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These links to initiatives from the ACLU National office can assist you with more information
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| Welcome to the ACLU of Arkansas
The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty. We work in the courts, the legislature and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Our job is to preserve America's original civic values - those enshrined in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
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“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the boisterous sea of liberty.”
-- Thomas Jefferson
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Press Releases
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FBI's Authority To Track And Map "Behaviors" And "Lifestyle Characteristics" Of American Communities Raises Alarm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2010
LITTLE ROCK -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas today asked the FBI to turn over records related to the agency's collection and use of race and ethnicity data in local communities. According to a 2008 FBI operations guide, FBI agents have the authority to collect information about and map so-called "ethnic-oriented" businesses, behaviors, lifestyle characteristics, and cultural traditions in communities with concentrated ethnic populations. |
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Press Releases
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Former Practice of City Violated Rights of Citizens
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2010
LITTLE ROCK, July 19, 2010 -- The City of North Little Rock has responded to concerns raised by North Little Rock residents and the Arkansas Civil Liberties Union concerning prayer before city council meetings. The Arkansas Civil Liberties Union, in response to concerns expressed by North Little Rock residents about the city council's practice of offering a sectarian prayer to open council meetings, contacted the city attorney and urged the city to end this unconstitutional practice.
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Latest News
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The Arkansas Civil Liberties Union Foundation alerts Arkansas residents to potential threats to the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individuals planning to travel or stay in Arizona.
June 30, 2010
On April 23, 2010, Arizona enacted a state racial profiling law, SB 1070, that has generated fear and confusion among the public about the treatment and rights of Americans in the State of Arizona. Although the law is not scheduled to go into effect until July 29, 2010, and multiple lawsuits have already been filed to prevent it from taking effect at all, a history of rampant racial profiling by law enforcement officials in Maricopa County, Arizona (which includes the cities of Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, and Scottsdale) and a stated policy of "attrition through enforcement" adopted by lawmakers in the state give credible reason to be concerned even before the date SB 1070 is supposed to go into effect. |
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Press Releases
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Arizona Racial Profiling Law Threatens Civil Liberties
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2010
LITTLE ROCK, AR, June 30, 2010 -- In response to civil liberties threats caused by the recent passage of Arizona's racial profiling law, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas issued a travel alert today informing Arkansas residents of their rights when stopped by law enforcement when traveling in Arizona. The unconstitutional law, known as SB 1070, requires law enforcement agents to demand "papers" from people they stop who they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S. If individuals are unable to prove to officers that they are permitted to be in the U.S., they may be subject to warrantless arrest without any probable cause that they have committed a crime. |
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Latest News
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Arkansas Court Strikes Down Parenting Ban
Law Barring Unmarried Couples From Adopting And Fostering Deemed UnconstitutionalFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2010
LITTLE ROCK, AR – An Arkansas court today struck down a law challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union that bans any unmarried person who lives with a partner from serving as an adoptive or foster parent in the state of Arkansas.
"We are happy that the court recognized that Act 1 harms Arkansas's foster children because it eliminates potential qualified parents," said Holly Dickson, staff attorney with the ACLU of Arkansas. "We have a critical shortage of homes now and this ban was denying good, loving homes to our most vulnerable children."
The ACLU filed its complaint against the law, known as Act 1, in December 2008. Plaintiffs participating in the case included a lesbian couple who adopted an Arkansas foster child before Act 1 was passed and would like to open their home to a second special needs child, a grandmother who was barred by Act 1 from adopting her own grandchild and several married heterosexual couples who would have been prohibited by Act 1 from arranging for certain friends or relatives to adopt their children if they die or become incapacitated.
"As the proud parents of a former foster child, we are relieved that the court recognized how Act 1 harms the many children in the state in need of homes," said Wendy Rickman, who, along with her partner of 11 years, Stephanie Huffman, would like to provide a home to another child in need.
In today's order, Judge Christopher C. Piazza of the Pulaski County Circuit Court held that the law casts an unreasonably broad net and did not "serve the State's interest in determining what is in the best interest of the child." He also noted that he was troubled by the fact that the law targeted gay people. The state of Arkansas is expected to appeal the decision.
"This law was harmful to families and children," said Christine Sun, senior counsel with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project. "The discriminatory policies embodied by this law did a disservice to children in need of a loving home by reducing the number of potential adoptive and foster parents. We are delighted that the court has found that it should not stand."
"This case was fundamentally about protecting some of Arkansas' most vulnerable citizens – children in state care," said Stacey Friedman, attorney with Sullivan and Cromwell, co-counsel with the ACLU. "The court reached the right result. Our firm is honored to be associated with this effort to protect the kids who just want loving, forever families, as well as the couples who want to provide homes for these kids."
Attached:
Order Striking Down Parenting Ban - April 16, 2009
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