Blog Posts

As the leading civil rights and civil liberties organization in the Land of Lincoln, the ACLU of Illinois works constantly to keep the public informed about the state of their civil liberties. The work we do in the legislature, in the courts, and in our communities is important, but there is no better defender of civil rights than an informed and engaged public citizenry. Knowledge is power.

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Apr 16, 2020

ACLU of Illinois Reacts to State Representative Releasing Names of Commuted Prisoners

Yesterday, a state representative released the names of prisoners in Illinois granted commutation recently as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the population of Illinois prisons, which are experiencing...

Mar 20, 2020

COVID - 19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic creates anxiety and hardship for millions of Americans, and raises a number of urgent issues for the most vulnerable in our state. In...

Mar 2, 2020

2020 Primary Election Information

Early voting for the 2020 Primary Election in Illinois is underway. From President to local prosecutors, judges and other officials, your vote in this election will have an...

Feb 12, 2020

A Leader In Civil Liberties Steps Away

It was the summer of 1984 when Ben Wolf first laid his briefcase down on a desk in the ACLU’s Chicago office. He came from a large firm to start a new project at the ACLU of Illinois...

Jan 16, 2020

Strengthening Inclusion for Transgender, Nonbinary & Gender Nonconforming Students in Illinois Schools

By Ghirlandi Guidetti, Staff Attorney

Recently, the Affirming and Inclusive Schools Task Force delivered its report ...

By Ghirlandi Guidetti, Staff Attorney

Recently, the Affirming and Inclusive Schools Task Force delivered its report ...

Jan 3, 2020

Ending Illinois’ Drug War: Legalizing Cannabis is Just the Beginning

Illinois took a historic step in 2019 when Governor Pritzker signed legislation to legalize the sale and possession of cannabis for recreational use by people at least 21 years of age. The new law has...