Athar (@atharesq)

Feel free to skip this if you believe the “government is committed to transparency”… We recently sued the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (again) because police have been charging thousands of dollars for public records, including bodycam footage. LVMPD has even required those who request such bodycam footage to pay DEPOSITS based on police’s estimated costs in turning over the records and they have included staff salaries when doing so! This means they tried to charge close to $7k for bodycam footage from June 2025 protests where they arrested 90 plus people protesting ICE and more than $20k in other instances for other recorded footage within their possession. Their paywall structure is found no where in the law and blocks government transparency from existing. We sued LVMPD on behalf of our own organization, the Marshall Project, Edgar Flores Law, and the Nevada Independent, all of whom have been subject to the paywall alongside others, and we are seeking to have this unlawful paywall setup struck down. Yesterday, we argued this matter in court and the judge will be issuing a written decision in the months ahead. We will keep you posted when the decision is released. I expect this matter will probably be headed to the Nevada Supreme Court either way but only time will tell. Thank you to the great Darcy Spears at Channel 13 for her coverage and consistent investigative reporting! #policetransparency #bodycamfootage #civilrights #nevada #publicrecords

Late post for a Monday but a couple updates from Saturday’s issues at the Desert Breeze voting site in Las Vegas. We have a bunch of other updates coming this week, including on our case against LVMPD on excessive costs they charge for records (to be argued Thursday) and the City of Reno’s new and dangerous proposal to spend millions on ALPR technology and drones. Today I spoke with Nevada SoS Cisco Aguilar, who I am in regular contact with, Clark County Registrar of Voters Lorena Portillo, and LVMPD Sheriff McMahill, who reached out directly to discuss what happened Saturday so he can review on his end. The three are in contact with each other to try to ensure this doesn’t happen again, but we can’t take chances on voting rights and being free from voter intimidation. As a permanent skeptic (at best) about government action to protect civil liberties because that very rarely happens, we’re looking at potential challenges as well as everyone should have the chance to vote without being accosted or subject to unwanted physical contact. While no voter was turned away Saturday and speech is protected, voter intimidation and assault are NOT protected expressive activities. If you or anyone you know runs into issues at the polls, contact 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Feel free to also email your direct experiences if you run into any issues at Desert Breeze or any other voting sites or if you have any other information you need to share at [email protected] as we explore potential litigation here too. To the extent it doesn’t rise to that level and you don’t want to do that, drown out these voices of hate with voices of justice and equality. #ElectionProtection #NevadaVotes #Election2026 #Election #VoterIntimidation

On an otherwise smooth first day of early voting statewide in Nevada, this is what we dealt with today. It wasn’t just what was recorded here. Screaming about wanting ICE present on a megaphone, sharing false information about elections, yelling at disabled voters, making fun of voters’ appearance, and harassing election officials should never occur at a voting site. Nevada elections are free and fair thanks to our hardworking election workers and officials, including our county registrars and Sec. of State. Voting should be a peaceful occasion where voters and election workers can operate free of intimidation and harassment. Plenty of Democratic and Republican candidates/campaigns were out today and didn’t engage in any of this type of conduct. Election protection is non-partisan and you can do your part—sign up to be an Election Protection observer (link in bio). This conduct cannot be permitted and we have additional follow-ups with law enforcement, and if not, with our courts, to try to mitigate against these harms as Election Day approaches. A reminder that you can vote by dropping a ballot in a ballot dropbox, submitting your mail ballot, or voting in person. #ElectionProtection #NevadaVotes #Election2026 #Election #VoterIntimidation

Just for the record, when I say civil rights lawyer, I mean an actual one! 🥴 Anyhow, voting in Nevada for the 2026 General Election starts tomorrow! Link in Bio for voting/drop box locations! In Nevada, you can vote: 1. In person, OR 2. By completing your mail ballot and dropping it in a ballot drop box at a drop box site, OR 3. By completing your mail ballot and returning it by mail for processing (be sure to do as soon as possible to avoid any issues with postal service delays). If you haven’t voted before by mail or by dropping a ballot in a drop box, it’s easy to do per video! Remember, if you run into issues when voting, call the election protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or stop and tell one of our election protection volunteers wearing a t-shirt with that same phone number! Vote early if you can and make sure you are kind to our election workers. Happy voting! #electiontutorial #nevada #VoterEducation #ElectionPrep #election2026

Nobody knows what this Administration may try to do this election, but if election subversion attempts occur, we’re prepared to act. I truly hope that doesn’t happen but the Administration’s conduct is beyond chaotic. Elections in Nevada are free and fair and if ICE or federal agents illegally show up at Nevada polling places—or anyone tries to disrupt this election— our organization, our partner orgs, our Secretary of State, and our Attorney General are all prepared to act. Nobody in Nevada has litigated more challenges against the government (including the DOJ and DHS) than we have and we are ready to go but we need your help. Our nonpartisan election observation program is the largest in the state and our observers will be on the ground documenting and helping voters get immediate legal support if something occurs. Tap link in bio to join our Election Observation Program. #ElectionProtection #ProtectTheVote #NevadaVotes #VotingRights #Election2026

New documents show Las Vegas police have revised their protest policies, particularly surrounding dispersal orders and the firing of pepper balls at protesters (good changes). Darcy Spears of Channel 13’s full (brilliant) report, including commentary from fellow attorney Stephen Stubbs and I, is linked in bio. The full video from the story is a little over 5 minutes but the algorithms are the algorithms so this is pared-down a bit. Darcy’s full story is absolutely worth the read/watch. It seems the protest policy was revised in the midst of settlements with two of Stephen’s clients from 2025 protests. Emmanuel Beltran was shot with pepper balls for no reason. Karli Martinez, who is both a friend and streamer @itsmztoonz, was documenting a protest when she was tackled to the ground and unlawfully arrested for exercising her First Amendment rights. Karli is doing some great work with our friends (and past client) @ournevadajudges on government transparency so follow her and be sure to show her love when you see her. Beyond their cases, there have been a variety of cases brought over the last several years addressing protest issues, including by our friends Maggie McLetchie, Luke Busby, and several others. Our organization has continuously had observers out at protests during the last two years, including the night where Emmanuel and Karli were subject to improper policing and we have had to step in to represent protesters unlawfully arrested at protests (repeatedly). Thankfully, all charges against those we have represented were dropped or dismissed. I’ll also share as someone who has had pepper balls fired at them indiscriminately and who has been subject to unlawful detention myself, including during the BLM Protests of 2020 before I took over at ACLUNV (google it if you need proof), I am glad to see the protest revisions but we will also remain skeptical. Optimism and skepticism are not mutually exclusive. Thanks to all who continue to Fight for the First. #1A #nevada #LasVegas #litigation

This week, new Clark County School District Police Chief Jeff Clark confirmed CCSD, the nation’s 5th largest school district with around 300k students, will NOT renew its Flock camera access agreement and any future actions here will go before the Board of Trustees first. This follows his temporary suspension of Flock use last month. Since mid-August, we have had continuous conversations with a number of school board members and senior staff about the dangers of school police officers and other government officials accessing Flock and/or other mass surveillance technology. We asked that CCSDPD’s Flock use be added to the agenda for a public hearing to shut access down and prohibit future use. While there still remain unresolved issues on this, this was a smart decision on the new Chief’s end. CCSD’s change doesn’t do away with Flock cameras, but it does make public that any future use of ALPR cameras/technology on their end will be brought before the board of trustees and the public and not effectuated in secrecy. Of course, we’re not in the “take the government’s word for it” business so we will continue to monitor, just as we are monitoring the City of Reno’s new actions with the end of their Flock agreement and their potential transition to a different, dangerous ALPR tech company. As a reminder, we are proud to back @selena4nevada bill to BAN ALPRs during the next Nevada Legislative Session in 2027 (visit link in bio to get involved). In my view, much of the credit for these changes belongs to reporters and media. In mid-August, @yersocialistdad unveiled records showing CCSD was actively seeking Flock systems access and is continuing to cover this issue. Jaclynn Shultz covered it on television, helping audiences understand our position and why this technology is alarming. Isabelle Andrate, who is also a top reporter on immigration issues in Nevada, brought attention to it through her articles. Other reporters and journalists helped keep the spotlight on this, including Mary Kielar on the above. A FREE PRESS INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY/ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS. More to come. #LasVegas #CCSD #Flock #ALPR #MassSurveillance

What happened to Christa Pike in Tennessee was not justice. It was a horrifying, botched state execution. In Nevada, the death penalty is still legal. In 2021, the ACLU of Nevada and other advocates statewide pushed for death penalty abolition and while that bill passed the Nevada Assembly, it did not advance forward thereafter but with elections on the horizon, there may be renewed chances at removing perhaps the most dangerous tool the government uses to undermine civil liberties. While Nevada has not executed anyone since 2006, that’s not for a lack of trying, with the state’s execution processes often remaining hidden from the public, which is also why we have fought in court for transparency around the state’s execution protocols. The botched execution of Crista Pike exposes its cruelty, its secrecy, and its failure. Nevada can do better. We need to abolish the death penalty. #abolishthedeathpenalty #christapike #endcapitalpunishment #nevada

Less positive update today but part and parcel of the fight. Here is why we are appealing a recent court ruling denying our challenge to the Strip Selfie Ban, which criminalizes stopping- even for a brief moment- on the Las Vegas Strip. Public spaces should belong to the people and First Amendment activity should be protected. Dangerous conduct, including assault, is ALREADY criminalized. Subjecting ordinary people to criminalization for a momentary stop on a public bridge taxpayers pay for is NOT solving for public safety. It’s a tool used to go after ordinary people for ordinary behavior. On to the Appellate Court. ⚖️ Sorry for the shadowy video but insert quote on what Bane once said about the shadows. #FirstAmendment #CivilLiberties #LegalUpdate #1A

If you are worried about what might happen at the polls this year, sitting back isn’t the answer. Here is how you can take action to protect democracy and voting rights. Link in Bio to sign up for non-partisan election protection in Nevada. #ElectionProtection #VotingRights #Democracy #Election2026 #Nevada

A federal court vacated his conviction but Rickie Slaughter is still behind bars. Here is a breakdown of just some of the misconduct that’s occurred showing how broken our criminal legal system is. Our friends and two of the top defense attorneys in the game,@lobo_law_pllc and @geragoslaw, have taken on Rickie’s primary representation on this part of the case during this unethical re-prosecution of an innocent man the system tried to break and we will continue to play some very key roles as this continues. There are a number of ways to join the fight. If you want to tap in, follow and learn about some of those opportunities including following @freerickieslaughter on IG, including supporting community teach-ins like the amazing one put on by our sister and community leader Leslie Turner hosted at @SEIU Local 1107 this past week. FREE RICKIE SLAUGHTER. #criminaljustice #wrongfulconviction #freerickieslaughter #legalnews #lasvegas

As ALPR companies are building a dangerous and widespread network that allows the government to track your movements on the daily, some policymakers seem tempted to believe that they can safely regulate #surveillance tech. That’s preposterous. Those of us who deal with government overreach and lawless behavior on the daily, including constant withholding of information and records from the public, recognize such “regulations” for surveillance tech are mostly shams. The government barely turns over records as it is in violation of the law. Don’t believe me? Look at how many damn high profile lawsuits we’ve had to file (LVMPD, NDOC, DMV, CCSD, etc.) just to get any semblance of #transparency in obtaining public records, something few #Nevadans can do of their own accord because government will spend time and our own taxpayer dollars to obstruct those records being turned over to avoid oversight and few policymakers can actually address that when it matters. For as much as I respect their offices, neither Nevada Legislators, the Governor’s office, nor the AG will be the ones to ultimately address the harms that emanate from surveillance technology. Some of us (i.e. most of the general public outside of government officials) do not take the government at their word. We do not need guardrails for surveillance tech. We need privacy and freedom from surveillance. We are proud to support @selena4nevada in her effort to ban these types of intrusion. Civil liberties violations almost always happen under the guise of public safety. The #SilverState should not be the #SurveillanceState.

Join Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch and I tomorrow (Tuesday 9/8) at 4:00 pm for an Instagram Live hosted by @ACLU of Nevada to discuss her proposed bill to ban the use of automated license plate readers in Nevada (including via Flock, Axon, and other big surveillance tech companies) statewide in what has now morphed into a giant and largely inescapable surveillance network owned by big tech and operated by government. In this new and rapidly evolving state, you can hardly traverse down a public street without your location being subject to monitoring by the government. Some think the solution is more regulation but more of us don’t believe you should entrust the government with these types of surveillance tools and certainly shouldn’t trust any government (even ones run by people you might like) to not misuse these types of technology. #ALPR #flock #surveillance #civilliberties

Two updates today, good people. First, our DMV hearing tomorrow has been vacated by the court and we have been told to expect a ruling from the court in early October. Second, our friend Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch will be introducing a bill this legislative session backed by the ACLU of Nevada to BAN ALPR technology , including FLOCK as local and state government entities in Nevada continue to try to turn the #SilverState into the #SurveillanceState. This Tuesday, we’ll do an Instagram live to discuss at @ACLU of Nevada’s IG page and tell you how to get involved. Info to come on that. #Nevada #Flock #civilliberties

ALPR surveillance technology, including Flock’s massive dangerous and intrusive surveillance network that tracks drivers movement, do not belong in Nevada communities. We’ve raised this time and time again, including at the Nevada Legislature when automated camera bills were brought forward. School police accessing this information without any hearings on their use of these cameras shows just how dangerous the #surveillance universe in which we operate has become. No oversight. No accountability. Communities sacrificing their liberty under the fictitious guise of public safety. No thank you. A pause is not good enough. This technology needs to be BANNED. We look forward to helping make that happen. Sharing a big policy update next week on this but we will need your help. More to come next week on this but stay tuned. #flock #civilliberties #privacy #nevada

New Lawsuit Alert. We are suing the Nevada Department of Corrections. The State has an obligation to care for those in its custody but it’s grown increasingly clear they are woefully incapable of doing so. The government withholding records from the family of someone killed while in state custody highlights just how broken this system is. Lawmakers who continue to push regressive policies that land people unnecessarily behind bars knowing the State can’t even meet its bare minimum obligations within a very broken carceral system contribute to this disastrous cycle. Link in Bio for full story. #civilrights #prisonersrights #criminallegalreform #nevada

First update reel in a few weeks as we have been slammed. We are headed to Carson City THIS Friday for a hearing in our DMV case. I’m optimistic the court will order the records of the DMV’s secret cooperation with ICE turned over, including the secret Signal communications the DMV lied about for many months before admitting they did use Signal to communicate and did communicate with ICE. The DMV sharing immigration enforcement info on Nevada drivers with ICE is illegal. Wish us well for Friday! More updates to come, including one about a new lawsuit we just filed, one on our election safeguarding program, and a MAJOR one on FLOCK. Here for the fight. 👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽 #civilrights #nevada #lawsuit #transparency #privacy

Two significant hearings are set for this month in our cases against the DMV for improperly and unlawfully communicating with ICE and against LVMPD for unlawful costs/fees (these may get bumped to later date as litigation grows more complex) with a variety of other case updates on hearings to come in the weeks ahead. During the last couple weeks, new issues have also emerged in other areas, including related to ICE enforcement at airports in Nevada. We have some updates we are verifying and will share them next week. In the meantime, I would recommend anyone who may have a visa issue, including anyone who may have accidentally overstayed their visa, avoid attempting air travel. If anyone should find themselves improperly stopped at the airport or has a loved one detained in a Nevada airport, our reporting form is linked in my bio. Please feel free to share with anyone impacted. @ACLU of Nevada @ItsAllisxn @itsmztoonz @The Unraveling - @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @Battle Born Progress #publictransparency #DueProcess #civilrights #Accountability #immigration

In the wake of Las Vegas police’s use of tear gas and firing of pepper balls at protesters at a June 11, 2025 protest challenging ICE’s lawless and dangerous conduct, we submitted requests for public records related to the incident including body worn camera footage and police training materials on protest response tactics. Rather than providing those records to flesh out the truth of what occurred, we were provided a bill for the fictitious costs of these records. This fee approach is true of so many experiences for those seeking public transparency and an obvious way to try to circumvent the law. We are suing to challenge this practice on behalf of all those who seek transparency from government. To those who blindly trust the government, good for you. For the rest of us who are skeptical of government narratives, especially when demonstrated civil rights abuses are prevalent, we’d rather see the government in court. More on our newest lawsuit challenging government attempts to access records here from Darcy Spears. LinkInBio to the story from @The Nevada Independent. @ACLU of Nevada #publicrecords #transparency #government #civilliberties #seeyouincourt

There is no government accountability without transparency and continued attempts by government agencies to charge insane rates to obtain important public records, including bodycam footage, deeply undercut transparency. Few know this better than we do. We’re suing on behalf of our organization @ACLU of Nevada , fellow attorney and State Sen. @EdgarFloresLaw, @The Marshall Project and @The Nevada Independent, to stop this nonsense that allows government to operate in secrecy. It doesn’t matter if you are on the left or the right or if you love us or hate us. If you believe in transparent government, you should be aligned. #Lawsuit #Transparency #Accountability #Government #nevada

Despite so many of us continuing to speak to the horrors of ICE activity including here in Nevada, many still view the actions of ICE as somehow being distant. Per the Nevada Independent, Governor Lombardo said just a few months ago that Nevada “has avoided the fate of states such as Minnesota because Nevada is not a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’.” The Governor went on to say he does have a relationship with the Trump administration that likely prevents escalation and added that he has the ability to ask the federal government not to “come in here and cause havoc.”  Havoc isn’t limited to mass raids and roundups. It also means the destruction of normalcy and exacerbation of government-induced fear, including hooded, masked, plain-clothes ICE officers (with what looks like a fake mustache on at least one of them) accosting a confused and scared 57 year old person on the ground in our airport, all while attempting to stop the incident from being filmed and running away from the scene as they leave the person they detained handcuffed. This is not the way people in Las Vegas or the broader State of Nevada treat our neighbors and certainly not the narrative our tourism sector believes is advantageous for people in our state which continues to rely on INTERNATIONAL VISITORS. If you are an international tourist or visitor, do you look at this video and say “well I sure do feel safe in Nevada” or do you have second thoughts? It’s bad enough the affordability crisis is out of control and our services continue to be under-resourced and immensely challenged. Secret police forces like ICE that operate in rogue fashion and continue to violate federal court orders on issues like immigration bond make everyone less safe, even the bot and troll accounts that love expanded and dangerous government abuses of power. The Governor and the Airport have a responsibility to make clear what occurred and what people should expect in our airports. #LasVegas #nevada #civilliberties #DueProcess @ACLU of Nevada @The Unraveling - @itsmztoonz @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @Battle Born Progress @ItsAllisxn

FreedomFest is in the books… I wasn’t able to record clips and don’t have a recording yet but will share when I get one. Making the case against ICE to a conservative audience was fascinating. I’ll reiterate to anyone in a conservative group that stumbles upon this: if you want to talk about the harms of ICE, the death penalty, the dangers of surveillance, or privacy rights related to bodily autonomy, I’ll come speak to your group. No notes needed. Send me the invite. Civil Rights Papi is here to help bring you to the correct side of history! 😬 #CivilLiberties #CivilRights #Justice

The most important element of civil rights work: empathy. Last night, my brother Prof. Mike Kagan and I presented to the Nevada Legislature’s Government Affairs Committee. Among other updates: 17 people unlawfully held in ICE custody in Nevada have now been released in the last week as a result of our @ACLU of Nevada statewide class action lawsuit win against DHS and the DOJ after DHS unlawfully denied these people bond hearings and continued to violate the law. This result is because of an outstanding team I’m blessed to work alongside at the ACLU, several unsung fighters for liberty, and a federal judge who believes in the Constitution. It’s not enough. We need public officials to do more. Immense thanks to State Senator and Committee Chair @Edgar Flores for allowing extended comments from the public and for trying to get ICE to appear to answer questions, to Assemblymember @Tanya Flanagan for asking this question, and to the rest of the committee for your grace during a very long day of hearings. The biggest thanks to our members, supporters, and partners for standing with us in the fight - especially our partners at @nvimmigrantcoalition and all who continue to organize in our community. This should never be about being a Democrat or Republican but about fighting to make sure our Constitution isn’t abandoned as our neighbors live in fear and dismay. Sign up to join the ACLU. LinkInBio. #immigration #dueprocess #nevada #civilrights #humanrights @The Unraveling - @INDIVISIBLE LAS VEGAS OFFICIAL @ACLU @ItsAllisxn @itsmztoonz @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @Battle Born Progress @PLAN @Make the Road NV @Culinary Union

As politicians and elected officials carefully script generic campaign ads to stock audiences, your civil rights papi is headed into the Lion’s Den! Tomorrow, I will speak to an estimated crowd of thousands of conservatives at FreedomFest and I will make the case AGAINST ICE live and on stage. Clips to come. #civilrights #civilliberties #justice #freespeech

We have a BIG case update here in Nevada!!! Extremely proud of my team and our partners, our collective movement, and a federal judge who won’t bend the knee to illegal government actions. This is the work. More to come. #immigration #dueprocess #nevada #civilrights #humanrights @The Unraveling - @ACLU of Nevada @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @itsmztoonz @ItsAllisxn @Battle Born Progress

On this, the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress, I am thinking of words delivered 192 years later- just 58 years ago- on April 3, 1968 at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, the HQ for the Church of God in Christ. There, Dr. King delivered his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech and said “All we say to America is be true to what you said on paper.” Dr. King was assassinated the next day. His words echo true this week just as they consistently have throughout history. The promise of the United States has been broken too many times to count, including multiple justices on the SCOTUS attempting to derail birthright citizenship, as is plainly guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, earlier this week. This decision came just a week after the SCOTUS’ conservative majority allowed the President to effectively end TPS status for our Haitian brothers and sisters after the President did everything he could to denigrate Haitian people while concurrently continuing to prioritize refugee status for White South Africans, who the President has stated are the victims of genocide. Pretending that the nation is fulfilling the words laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution while using the flag as a veil to justify injustice and inequity may be what part of America looks like in 2026, but there remain those of us who will look to the past and present and will remain determined to build a brighter future…one where equality does not need to come by way of amendment because we are all viewed, and more importantly treated, as equals. The most patriotic thing anyone can do is to fight to make that future a reality. May the next 250 years be rooted in equality, justice, and liberty for all in an America where these are not merely historical words but promises kept. #equality #civilrights #humanrights #scotus

We have decisions out of the United States Supreme Court! The Court has ruled in the ACLU’S favor on Birthright Citizenship in the case of Trump v. Barbara citing the plain language of the Constitution! In its decision, the court held that children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. This is a major rebuke of the President’s attempt to govern via executive order and a HUGE win for all who fight for immigrant communities, including the ACLU! This is why we do our work. The protection of the Constitution and of civil liberties and civil rights for all and we will proudly continue to lead the nation and the state in these challenges. The Court also issued decisions in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Hecox v. Little undermining equal protection for trans students as it relates to school sports, but we are evaluating for the intersection with state law and will have updates soon on this front as this decision is more technical. The fight for civil liberties and civil rights are neither easy nor isolated. Grateful for your support and partnership in these fights! #civilrights #constitution #equalprotection #immigrants #birthrightcitizenship

Breaking decision out of the United States Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision in Watson v. RNC, the SCOTUS has UPHELD the grace period for mail ballots to be counted after Election Day!!! This is a GIANT win for voting rights and our voting rights advocacy ecosystem. Congress may still act to try to undermine this process but this changes the tenor of the fight heading into the 2026 election! Expecting other decisions including Barbara (birthright citizenship case) this week but Watson is a WIN for voting rights!!! #votingrights #scotus #nevada #watson @ACLU of Nevada @The Unraveling - @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @itsmztoonz @ItsAllisxn @Battle Born Progress

*The truth is that our workloads in 2026 are not the same workloads we had in years prior with the law changing daily and civil rights abuses in every sector only expanding. Many non-civil rights lawyers who pretended to be civil rights lawyers have shifted into other work because most of our workloads are simply abnormal. *The truth is that the fights civil rights lawyers take on daily are often thankless but we don’t do the work because of external gratitude, praise, money, or personal interest. We do it because we believe in the work and fighting for people. Nearly every civil rights lawyer I know could simply exit the field at any time and cash out in another area of law, but few I know will do so because this work comes from the soul. *The truth is that civil rights lawyers in 2026 are often the FINAL line of defense, including in actual matters of life and death, so when we say we are “busy” it’s literally because someone’s life may be on the line. We sacrifice weekends, holidays, and vacations to make sure people have a fighting chance. Busy for us isn’t “darn I missed my _____ class today” but “my dry cleaners are getting ready to sell my clothes because I haven’t been able to go pick them up.” I’ve heard that from colleagues more than once. *The truth is that most civil rights lawyers in 2026 are actually juggling an insane amount of responsibility and that responsibility can’t simply be passed off to someone else ethically or legally. Most civil rights work is sensitive. Most civil rights work requires trust. Most civil rights work requires skills that develop over time. The most critical truth though? Being a civil rights lawyer in 2026 is the MOST important, rewarding, and beautiful way to spend every day for all of us blessed to do this work! We could have all opted for easier paths but we didn’t because we believe in justice. It’s a joy to do this work and to fight for people! While I know many burned out lawyers, I know fewer burned out civil rights lawyers because we’re in the game and the truth is this work matters! 👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽 #lawyer #civilrights #careers #attorneys

We have two really terrible decisions from the SCOTUS today impacting immigrant communities. In Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, the Court’s decision will enable the government to continue turning away asylum seekers before they reach the U.S.-Mexico border and other ports of entry causing immense harm and danger undermining our asylum system for those fleeing extreme violence and danger. In Mullin V. Doe, the Supreme Court’s decision has allowed for the Trump Administration to end temporary protected status for thousands of Syrian and Haitian migrants who have come to the U.S. after fleeing instability and violence in their home countries and in doing so, the Court also undermined equal protection. This will inevitably have ripple effects. These are terrible setbacks but the road to equality and justice is long. Keep fighting and keep advocating and keep providing mutual aid in our communities. Bad decisions like this while devastating can ultimately be reversed through public policy and only when advocates continue to fight forward. Stay hopeful and stay active. We are still awaiting decisions on Watson (mail in voting), Barbara (birthright citizenship), and Hecox/BPJ (equal protection for trans folks). Always in the fight and we will never stop fighting for an America we believe in rooted in liberty and justice for all. #scotusdecisions #immigration #immigrantsrights #civilrights #equality @ACLU of Nevada @Alejandra Falconi Noticias @itsmztoonz @The Unraveling - @PLAN @Battle Born Progress @ItsAllisxn @SEIU Local 1107