Defending Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in Maryland
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ACLU of Maryland's Advocacy in the 2026 General Assembly
ACLU of Maryland's advocacy and priorities in the 2026 Legislative Session
Know Your Rights: Interacting with ICE in the DMV
In the DMV, where daily life crosses jurisdictional boundaries, immigration enforcement functions as a regional force. Families in this region often live in one jurisdiction, work in another, and rely on schools and hospitals, and public services spread across both state and district borders.
But your rights do NOT change when you cross these borders.
Free State Liberties - Winter 2025
Winter 2025 issue of Free State Liberties, the newsletter by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Maryland.
Immigrants' Rights
The ACLU of Maryland is dedicated to fighting for the rights of immigrants throughout the state of Maryland to ensure that our immigrant community is protected from police abuse, criminalizing the mere presence of immigrants of color, denying immigrants the opportunity and right to an education, and much more. Our country’s immigration laws define who our federal government allows into the United States, and guides how federal agencies enforce those laws at our national borders, ports of entry, and within the interior of the U.S. However, in order for federal immigration agencies to target the immigrant community and otherize their existence in this country, they rely on local and state agencies, primarily law enforcement agencies, to help them identify and begin the deportation process.
Press Releases
Feb 09, 2026
Ahead of Key Hearings, Advocates and Lawmakers Urge General Assembly to Advance Maryland Voting Rights Act, Pro-Voter Reforms
The Maryland Voting Rights Act (SB 255/HB 350 and HB 219) and companion pro-democracy legislation matter to Marylanders’ lives and futures. These measures will empower Marylanders by ensuring every vote equally counts, make voting more accessible, and root out intimidation and suppression tactics that silence voices.
Jan 28, 2026
Federal Appeals Court to Hear High-Stakes Challenge to ICE “Bait and Switch” Tactic Targeting Maryland Immigrant Families
Oral arguments before United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in challenge to cruel ICE “Bait and Switch” entrapment tactic
Jan 27, 2026
ACLU Maryland Statement on SB245 Advancing from Committee
As SB245 moves to the floor, Maryland has an opportunity to choose a different path, one that protects public safety, limits costly legal liability for local governments, and ensures that everyone in our state can live without fear that a traffic stop or call for help could lead to detention or deportation.
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Today, years of hard-fought civil liberty protections are under threat.
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