News & Commentary

Solutions are within reach, but require bolder vision and action. Read more in a recent op-ed by ACLU-VT Executive Director James Lyall.

Writing is the heart of freedom of expression. Unbelievably, it was my writing—this single opinion piece, published in our student newspaper—that led to my arrest and ultimately landed me in a damp and crowded for-profit ICE prison for 45 days this spring. 

This spring, Vermont—and with it, our small ACLU affiliate—found itself as an unlikely epicenter in President Trump’s efforts to silence, intimidate, and deport noncitizens for their constitutionally protected speech. Our work fighting for Mohsen and Rümeysa continues this fall.

The ACLU of Vermont is launching a virtual training series this fall.

We’re excited to share the latest edition of our ACLU of Vermont Fall Newsletter, a look back at our recent work and a look ahead at what's to come.

When local police get mixed up in deportation, civil rights violations are the inevitable result—which is why we’re suing the Essex County Sheriff’s Department for its records on immigration enforcement.

With this toolkit, the ACLU seeks to provide greater clarity in the context of a shifting federal policy landscape ahead of the 2025-2026 academic year.

No matter what happens in Washington, we should all be free to access identity documents that reflect who we really are. And, it’s why we encourage Vermonters who wish to get or keep their accurate state ID card to consider requesting or renewing it today.

The ACLU of VT navigated a challenging 2025 legislative session, working to advance civil liberties, criminal justice reform, and housing rights amidst new political dynamics and federal pressures.