News & Commentary

Find out more about some of our initiatives that passed during the carry over session.

In 2022, because of the commitment of supporters and activists like you, the courage of our clients, the work our dedicated staff, and the on the ground efforts of our partners the ACLU of Illinois continued to protect and expand civil rights and liberties.

Current events are hot discussion topics at many holiday tables. If you want to jump start a conversation about civil liberties, please keep reading for talking points about the ACLU’s most urgent work.

This week Illinois legislators are back in Springfield. We need you to take action on this important legislation. 

The War on Drugs has failed and everyone knows it. 79% of Illinois voters support reclassifying sentences for all drug offenses. Yet Illinois continues to treat simple possession of drugs as a felony, with real life consequences.

There are many myths around the Pretrial Fairness Act which ends the use of money bond and transforms the state’s pretrial legal system.

There are many important races down ballot in the Midterm elections which impact your rights and civil liberties.

Data reported by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) about police traffic stops in 2021 confirm what many people of color in Chicago have experienced throughout their lives: Chicago police do not enforce traffic laws fairly or equitably.

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are a powerful surveillance tool increasingly being deployed across Illinois’s communities and expressways. These camera systems are aggressively marketed as a means of reducing violent crime, but are collecting data on every car that drives past.