Issues

Criminal Justice Reform

The rights guaranteed to the accused, defendants, offenders and prisoners are fundamental political rights that protect all Americans from governmental abuse of power.

Though generations of civil rights activism have led to important gains in legal, political, social, employment, educational and other spheres, the forced removal of indigenous peoples and the enslavement of those of African descent marked the beginnings of a system of racial injustice from which

Voting Rights

Nothing is more fundamental to our democracy than the right to vote. The ACLU of Pennsylvania is committed to ensuring that all citizens are able to cast their votes and have them accurately counted.

Immigrants' Rights

The fundamental constitutional protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every "person" and are not limited to citizens.

LGBTQIA+ Equality

The struggle of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people for full equality is one of this generation’s most important and galvanizing civil rights movements.

Reproductive Freedom

Since 1920, the ACLU has recognized that personal privacy and reproductive freedom are among our most important constitutional liberties. The decision to have an abortion is deeply personal, and is best left to a person, their family, and their doctor.

First Amendment Rights

Freedom of speech, of the press, of association, of assembly and petition -- this set of guarantees, protected by the First Amendment, comprises what we refer to as freedom of expression.

Student & Youth Rights

In spite of the Supreme Court's ringing endorsement of students' rights in the landmark Tinker decision, constitutional violations are far too common in public schools across the country. Lockers and backpacks are searched without reasonable suspicion.

Privacy & Security

The technological advances that have brought enormous benefits to humankind also make us more vulnerable than ever before to unwanted snooping. As technology provides new ways to gather information and databases proliferate, the need for privacy protections becomes more urgent.