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ACLU Sues School District For Punishing Kindergarten Student Because Of Family's Religious Beliefs (10/02/2008)
HOUSTON – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas today filed a lawsuit against the Needville Independent School District (NISD) for punishing a five-year-old American Indian kindergarten student for practicing and expressing his family's religious beliefs and heritage by wearing his hair long in violation of school rules.

Farmers Branch, Texas Anti-Immigrant Ordinance Is Blocked While Challenge Continues (09/22/2008)
DALLAS – City officials in Farmers Branch, Texas today agreed not to fight a request from residents to block the city's latest anti-immigrant ordinance from taking effect while a legal challenge continues. The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) filed a request in federal court on the residents' behalf for a preliminary injunction blocking the ordinance. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas is expected to enter the injunction today.

ACLU And MALDEF File Lawsuit To Stop Farmers Branch Newest Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (09/15/2008)
DALLAS – Friday, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas filed a complaint in federal court charging that Farmers Branch Ordinance 2952 violates the U.S. Constitution and federal and state statutes. The ordinance, which requires all renters in Farmers Branch to register their presence with the City and obtain an occupancy license, is the city's third effort to restrict residency in Farmers Branch.

ACLU Challenges State Department's Refusal To Issue Passports To U.S. Citizens (09/09/2008)
McALLEN, TX - Today nine American citizens sued the federal government, challenging the U.S. Department of State's refusal to issue them passports because of their race and ancestry and because their births were attended by midwives. The class action lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, the international law firm Hogan and Hartson LLP and Refugio del Rio Grande, Inc., builds upon a complaint filed earlier this year.

La ACLU impugna al Departamento de Estado por rehusarse a expedir pasaportes a ciudadanos estadounidenses (09/09/2008)
McAllen, TX - El día de hoy nueve ciudadanos estadounidenses demandaron al gobierno federal, impugnando al Departamento de Estado por negarse a expedir pasaportes a causa de la raza o ascendencia y por el hecho que los individuos nacieron con la ayuda de parteras. La demanda de acción de clase, entablada por la Unión Americana de Libertades Civiles, o ACLU, por sus siglas en inglés, la ACLU de Texas, el despacho jurídico internacional Hogan & Hartson LLP y Refugio del Rio Grande, Inc., se respalda en una denuncia archivada a principios de año.

U.S.: End Beating of Children in Public Schools (08/20/2008)
DALLAS – More than 200,000 U.S. public school students were punished by beatings during the 2006-2007 school year, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union said in a joint report released today. In the 13 states that corporally punished more than 1,000 students per year, African-American girls were twice as likely to be beaten as their white counterparts.

U.S.: End Beating of Children in Public Schools (08/20/2008)
DALLAS – More than 200,000 U.S. public school students were punished by beatings during the 2006-2007 school year, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union said in a joint report released today. In the 13 states that corporally punished more than 1,000 students per year, African-American girls were twice as likely to be beaten as their white counterparts.

Americans United For Separation Of Church And State And ACLU File Brief Objecting To Government Promotion of Prayer In Texas' "Moment Of Silence" Law (06/09/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas submitted a friend-of-the-court brief today to a federal appeals court urging the court to rule against a religiously motivated 2003 amendment to Texas' "Moment of Silence" statute. The amendment added "pray" to the statute's list of activities for students during the moment of silence.

Judge Orders Children Returned To Their Families (06/02/2008)
AUSTIN, TX - Judge Barbara Walther ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services today to return more than 400 children removed from the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, Texas to their families. The order follows a Texas Supreme Court decision last week holding that Judge Walther erred when she initially granted the state temporary custody of the children without requiring the state first to submit, in accordance with Texas law, evidence of a continuing threat of physical harm to the children.

ACLU Urges Court to Correct Constitutional Errors (05/30/2008)
AUSTIN -- The ACLU is encouraged by 51st District Judge Barbara Walther’s scheduling of a hearing for 2 p.m. today to address yesterday's Texas Supreme Court decision that the state's removal of over 400 children from the Yearning for Zion Ranch (YFZ) in Eldorado was unwarranted. The Supreme Court decision let stand an appellate ruling that Judge Walther must vacate her order granting custody of all of the YFZ children to the Department of Family and Protective Services.

ACLU Submits Brief In Texas FLDS Case Saying State Can't Separate Families Based Solely On Beliefs (05/29/2008)
AUSTIN, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas today submitted a friend of the court brief with the Texas Supreme Court opposing a petition from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) to retain custody of the children of 38 mothers from the Yearning For Zion Ranch (YFZ) in Eldorado, Texas.

Texas Supreme Court Calls Removal Of Children From Yearning For Zion Ranch "Unwarranted" (05/29/2008)
AUSTIN, TEX. – The Texas Supreme Court today agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union that the state failed to provide evidence sufficient to justify its removal of children from 38 mothers at the Yearning For Zion Ranch (YFZ) in Eldorado. In its ruling, the Supreme Court denied the state’s challenge to an appeals court finding that the removal was unwarranted, effectively requiring the state to return the children to the custody of their mothers.

Texas School Board Agrees To Stop Teaching Unconstitutional Bible Class In Public Schools (03/05/2008)
ODESSA, TX – The Ector County School Board agreed today to stop teaching a course in its public schools that unconstitutionally promotes a particular interpretation of the Bible that is not shared by Jews, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and most Protestants.

Free Market Foundation, ACLU, Texas Eagle Forum PAC (02/13/2008)
AUSTIN, Texas – A broad-based coalition of plaintiffs today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Austin that challenges a state law blocking individuals and organizations in Texas from engaging in true public debate over the election of the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

Vidor School District Makes Pledge of Allegiance Optional After ACLU Challenge (01/23/2008)
AUSTIN, TX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas applauded the Vidor Independent School District (VISD) Board of Directors today for revising district policy to protect students’ right to decide for themselves whether to participate in the pledge of allegiance. The new policy, which went into effect immediately, provides students the daily “opportunity to stand and recite the pledges of allegiance to the United States and Texas flags.”

Judge Grants ACLU, MALDEF Request to Block Anti-Immigrant Ordinance in Texas During Duration of Trial (06/19/2007)
FARMERS BRANCH, TX – A federal district court in Texas today sided with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and issued an order that blocks an anti-immigrant ordinance from taking effect in Farmers Branch while a legal challenge continues.

HipHop Against Policy Brutality, ACLU of Texas and Abilene NAACP to Co-Host Youth Summit (06/15/2007)
ABILENE, TX – Three civil rights organizations are joining forces to host the first annual Abilene HipHop Summit. The HipHop Summit will be held Saturday, June 16, 2007 at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 North 6th St. Abilene, Texas from 10 am to 2pm. Registration will begin at 9:30am. The HipHop Summit theme urges young people to “Express, Empower, and Educate” themselves to become positive agents for change in their schools and community.

ACLU Applauds Governor for Signing Texas’ First Needle Exchange Bill (06/14/2007)
AUSTIN – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today applauded Governor Rick Perry for signing a Medicaid reform bill authorizing the first legal needle exchange program in Texas. The new law brings Texas up to date with most other states in the nation by starting a safe, legal needle exchange pilot program in Bexar County this fall.

ACLU Shares Findings of Two-Week Investigation of Girls in Texas Juvenile Justice System (05/24/2007)
AUSTIN, TX - As part of ongoing efforts to reform and restructure Texas’s juvenile justice system, today the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project released a preliminary report, A Blueprint for Meeting the Needs of Girls in TYC Custody. On Tuesday the ACLU briefed Texas Youth Commission (TYC) Conservator Jay Kimbrough, Acting Executive Director Ed Owens and new Chief Ombudsman Will Harrell on findings and recommendations in the report that resulted from a two-week investigation of all TYC detention facilities that house girls. The report was presented yesterday to key legislative staffers.

ACLU of Texas Expresses Concern Over Surveillance Database (05/23/2007)
AUSTIN, TX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas expressed continued concern today that the intelligence database provisions in a recently passed state House bill do not go far enough in protecting the privacy of Texans. After passing the House two weeks ago, HB 13 has now passed the Texas Senate. The bill received a flurry of attention for its border security provisions and for putting the massive database into the governor’s hands, but many privacy protections have been stripped from it.

ACLU of Texas Applauds Passage of Prison Rape Elimination Bill (05/22/2007)
AUSTIN, TX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas cheers the passage of House Bill 1944, a measure that seeks to eliminate sexual assault in Texas Prisons, which cleared the Texas Senate yesterday. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston), also garnered support from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA), Stop Prison Rape, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Texas Youth Commission Taps Veteran ACLU of Texas Leader as Ombudsman (05/10/2007)
AUSTIN, TX – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas announced today that Executive Director William C. Harrell will be appointed Ombudsman of the newly restructured Texas Youth Commission. Harrell has served as Executive Director of the ACLU of Texas, the eighth largest ACLU affiliate in the nation, for the past 7 years.

ACLU Announces Multi-State Action Calling on Government to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Federally Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula (05/09/2007)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. Eleven ACLU affiliates sent letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula in their states and asking HHS to take steps to remedy the situation.

U.N. Independent Expert Denied Access to Hutto Detention Center (05/04/2007)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today called on the U.S. government to explain why it is denying a United Nations independent expert access to the Hutto immigrant detention facility in Taylor, Texas.

U.N. Independent Expert on Rights of Migrants Begins Fact-Finding Mission in United States (04/30/2007)
SAN DIEGO - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed the official fact-finding visit to the United States by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. The ACLU is among the select groups and individuals that will be meeting with the Special Rapporteur over the next three weeks to testify about the conditions of immigrants and migrants living in the United States.

ACLU of Texas and Juvenile Justice Advocates Applaud Passage of Texas Youth Commission Reform Bill (04/19/2007)
AUSTIN, TX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Texas Coalition Advocating Justice for Juveniles (TCAJJ) applauded the unanimous passage in the State Senate today of SB 103, the omnibus reform legislation on the Texas Youth Commission (TYC). Both groups were thrilled to see the comprehensive bill pass so quickly after tumultuous weeks of scandals and revelations at the commission.

Court Says ACLU Likely to Prevail on Claims Regarding Immigrant Children Detained at Hutto Facility in Texas (04/10/2007)
AUSTIN, TX - In a ruling issued late Monday, a Texas federal court found that the American Civil Liberties Union is “highly likely to prevail” at trial on its claims that the detention of immigrant children at the T. Don Hutto facility in Taylor, Texas is an abuse of discretion by federal officials and violates applicable legal standards.

ACLU Challenges Illegal Detention of Immigrant Children Held in Prison-Like Conditions (03/06/2007)
AUSTIN, TX - The American Civil Liberties Union today filed lawsuits on behalf of ten immigrant children, challenging their illegal detention at the T. Don Hutto facility in Taylor, Texas.

Civil Rights Groups File Challenge to Anti-Immigrant Ordinance in Texas (12/27/2006)
FARMERS BRANCH, TX – Today, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, along with the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, filed suit in Dallas federal district court on behalf of Farmers Branch residents and landlords challenging the city’s recently adopted anti-immigrant ordinance.

ACLU of Texas and ACLJ Urge State Supreme Court to Enforce Religious Freedom Act (12/06/2006)
AUSTIN, TX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the American Center for Law and Justice today filed a joint friend-of-the-court brief in support of Pastor Rick Barr and Philemon Homes, Inc. urging the state supreme court to reverse a lower court decision upholding an ordinance that forbids correctional or rehabilitation facilities within 1,000 feet of a church.

ACLU Hosts Shut Up & Sing Screening in Houston (11/15/2006)
HOUSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Texas and The Weinstein Company will present a special preview screening of the new Dixie Chicks documentary Shut Up & Sing on Thursday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Landmark Theatre, 5 Greenway Plaza in Houston.

ACLU of Texas Shares United Nation's Concern About Increased Level of Militarization on Border (07/28/2006)
EL PASO, TX — A United Nations human rights body today expressed grave concerns over the United States' human rights record. The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the recommendations and urged the U.S. government to take immediate and vigorous steps to implement them on both the state and federal level. Among the findings from the committee were concerns about the increased level of militarization on the U.S.-Mexico Border, National Guard troops on the U.S.-Mexico border and the enforcement of immigration laws by agents lacking adequate training on immigration issues.

ACLU of Texas Files Lawsuit Over Restrictions on Protesters Outside President’s Ranch (06/30/2006)
WACO, TX —The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today asked a district judge to block McLennan County officials from enforcing orders aimed at restricting anti-war protesters outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, saying the orders violate free speech rights and exceed the officials’ authority.

ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans’ Phone Calls (05/24/2006)
NEW YORK -- Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying.

ACLU Applauds Court Decision Reversing Conviction Denying Pregnant Women in Texas Their Rights (03/30/2006)
AMARILLO, TX – The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a unanimous decision by a state court of appeals in Texas reversing the convictions of two pregnant women accused of delivering a controlled substance to their fetuses.

ACLU of Texas Criticizes Continued Use of Race, Over-Use of Consent Searches in Traffic Stops (02/17/2006)
AUSTIN, TX - A report released today by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition found that many state law enforcement agencies continue to use consent searches inconsistently and inappropriately, and that consent searches rarely uncover wrongdoing and are more likely to target minorities.

Roderick Keith Johnson Speaks Out About Verdict in Prison Rape Case (10/19/2005)
WICHITA FALLS, TX -- Roderick Keith Johnson, a gay former prisoner who was repeatedly raped and sold as a sex slave by prison gangs, today expressed disappointment in a jury verdict dismissing his civil lawsuit against the prison officials who ignored his pleas for help.

Texas Jury Rejects Prison Rape Case (10/18/2005)
WICHITA FALLS, TX -- A jury today rejected a civil lawsuit brought by Roderick Keith Johnson, a gay former Texas prisoner who was repeatedly raped and sold as a sex slave by prison gangs. The lawsuit sought damages from six prison officials for ignoring Johnson's pleas for help and refusing to protect him from repeated sexual assault.

ACLU Presents Closing Statement in Texas Prison Sex Slave Trial (10/17/2005)
WICHITA FALLS, TX- The American Civil Liberties Union presented closing argument today at the civil trial of six prison officials who refused to protect Roderick Keith Johnson, a gay former Texas prisoner who was repeatedly raped and sold as a sex slave by prison gangs.

In Wake of ACLU Civil Rights Lawsuit Settlement, African Americans Affected by Texas Drug Task Force Scandal Call for Reconciliation at Town Meeting (06/02/2005)
HEARNE, TX -- At a community meeting tonight, African American residents in this rural community of 5,000, where the American Civil Liberties Union recently settled a major civil rights lawsuit against agents of a federally funded regional narcotics task force, will meet with local and state officials to discuss ways to work together to reform drug law enforcement in Robertson County, where Hearne is located.

Civil Rights Lawsuit Settled by Robertson County, Texas and ACLU (05/11/2005)
HEARNE, TX -- Robertson County, the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr today announced the resolution and an end to a civil rights lawsuit which arose from the arrest of 27 African American residents in this Texas town. The charges against the plaintiffs in this case were ultimately dismissed. The details of the settlement are confidential. However, both Robertson County and the ACLU are satisfied with the resolution of this case.

New Report Shows Texas Police More Likely to Stop Blacks and Latinos (02/24/2005)
AUSTIN, TX -- A new study released today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other civil rights groups reveals that Texas police stop and search blacks and Latinos at significantly higher rates than whites, even though whites are at least as likely to be found with illegal drugs or weapons when stopped by police.

ACLU Says Texas Police Violated Art Gallery Owner's Freedom of Expression (01/11/2005)
DALLAS-The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the city of Pilot Point and its police department, charging that police officers violated an art gallery owner's freedom of expression by coercing him to remove a mural depicting the biblical story of Eve.

Man Raped by Prison Guard Receives Money Damages in ACLU Lawsuit (12/02/2004)
WASHINGTON- A 25-year-old Texas prisoner, who was repeatedly raped by a prison guard with a history of sexual assault, accepted a settlement in which his rapist and the assistant warden who failed to protect him agreed to pay substantial money damages, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today.

In Legal First, Appeals Court Says Texas Prison Officials Can Be Sued for Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation (09/09/2004)
WASHINGTON, DC- In a legal first, a unanimous federal appeals court has ruled that seven ranking Texas prison officials can be sued for damages due to discrimination based on sexual orientation, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today. The ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals came in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of a gay man who was repeatedly raped by prison gangs and whose pleas for help were ignored by officials.

Texas Drug Task Force Violates Rights by Engaging in Unnecessary Searches, Racial Profiling, ACLU Charges (05/19/2004)
AUSTIN, TX - The state's federally funded narcotic task forces are performing thousands of baseless searches at traffic stops and engaging in illegal racial profiling, according to a new report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.

ACLU Says Faulty Investigation by Texas Corrections Department Led to Grand Jury's Failure to Indict Rape Suspects (02/26/2004)
AUSTIN, TX-Citing evidence that a gay prisoner had repeatedly pleaded with corrections officials to help him escape rapes by prison gang members, the American Civil Liberties Union today released documents refuting a flawed internal investigation by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that claimed the victim consented to sex with his attackers.

High Court Halts Execution of Texas Death Row Prisoner, Saying Prosecutors Violated Ethical Duties (02/24/2004)
WASHINGTON - The United States Supreme Court today halted the scheduled execution of death row prisoner Delma Banks, Jr., saying that Banks was denied a fair trial 20 years ago when prosecutors withheld crucial exculpatory evidence from the defense.

After ACLU Intervention, Texas High School Agrees to Reinstate Amnesty International Club (08/07/2003)
SAN ANTONIO - The American Civil Liberties Union today reached an agreement with officials from the San Antonio Independent School District to reinstate Luther Burbank High School's Amnesty International Club, which had been banned in March after some of its members independently took part in a silent demonstration to raise awareness about violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people.

ACLU Reaches Common Ground on Response to Terrorist Attacks At Texas Forum Featuring Conservative Leaders and Muslim Republicans (06/26/2003)
HOUSTON - Bridging a huge ideological gap, left- and right-leaning strange bedfellows yesterday banded together at an American Civil Liberties Union forum here to express concerns about the government's insatiable appetite for new law enforcement powers post-9/11 and to argue that Americans can be both safe and free.

Following Historic Supreme Court Ruling in Texas Sodomy Case, ACLU Urges LGBT People to "Get Busy, Get Equal" (06/26/2003)
NEW YORK - In response to the Supreme Court's decision striking a down Texas law that made some types of sexual intimacy a crime for gay people, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a national campaign to urge lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters to take advantage of this historic moment by pushing for equality. The ACLU has developed a new website, www.aclu.org/getequal, that provides tools for fighting anti-gay discrimination, making schools safer for LGBT youth and getting equality for LGBT relationships.

Striking Down Texas Law Against Same-Sex "Sodomy," Supreme Court Rights Egregious Wrong of 17 Years, Signaling New Era for Gay Rights (06/26/2003)
WASHINGTON - In an historic decision with wide-ranging implications, the U.S. Supreme Court today struck down a Texas law that makes some kinds of sexual intimacy a crime, but only for gay people. The decision overrules the court's 1986 decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, which was widely condemned for treating gay people as second-class citizens. It was hailed by the American Civil Liberties Union as a major milestone in the fight for constitutional rights.

ACLU Welcomes Bond Hearing for Tulia 13, Says Reform Still Needed (06/16/2003)
WASHINGTON -- Saying that 13 wrongly convicted individuals swept up in the racially charged Tulia drug scandal are one step closer to vindication, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas both welcomed the release of the men and women at a special bond hearing in Texas and applauded a statement released this afternoon by several prominent Members of Congress expressing solidarity with the Tulia defendants.

ACLU of Texas Hails Defeat of Bill That Would Have Created a Massive 'Biometric' Database of Drivers (05/27/2003)
AUSTIN, TX-The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today applauded state legislators for rejecting a bill that would have created a massive database of 'biometric identifiers' collected from every Texan with a driver's license.

ACLU Tells Texas High School: Keep Your Hands Off Gay-Supportive Students (05/27/2003)
SAN ANTONIO -- After a high school principal forcibly removed stickers from students' clothing during a silent protest to raise awareness of anti-gay violence, the American Civil Liberties Union demanded today that Luther Burbank High School stop censoring teens who took part in the protest and insisted that the school promise not to punish students who take part in such actions in the future.

Texas School District Settles ACLU Lawsuit By Allowing Gay-Straight Alliance (03/05/2003)
HOUSTON -- After months of delays and a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, officials at Klein High School have agreed to allow students who want to form a Gay-Straight Alliance to begin meeting, according to a settlement agreement announced this morning.

Money Can Be Saved on Prisons Without Diminishing Public Safety, ACLU of Texas Tells Lawmakers (02/25/2003)
AUSTIN, TX--In testimony today before the Texas House Corrections Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said that the state's prisons have become too expensive because the system incarcerates too many non-violent offenders who should be home supporting their families.

New ACLU Report Blasts Texas' Scandal-Plagued Narcotics Task Forces, Calls for End to Bloated $200 Million Program (12/17/2002)
AUSTIN, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today issued a report calling for an end to the state's $200 million regional narcotics task force system, citing pervasive racial profiling and 24 major drug scandals since 1998.

ACLU Charges Racial Discrimination in Second Texas Drug Bust Scandal (11/01/2002)
AUSTIN, TX--The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a class action lawsuit charging racial discrimination in an undercover drug bust that led to the arrest of 15 percent of African-American men between the ages of 18 and 34 in Hearne, a rural community of 5,000 in eastern Texas.

ACLU Charges Racial Discrimination in Second Texas Drug Bust Scandal (11/01/2002)
AUSTIN, TX--The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a class action lawsuit charging racial discrimination in an undercover drug bust that led to the arrest of 15 percent of African-American men between the ages of 18 and 34 in Hearne, a rural community of 5,000 in eastern Texas.

¿Como se dice Rodney King en Espanol? Posters Promote Reform, Commemorate Texas Victim of Police Brutality (10/15/2002)
HOUSTON-Saying that major reforms are needed to curb the increased incidences of police misconduct and brutality, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other advocacy organizations today unveiled a new poster advertisement meant to commemorate the life of Louis Torres, a Mexican national whose death at the hands of police in the city of Baytown was caught on a police camera.

Ignored by Officials, TX Prisoner Secretly Collected DNA Evidence on Guard Who Raped Him, ACLU Lawsuit Reveals (10/08/2002)
WASHINGTON--The American Civil Liberties Union today filed its second lawsuit in recent months over prisoner rape in Texas, charging that a guard who repeatedly raped a 22-year-old man was not punished until after the prisoner provided DNA evidence of the assaults.

Another Troubling Texas Execution (08/28/2002)

Another Troubling Texas Execution: Statement by Diann Rust-Tierney, Director, ACLU Capital Punishment Project (08/27/2002)
WASHINGTON-Today's scheduled execution of juvenile offender, Toronto Patterson in Texas epitomizes that state's determination to proceed with an execution despite mounting concerns.

One Down, Six to Go this Month: Why is Texas in a Rush to Execute? (05/08/2002)
WASHINGTON-Texas once again seems determined to take the lead in the nation's execution race. This month alone, the state had planned to kill eight death row inmates. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, has already stayed the execution of two of those prisoners. 

Texas Officials Complicit in Gang Rape and Sexual Slavery of Gay Black Man, ACLU Charges (04/17/2002)
WASHINGTON--In a case that highlights prison systems' failure to protect vulnerable prisoners -- and the role bias plays in who gets protected -- the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit against Texas prison officials who permitted a gay African American man to be repeatedly raped and sold as a sexual slave for $5.

ACLU Applauds Jury Decision to Spare Andrea Yates' Life (03/15/2002)
WASHINGTON -- We are relieved that Andrea Yates will not face death for the senseless tragedy that occurred in Texas last summer. Yates is a woman suffering from serious mental illness and her possible execution should never have been an option. It took a Harris County Texas jury less than an hour to reach this conclusion. A nagging question however remains: how long will it take for Texas prosecutors and lawmakers to recognize the need for more restraint in seeking the death penalty? 

ACLU, Civil Rights Groups in Texas Urge Lawmakers to Pass a Statewide Ban on Racial Profiling (03/05/2001)
AUSTIN, TX--The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and a host of other civil liberties organizations in the state announced today that two state representatives have agreed to sponsor bills that would prohibit racial profiling by police officers.

Texas Resumes Brisk Death Penalty Schedule, Including Execution of Mentally Retarded Man (11/14/2000)
WASHINGTON--Following a welcome hiatus during his presidential campaign, tonight Texas Gov. George W. Bush is resuming his brisk execution schedule with the lethal injection of Texas inmate Stacey Lawton, followed by two executions expected to take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

NAACP, ACLU Charge"Ethnic Cleansing" in Mass Arrests of Black Residents of Tulia, Texas (10/13/2000)
AUSTIN, TX-- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the NAACP of Texas today announced the filing of a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, charging racial discrimination and prosecutorial misconduct in connection with mass arrests of black residents in small-town Tulia.

DNA Tests Clear Two of Rape (09/30/2000)
HOUSTON, TX -- DNA evidence has cleared two wrongly convicted men, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Racial Discrimination Charged by ACLU in Notorious Drug Bust Scandal (09/29/2000)
AUSTIN, TX--The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today filed a lawsuit charging racial discrimination and conspiracy in an undercover drug bust that led to the arrest of almost 10 percent of the African American population of Tulia, a rural farming and ranching community of about 5,000.

ACLU of Texas Issues "Banned Books" Report In Wake of Major Victory in Local Censorship Case (09/22/2000)
AUSTIN, TX--Kicking off national "Banned Books Week," and in the wake of a recent local victory in a book censorship case, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today issued a 71-page report on books that were banned or challenged in Texas public schools during the 1999-2000 school year.

On Eve of 'Banned Books Week,' Texas Judge Blocks Censorship of Two Gay Parenting Books in Library (09/20/2000)
WICHITA FALLS, TX --A federal judge today struck down a local law that restricted public library access to two books about gay parenting, calling the policy unconstitutional, the American Civil Liberties Union announced.

ACLU Claims Free Speech Victory in Texas; Displaying Political Posters is Now Legal (07/19/2000)
ROWLETT, TX -- The City Council here last night voted unanimously for a new sign ordinance that eliminates unconstitutional restrictions against political speech by residents in response to a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas last summer.

Texas Board's Failure to Halt Execution Of Gary Graham is Deplorable, ACLU Says (06/22/2000)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union deplores the decision of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to allow the execution of Gary Graham to go forward despite powerful evidence of his innocence.

Human Rights Activist Will Harrell Leads ACLU of Texas as New Executive Director (06/15/2000)
AUSTIN, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has named William Clark Harrell as its new Executive Director, officials announced today.

ACLU and 18 Texas Families Sue to Stop 'Prove Your Religion' School Uniform Policy (03/16/2000)
FORNEY, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today sued a school district here on behalf of 18 families saying that students should not be forced to submit proof of faith to be exempted from the mandatory school uniform policy.

Gay Death Row Inmate to be Freed in Texas (03/03/2000)
Harris County, TX -- It wasn't bad enough that the prosecutor argued for execution because prison is "fun" for gay men. Calvin Burdine's conviction was finally tossed out because his lawyer slept through the defense, Planet Out reported.

Slated Release of Gay Texas Inmate Further Reveals Death Penalty's Injustice, Merits Statewide Moratorium (03/02/2000)
NEW YORK -- Citing the release of a gay man yesterday whose sexual orientation was used as a basis for sentencing him to die, the American Civil Liberties Union today called on the Governor of Texas to impose an immediate moratorium on the death penalty statewide.

ACLU Condemns Texas Execution of 62-Year-Old Great Grandmother (02/24/2000)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union opposes tonight's scheduled execution of Betty Lou Beets, a 62-year-old great-grandmother who will be only the fourth woman executed since the Supreme Court reinstituted the death penalty in 1976.

"Saddle Tramps" Booster Club Denies Excluding Woman (09/24/1999)
LUBBOCK, TX -- They hoot when the Red Raiders win and holler like maniacs after a loss. For 64 years, the rowdy and raucous Texas Tech Saddle Tramps have been known across West Texas as a famed and exclusive spirit club. And as far back as anyone can remember, the Tramps have only been men, the Associated Press reports.

Lesbian Mom Fights Court Ban On Taking Daughter to Church (09/01/1999)
WICHITA FALLS, TX -- Rights groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union today asked a Texas appeals court to reverse a trial judge's order barring a lesbian mother from bringing her 5-year-old daughter to anything but a "main line" church.

ACLU of Texas Sues Gov. Bush, State Officials Over Arrest of Demonstrators (08/30/1999)
AUSTIN, TX -- Acting on behalf of protestors who were arrested while exercising their free speech rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today filed a lawsuit against Gov. George W. Bush and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

ACLU Victorious in Texas Black Arm Band Case (08/30/1999)
ALLEN, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said today that it has settled a federal court case filed on behalf of a high school senior who was suspended for wearing a black armband as part of a five-day silent demonstration.

Houston Joins Battle Against Racial Profiling (08/12/1999)
HOUSTON -- Police officers who stop people because of their skin color may find themselves out of a job under a new city initiative, the Associated Press reported today.

ACLU Defend Texas Student Who Protested Rights Crackdown After Colorado Shooting (07/21/1999)
ALLEN, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today filed a federal lawsuit against school officials here on behalf of a high school student who was punished for wearing a black armband to protest restraints on free expression in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting.

ACLU Claims First Victory In Texas Public Library Censorship Case (07/20/1999)
WICHITA FALLS, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas was granted a temporary restraining order against the City of Wichita Falls in federal district court today in a challenge to the constitutionality of removing two books from the children's area of the city's public library.

ACLU Sues Texas City for Public Library Censorship (07/16/1999)
WICHITA FALLS, TX -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today filed suit in federal district court against the City of Wichita Falls challenging the constitutionality of removing two books from the children's area of the city's public library.

TX Judge Turns Down Social Worker's "Emergency" Action Against Lesbian and Gay Parenting (06/22/1999)
DALLAS--A social worker has been blocked in her "emergency" attempt to prevent the state of Texas from placing children in gay or lesbian foster or adoptive homes, the American Civil Liberties Union said today.

The Eyes Have It: Body Scans at the ATM (06/21/1999)
HOUSTON, TX - Jordan Pearce, an 18-year-old freshman at Rice University, stood in front of a cash machine, stared straight ahead and moments later pocketed $40 and walked away. Only, Pearce didn't have an ATM card.