Donna Lieberman

@dlnyclu.bsky.social

Executive Director of the NYCLU (ACLU of NY) (For identification purposes only) Mom, grandma (inc soccer and stage) Potter Twitter refugee This is a personal account. All views my own.

This is a shame. In 2013, the @nyclu.org, along with Paul Weiss, proudly represented Edie Windsor in the landmark marriage equality case that overturned the Defense of Marriage Act. In the fight against the Trump regime's assaults on our democracy, we are stronger together.

How a Top Law Firm Went From Standing Up to Trump to Bending the Knee

Paul Weiss was a progressive stalwart for decades and led the legal resistance against President Trump in his first term. Then it surrendered without a fight. This is the inside story of its transform...

nytimes.com

Darren and Daniel are U.S. citizens from Illinois who were unlawfully arrested at work after DHS agents broke through a gate and used chemical irritants against them that required medical attention. They are two of 54 people being represented by ACLU affiliates seeking justice for agents' abuses.

Forest Park cemetery workers arrested during Operation Midway Blitz seek damages

A pair of west suburban cemetery workers who were detained at the height of Operation Midway Blitz last fall have filed claims against the federal government, alleging they were arrested without proba...

chicagotribune.com

This is a great appointment. Jennifer Jones Austin has a long record of pushing for justice, including her advocacy for fairer policing and criminal system reforms like alternatives to harsh criminal penalties for young people. The CCRB deserves a strong permanent chair like Jennifer.

Mamdani Names Prominent Black Leader as Head of Police Review Board

Jennifer Jones Austin, a government veteran who also serves as vice chair of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, will lead the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

nytimes.com

ICYMI: The latest from @newsweek.com cites @fwd.us data on the economic impact of terminating TPS for Haiti, especially in FL, where 93,000 Haitian TPS holders support industries like food service, agriculture, healthcare, warehousing, and security.

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Taking a page from the McCarthy Era playbook, the Trump regime and its minions in Congress are smearing and investigating journalists and organizations whose speech they don't like. These subpoenas are nothing more than a political witch hunt and an attack on the First Amendment.

House Republicans Subpoena Left-Wing Groups Amid Trump Administration Crackdown

The move comes as the Trump administration has escalated its efforts to attack left-wing movements at home and abroad.

truthout.org

"We are living with the legacy of the McCarthy era, and what Donald Trump is doing is really resurrecting the worst."⁠ ⁠ After a performance of "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been," @dlnyclu.bsky.social spoke at a talkback on the attacks we're enduring on free speech and the fight for our democracy.⁠

Megan's calling it like it is: These are regressive, oppressive attacks on women and girls.

Racial inequality in New York is not by accident. It's the direct outcome of deliberate laws, policies, and government decisions that continue to deny Black New Yorkers access to things like fair access to housing, healthy environments, education, justice under the law, and political power.⁠

It's NYCLU night at the theater! After tomorrow's performance of "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been" - which takes us into the world of the 1940s House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings - join me for a talkback about the importance of free expression and the right to dissent.

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NEW: The Supreme Court has ruled that states can ban transgender girls from school sports. This is a devastating ruling for trans student athletes across the country who just want to play the sport they love, and be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else.

Photo of children sitting down in a group - one child, in a pink hate and multicolor winter jacket, holds up a homemade sign that reads "Let Trans Kids BE." Headline text on the graphic reads "BREAKING: New York Laws Protect Trans Youth, Even if The Supreme Court Doesn't"White text on a dark purple background. Quote attributable to NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman: "Trans people belong everywhere, including in sports. The Supreme Court is allowing politicians to mandate discrimination against trans people. The court's decision is an attack on young transgender women and girls around the country who just want to participate in student athletics, compete on a team, have fun with their peers, and be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else. Blanket bans excluding kids are not only cruel and unfair, but also rob children of the opportunity to learn teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. The NYCLU will continue to defend the rights of transgender youth to participate in all aspects of life as their authentic selves, free from harm and discrimination."White text on a dark purple background. Quote attributable to NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman: "Today's Supreme Court ruling is limited to the context of athletics, but the decision does not implicate the rights of transgender students in New York. Under New York law, it has long been illegal for schools to discriminate based on a student's gender identity or expression. It is critical that all New Yorkers know, as bad as this decision is, it remains illegal for public schools in New York to discriminate against students because of their gender identity or expression."

Today SCOTUS thwarted Trump’s attempts to gut birthright citizenship. While we can all breathe a little easier today, we know the Trump admin will keep trying to redefine citizenship. The NYCLU will keep doing all we can to protect our communities and fight Trump’s racist, cruel agenda.

The New York Times@nytimes.com · last mo.

The Supreme Court blocked President Trump’s executive order that banned birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants and some temporary foreign visitors. Read the decision.

In the wake of this decision, NY state and local lawmakers must do all they can to ensure no one faces Trump’s deportation machine without help. That means fully funding immigrant legal services and passing the Access to Representation Act and the Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense Act in Albany.

The Court has looked past or condoned Trump’s grotesque and racist rhetoric to allow the administration to do its worst - going after teachers, healthcare workers, business owners, parents, grandparents, siblings, neighbors, and loved ones no matter the future danger they face.

Today’s outrageous and cruel decision by the Supreme Court puts over a million lives in peril. It undermines a core promise of this country: to be a refuge for those fleeing danger and persecution and seeking a better life for themselves and their families.

Mother Jones@motherjones.com · last mo.

NEW: SCOTUS's latest decision effectively allows the Trump administration to move forward with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,000 nationals of Syria and Haiti who are living and working in the US.

Why is the NYC hell bent on passing something they call “ just a transparency bill” when they have to know it will hurt free speech rights and kids?

NYCLU@nyclu.org · last mo.

"When you throw police at kids, we know what happens - we had years of police being involved with school discipline. Kids and police are a toxic combination. The impact on the kids is just devastating." More from @dlnyclu.bsky.social on why the City Council's buffer zone bill is bad for students ⤵️

One year ago today, Mahmoud Khalil was released from immigration detention. ⁠ ⁠ Back in March 2025, the Trump admin seized Mahmoud and illegally ripped him away from his wife and his home in NYC. Mahmoud was forced to miss the birth of his first child, his graduation, and countless other moments.⁠

People detained at Delaney Hall are facing inhumane conditions, and are denied necessities like medical care, edible food, and access to legal representation. We won't stop fighting until this detention center is permanently closed.

NY’s budget has finally, FINALLY passed. While it includes some meaningful provisions, like barring formal collusion between ICE & local law enforcement, and unprecedented investments in child care, lawmakers left a lot on the table. Fortunately, there’s still time to act before session ends.

NYCLU@nyclu.org · 2mo ago

In case you missed it: Lawmakers *finally* passed the FY27 state budget late last night. Here's where we landed with some of New Yorkers' top priorities 🧵

While this victory is critical, we know that this isn't the end - Speaker Menin has indicated she has another anti-speech bill in the wings. We'll keep a close eye on it, and are prepared to keep up the pressure on the City Council if, like 175-B, it undermines our right to protest and speak out.

NEW: Together with students, parents, faith leaders, civil rights advocates and more, we rallied today to celebrate defeating 175-B - and to stand firm against any other dangerous iteration of this no-speech bill. Thank you to everyone who used their voice to stand against censorship.

Several dozen New Yorkers stand on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse holding signs that say "We want Safety not Censorship"