongoing denial of statehood to D.C.’s 700,000 majority-Black residents is rooted in racism. Just as Black voters started to exercise their political power in D.C. after the Civil War, Congress replaced D.C.’s local government, blocking the heavily Black region from having full voting rights.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A dark red graphic with a collage of a semi-transparent photo of protestors, including Martin Luther King Jr., marching for D.C. Home Rule and a white scribble overlayed a dark red abstract shape. Below is white text that reads: “Over a hundred years later, the D.C. Home Rule Act was passed in 1973 as a compromise between D.C. residents who wanted full democratic rights and members of Congress who wanted to maintain power over D.C. and its majority-Black population. Freedom without full democratic representation isn’t actually freedom.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A dark red graphic with a collage of a semi-transparent photo of a mural that says: “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION” in the style of the D.C. flag and a white scribble overlayed a dark red abstract shape. Below is white text that reads: “Every day D.C. is denied statehood is a day we are denied justice. We live, work, and pay taxes here – yet we have no voting representation in Congress, and limited control over our own local laws. But we can’t achieve statehood on our own – we need people in other states’ help.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner.

This D.C. Emancipation Day, we're making two things clear:

1) The ongoing denial of statehood to D.C.'s 700,000 majority-Black residents is rooted in racism.

2) Democracy isn’t complete in America without D.C. statehood. Join the fight for statehood: https://bit.ly/4pJb04t

The D.C. Council is yet again considering enacting emergency legislation that would expand the District's juvenile curfew. We can't keep turning to policing as the solution to every issue.

Tell the Council to stop over-policing District youth and invest in youth services: https://bit.ly/4t7LwiW

Three Reasons D.C. Youth Need More Support, Not More Punishment - ACLU of DC The safest communities are the ones with the most resources, not the most police.

Young people are hard-wired to take risks, but not all of them have safe and health options to do so. D.C. leaders should be investing in youth programs that actually reduce crime and incarceration instead of relying on over policing.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4rM4Emf

Tell Meta: Eyewear, Not Spywear Meta intends to add facial recognition technology to their glasses so anyone wearing the product can immediately and invisibly identify strangers. Tell Meta: Your glasses shouldn’t know our names. Dem...

Meta's plans to install facial recognition in their “smart” glasses would destroy our chance at privacy and anonymity in public. We could all be identified without our consent.

Send a message to Meta demanding they make eyewear, not spywear.
https://bit.ly/3OIBu91

Congress: Support D.C. Statehood Now D.C. statehood would grant full and equal rights to over 700,000 residents currently denied representation. Tell Congress to take action now.

Another Tax Day, another reminder: taxation without representation didn’t end in 1776. The 700,00 residents of D.C. pay federal taxes every year and yet we still don’t have full voting rights in Congress. That’s not how democracy works.

D.C. statehood now.
https://bit.ly/4pJb04t

No Wrongful Execution for Tony Carruthers Tony Carruthers was convicted without physical evidence, based solely on testimony from informants. Now, Tony is scheduled for execution on May 21st by Tennessee after being forced to represent himsel...

The state of Tennessee is planning to execute Tony Carruthers for a crime he didn’t commit because they refuse to carry out DNA & fingerprint testing from the scene of the crime.

Join us in calling for fingerprint & DNA testing before Tony is put to death.
https://bit.ly/3OimfDC

NEW: We're suing federal immigration agents on behalf of Juan Sebastián Carvajal-Muñoz, a legal U.S. resident who was racially profiled and violently abducted in Maine in January.

Agents violated his Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights and must be held accountable.

Organizing to Protect Democracy: Rapid Response I'm attending this event - sign up now to join me!

Join our next Organizing to Protect Democracy training on April 15 at 8pm ET where our organizers will discuss how to mobilize your community during rapid response moments.

RSVP today:
https://act.aclu.org/a/otpd-april-2026

How to Vote in the June 16, 2026 D.C. Primary Election - ACLU of DC From voter registration, ranked-choice voting, here is everything you need to know to vote in the D.C. primary election.

The countdown is on! Voter registration ends May 26th — after that, you'll need acceptable proof of D.C. residency to register in person during early voting or on Election Day.

Make sure you're prepared to vote your values in June with our voter information guide: https://bit.ly/4dtjY2I

A protest sign with red and blue text in all caps that reads: "BORN HERE BELONG HERE"

Birthright citizenship is a fundamental, constitutional guarantee.

We went to the Supreme Court to preserve the promise of the 14th Amendment.

A light orange graphic with dark blue text that reads: “These guideline changes are a win for public education and free expression in the District of Columbia. Public school administrators are charged with facilitating student education, not censoring ideas they don’t agree with.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

The ASU's story is just one of many as students in schools and on campuses across the country are challenging injustice and protecting the freedom to be heard. We will continue to support and defend D.C. students exercising their rights to build a more just and free D.C.

A light orange graphic with dark blue text that reads: “We continued to litigate to pursue broader protection for the right of the ASU and all student groups to exercise their First Amendment rights in D.C. Public Schools. On September 9, 2025, we reached a settlement that included winning significant free speech guideline changes for all student clubs at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), and DCPS agreeing to cover the ASU’s attorneys’ fees.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

Not only did the ASU win, they also secured significant free speech guideline changes for all student clubs at D.C. public schools.

A light orange graphic with dark blue text that reads: “In early 2024, the administration of Jackson-Reed High School barred the Arab Student Union (ASU), a recognized student club at the public school, from engaging in activities similar to those that other student groups organize at the school. These activities included showing movies, putting posters on walls, and distributing a pamphlet. Why? Because the ASU wanted to discuss the war in Gaza and the effects on the Palestinian people.” The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A light orange graphic with dark blue text that reads: “Representing the club, we sued D.C. and the principal of the school in April 2024 for violating the ASU’s (and its members’) First Amendment rights and their rights under the federal Equal Access Act and the D.C. Student Bill of Rights.” A semi-transparent screenshot of the ADU lawsuit is at the bottom of the graphic. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

A light orange graphic with dark blue text that reads: “Within two weeks, we reached an interim agreement that allowed the ASU to show a pro-Palestinian documentary requested and and distribute an educational handout about Palestinian culture, among other concessions.” A dark blue and white dual-tone image of a film camera is at the bottom of the graphic. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner. A right arrow is in the bottom right corner.

After facing repeated censorship from school administration for expressing pro-Palestinian perspectives, we filed a lawsuit on behalf of the ASU to challenge the administration's restrictions that were violating the students' First Amendment rights.

A light orange graphic with dark blue and white text that reads: “Protecting Students’ First Amendment Rights at Jackson-Reed High School. Arab American Heritage Month.” A dark blue and white dual-tone collage of a film camera, a hand writing, a protest sign with a mouth yelling, a raised fist, and a bullhorn overlayed a dark blue abstract shape. A dark blue right arrow is in the middle-right of the graphic. The ACLU-D.C. logo is in the bottom left corner.

This Arab American Heritage Month, we uplift the courage of the students of the Arab Student Union (ASU) at Jackson-Reed High School who fought to defend all D.C. Public School students' right to speak, organize, and share their stories. 🧵

Our Constitution is clear: only Congress and the states can set the rules for our elections. That's why we're taking President Trump to court to challenge his latest attack on our vote.

Add your name to the petition to support our work to protect voting rights.
https://bit.ly/4cfwBvX

The ultimate solution to protecting D.C. residents' rights from abuse of power is D.C. statehood.

But we need your help. Join the fight for D.C. statehood: action.aclu.org/send-message/congress-su...

How and Why to Testify at D.C. Council Hearings - ACLU of DC Want to build a more just and free D.C? Testifying at a D.C. Council hearing is a great first step to take.

Whether it’s about your experience protesting or encountering law enforcement, providing testimony at a D.C. Council hearing is a great way to do your part to build a more just and free D.C.

Here’s how you can testify at D.C. Council hearings: https://bit.ly/4mj7xJ6

Escobar Molina v. Dep’t of Homeland Security – Challenging Warrantless Immigration Arrests Without Probable Cause in D.C. - ACLU of DC On September 25, 2025, four Washington, D.C. community members and the national immigration organization CASA sued the Trump administration to end its policy and practice of making immigration arrests...

Here’s how we’re fighting back:

Escobar v. Molina: www.acludc.org/cases/escoba...

Gibson Brown et al. v. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) et al.: www.acludc.org/press-releas...

ICE arrests in D.C. region reach nearly 20,000 during Trump’s second term Nearly 60 percent of the more than 19,500 people arrested had no prior criminal record, federal data shows.

Majority of the DMV residents being arrested by ICE have no prior criminal record.

This is what abuse of power looks like.

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/04/06/ice-...

We thank the Council for passing legislation requiring MPD to record identifying info for all officers at arrests and to disclose the names of federal agents involved. We look forward to working with the Council to protect residents from abuse of power by federal agents.

Federal accountability now.

'Y'all just shot at me' | DC Police release body camera video of Homeland Security shooting during traffic stop The Metropolitan Police Department released three videos on YouTube regarding the shooting, which they call a "Serious Use of Force."

Footage like this is an important first step to curbing abuse of power. When a federal agent hurts someone, we should know who, what, when, where, and why.

And the second step is making sure that victims of abuses can sue to hold wrongdoers accountable. Pass the Bivens Act!

https://bit.ly/4c9hkg6

A protest sign with red text outlined in blue and in all caps that reads: "WHEN IN DOUBT — READ THE CONSTITUTION"

Birthright citizenship is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution — and no president has the power to revoke that right.

We're taking the Trump administration to court to remind them how our country works in our fight for birthright citizenship and beyond.

Lawsuit Challenges Warrantless Searches and Forced Entries by ICE

ICE agents are entering D.C. residents' homes without a warrant signed by a judge, in direct violation of the Fourth Amendment.

We're taking the Trump administration to court to protect the Constitution and our community.

https://nyti.ms/4cqMG34

Voting is one of our most fundamental rights, and a necessary tool to protect and strengthen our democracy.

Make sure you're prepared to vote in the D.C. primary election on June 16: https://bit.ly/4dtjY2I

Help your community get prepared to vote: https://bit.ly/4ca65E9

The average price of gas has risen over 34% in the U.S. since February 28.

Our taxpayer dollars should be going toward our communities, not President Trump's unconstitutional war on Iran.