News & Commentary

 April 5, 2018 To Chair Harris, Spokesperson Bellock, and members of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee,We appreciate the opp

The Chicago Police Department is still in crisis.  The unjustified force used by some police officers delegitimizes the CPD in the eyes of many city residents and undermines all officers’ ability to do their jobs. Officers cannot build relationships necessary to prevent and solve crimes if they are not trusted by the communities they are assigned to protect. 

A new academic article contorts facts and statistics to claim that a consultant’s review of documentation regarding police stop-and-frisks of pedestrians caused murders in Chicago.  

Testimony of Jenna Prochaska, ACLU of Illinois, to Chicago City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection, Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Driving a car is a privilege. It makes sense that the government should have the authority to set qualifications for who can operate a motor vehicle and to suspend or revoke the licenses of unsafe drivers. But while driving may not be a right, for many people in Illinois it is a necessity to live and provide for their families. More than 80% of Illinoisans drive to work, and a valid driver's license is a prerequisite just to apply for many jobs, whether or not the job involves driving.

Testimony of Katie Watson, ACLU of Illinois 

To Chair Harris and members of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee,As legal counsel for the children under the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the ACLU of Illinois appreciates the opportunity to provide written testimony today

In recent weeks, students of Parkland, Florida, who survived a mass shooting at their school on February 14th, have inspired high school students across the country and here in Illinois with their leadership and courage.  Some students are learning for the first time that their voices matter and that by banding together they can affect public policy.  

February 19 marks the anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s issuance of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment during World War II of 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens. In light of developments in our nation today, it is important to reflect on that sad moment in our nation’s history. It is for that reason that I wrote this series of essays on the Japanese internment.