TOP 10 CASES (2006-2007)

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our nation’s guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

ACLU in the courts: top 10 cases (2006-2007)

1. Albuquerque Voter I.D. The ACLU of New Mexico succeeded in striking down an ordinance that required photo identification to be presented at the polls, but not for absentee ballots. The ordinance violated equal protection under the U.S. Constitution.
2. Immigration Detainees ACLU of New Mexico attorneys obtained the release of all Chinese and several Cuban immigrants who had been detained for unlawfully long periods of time at the Regional Correctional Center in Albuquerque.
3. Rumble in Rio The ACLU of New Mexico filed suit on behalf of two Albuquerque firefighters after City officials tried to prohibit city employees from participating in the Rumble in Rio Charity Boxing Event. After a half day hearing, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the City from disciplining employees for participating in the event.
4. Kendra’s Law After ACLU of New Mexico and Protection & Advocacy System attorneys filed suit, a State District Judge issued a permanent injunction striking down an ordinance that enabled the City of Albuquerque to forcibly medicate people with mental illness on the grounds that it was preempted by state law.
5. NMSU Religious Discrimination The ACLU of New Mexico filed suit against New Mexico State University (NMSU) on behalf of four Muslim football players for alleged religious discrimination by the coaching staff.
6. Domestic Partnership Retiree Health Care Benefits The ACLU of New Mexico and the National ACLU Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) Project filed suit against the State of New Mexico for denying health care benefits to same-sex partners of retired state employees.
7. Springer/CYFD ACLU of New Mexico cooperating attorneys negotiated an incredible settlement with the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) over mistreatment and neglect of juvenile detainees. The settlement included both the closing of the Springer juvenile detention facility and funds for the cooperating attorneys to monitor conditions for several years.
8. Grants Women’s Prison Overcrowding ACLU of New Mexico attorneys filed a lawsuit asking the Court to order the Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Corrections to comply with his duty to convene the Population Control Commission. At the time the order was issued, the Grants Women’s Prison had been overcrowded by fifty inmates for over a year and had started to develop unsanitary conditions due to the overcrowding.
9. Santa Fe Veterans for Peace The ACLU of New Mexico sued the Santa Fe National Cemetery for failing to allow the Santa Fe Chapter of Veterans for Peace to hold a solemn memorial service at the cemetery. The suit settled in the Vets favor.
10. VA Nurse Accused of “Sedition” After the Albuquerque office of the Veterans Administration investigated an employee for “potential acts of sedition” for writing a letter to the editor of the Alibi newspaper, the ACLU of New Mexico issued a letter of protest that eventually led to a formal apology from the director of the VA.