Photo of City of San Diego seal in the city council chambers. An American flag is in the left bottom corner.

ACLU-SDIC Public Comment – City of San Diego Risk Management Presents on Settlements & Judgments Against SDPD

The following prepared public comment, following a presentation by the City of San Diego’s Risk Management on settlements and judgments against the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), outlines the significant amount of city funds used for these SDPD settlements and how that money would be better spent investing in our communities. This public comment was delivered before the San Diego City Council Budget and Government Efficiency Committee by ACLU-SDIC Senior Policy Advocate Branden Sigua on June 17, 2026.

By Branden Sigua

Latest Press Release


Workers and Advocacy Groups Challenge DHS’s Illegal Warrantless Arrest Policy 

DHS practice amounts to “arrest people and ask questions later.” 
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Stay informed on civil rights issues. Discover our latest actions and updates in the Press Release section.

Samantha Itazawa (long dark hair, bangs, wearing black longsleeve shirt) delivers testimony into microphone standing before a seated crowd.

ACLU-SDIC Public Testimony – San Diego City Council Resolution in Support of Somali Community

The following public comment outlines the ACLU-SDIC's support for a resolution in support for our Somali community. This public comment was delivered before the San Diego City Council by ACLU-SDIC Staff Attorney Samantha Itazawa on June 15, 2026.

By Samantha Itazawa

Daniela holding rainbow fan that says "fan of equal rights"

ACLU-SDIC Public Testimony – Support for Pride Month Resolution at Central Union High School District Board Meeting

The following public comment outlines the ACLU-SDIC's support for a LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Resolution. This public comment was delivered before the Central Union High School District Board by ACLU-SDIC Senior Organizer Daniela Vega on June 9, 2026. The resolution passed with a 4-1 vote.

By Daniela Vega

Sign that says San Diego says Flock Off!

ACLU-SDIC Public Comment – City of San Diego Holds Hearing on Approval of FY27 Budget

The following public comment outlines the ACLU-SDIC's opposition to the city of San Diego's contracts with Flock Safety and support for services and resources related to youth, libraries, arts, housing, parks and other programs that help San Diegans thrive. This public comment was delivered before the San Diego City Council by ACLU-SDIC Senior Policy Advocate Branden Sigua on June 9, 2026.

By Branden Sigua

What Does the City of Escondido Have to Hide?

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Assembly Passes New Drug Sentencing Reforms for California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Less than a month after U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the nation’s plan to scale back federal prison sentences for low-level drug crimes, the California Assembly today passed an historic drug sentencing reform bill that will allow counties to significantly reduce incarceration costs by giving local prosecutors the flexibility to charge low-level, non-violent drug offenses as misdemeanors instead of felonies.

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50 Years Later, Still Fighting for Voting Rights

&nbs

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ACLU Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

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Following is a reflection by Dennis Parker, Director of our ACLU Racial Justice Program.
The Fierce Urgency of Now
For me, few anniversaries inspire as much ambivalence as the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Billed as the "March for Jobs and Freedom," the event stands as both a shining example of the promise of the civil rights era and a reminder of how we as a nation have, in many ways, betrayed the ideals and vision expressed by the scores of speakers and musicians who addressed the crowd of a quarter of a million people on August 28, 1963.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luthe

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ACLU Statement on Bradley Manning Sentence

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Three San Diego County Police Chiefs Back TRUST Act to Limit Deportations

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Five Law School Deans, 46 profs urge Gov. Brown on TRUST Act

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San Diego ACLU Board Pays Tribute to Board Member James McElroy

The Board of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties recognizes esteemed board member Jim McElroy, for receiving one of the American Association for Justice’s top honors, the Leonard Weinglass in Defense of Civil Liberties Award this week. The Weinglass award is presented to the person “who has made a notable contribution to the defense of civil liberties by bringing, trying, or resolving a suit, or by otherwise protecting or advancing civil liberties, in a way that has had a significant impact in the past year or over the course of his/her career,” according to a statement by the AAJ, formerly known as the American Trial Lawyers Association.

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ACLU and Civil Rights Coalition Weigh In on New Education Funding Formula

(Los Angeles)—A broad coalition of education and civil rights organizations, including the ACLU of California, are sending a letter today to all California county and district superintendents and charter school administrators urging immediate action to direct additional resources to the state’s neediest children.

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