ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties

NEW: The Supreme Court just announced it will hear arguments on April 1 in our case challenging President Trump's attempt to dismantle birthright citizenship.

We stressed the importance of the county continuing its investment in critical safety-net programs, including the Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP), which helps keep families stable and communities strong.

Man in grey suit stands at podium in chambers facing San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

This past Tuesday, ACLU-SDIC Immigrants’ Rights Senior Policy Advocate Eddie Meyer spoke on budget priorities at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors budget community input session.

In a time when the federal government has failed, local governments need to step up.

Black graphic with a quote: "“I kept yelling that I was legal. An officer said ‘You're not from here. Where are you from?’ I asked them not to yell at me. I again told them I was legal. They grabbed my wallet and phone and turned off my phone so the recording stopped... They were pointing weapons and yelling at me to shut up.” Quote is attributed to R.C., Minneapolis resident, in a sworn declaration in our lawsuit challenging ICE's unlawful actions.

We're taking ICE and CBP to court on behalf of people like R.C., who was carrying proof of his lawful permanent residence status when immigration agents used unnecessary force and arrested him anyway.

Green background, yellow and white text: "Everyone deserves to feel safe accessing county services, entering public buildings, and participating in civic life without the fear of unjust law enforcement. Yesterday, San Diego County took a crucial step in providing these safeguards with the passage of the CLEAR ordinance, which will take effect in 30 days. This ordinance lays important framework for transparency and accountability that can help protect families across San Diego County."

Yesterday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors passed the Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) Ordinance with a 3-1 vote.

The CLEAR Ordinance lays important framework for transparency and accountability that can help protect families across San Diego County.

Due process means that if you're accused of something by the government, you have the right to defend yourself, regardless of your immigration status.

The power of the people is stronger than the people in power.

We won't let Congress give ICE a blank check to trample our rights.

Orange background, white box in center with black text. Titled as from the ACLU Nationwide, text is: "BREAKING: We've joined a lawsuit defending people peacefully protesting and documenting ICE activity in Minnesota from retaliation by the Trump administration. We have a constitutional right to protest and record law enforcement."

The Constitution is still the law of the land — and we all have the right to speak out and to document law enforcement abuses in public without fear of government retaliation.

Black background. Collaged images depicting: armed, uniformed, masked agents; pair of people hugging with person facing camera with hand over face; sign with lettering "ICE is breaking the law". Red shapes in background. White squiggle overlaying entire collage. Red and white text: "ICE doesn't make our communities safe. Get involved at aclu-sdic.org".

What ICE is doing, and has planned with our tax dollars, is injustice at its peak.

Tell your senators: no money for ICE. Find the toolkit at: aclu.org/stop-ice-attacks_

Read the full article from NPR at: bit.ly/NPR-ICE-Budget

White and red text over black background: "That essentially TRIPLES ICE's total budget from recent years." Blue arrow at bottom right corner. Graph titled "The ICE Budget ballooned in FY2025 with the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act". "Funds budgeted to immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and support, by fiscal year". 2018-2024, orange bars are under or at $10 billion. In 2025, the orange bar jumps up to almost $90 billion. Source: usaspending.gov. Credit: Alyson hart and Maureen Pao from NPR.

Image of border wall and birds on top, at bottom of image. Blue arrow pointing right at bottom right of image. Black background with white and red text over: "...ICE went on a hiring spree in 2025, fueled by its bigger budget. In just oneyear, the agency says, it 'more than doubled our officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000'. The dramatic growth came in the same year that the Trump administration sharply reduced the number of federal workers, firing thousands of employees and inviting many more to resign."

For context, “…the Trump administration’s 2026 appropriations request for the entire Justice Department, including the FBI, stands at a little over $35 billion.”

In 2025, ICE used its budget to double its staff– the same year that Trump fired thousands of federal employees.

Black text with red, white, black NPR logo at top left corner. White text: "How ICE grew to be the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency." Blue arrow pointing right. At bottom of the page, "person in brown vest with badge that says "POLICE ICE" in yellow lettering.

Black background, white and red text: "Just 10 years ago, the annual budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, was less than $6 billion... But ICE's budget has skyrocketed during President Trump's second term, becoming the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency, with $85 billion now at its disposal." Blue arrow pointing right at bottom right corner.

The Senate is set to vote on ICE’s budget TODAY.

With the disastrous “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act”, ICE’s yearly budget has nearly TRIPLED in size from its 2024 budget of around $10 million to $29 billion each year, says NPR.

Blue background. White and green text: "Ahora disponible en español. Conozca a los miembros de su junta escolar. bit.ly/MYSBM-EP"

El sitio web y el manual de acción comunitaria de “Conozca a los miembros de su junta escolar” ahora están disponible en español‼️

Visite bit.ly/MYSBM-ESP

More lives will inevitably be lost if Congress doesn't act NOW to stop funding these abusive detention camps.

White text over black background "6 people have died in immigration custody since January 1st. Source: Reuters."

Geraldo Lunas Campos spent months detained in ICE custody before he was killed by a guard earlier this month.

The Trump administration's reckless and dangerous expansion of immigration detention across the country is putting lives at risk. Geraldo should still be here today.

We also strongly support continued funding for critical county programs facing cuts and growing demand, including health care, housing, nutrition and other essential services our communities rely on. San Diego County has a moral obligation to step up where the federal government has failed.

This public comment highlighted our support for funding the Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) and maintaining it as a universal, merits-blind program, because no one should have to navigate one of the most complex legal systems in our country alone.

Blue background, white text with yellow quotes preceding it. "We urge you to allocate $7 million for ILDP and maintain it as a universal, merits-blind program, and continue to invest in other safety-net programs that keep families stable and communities strong." Photograph of man in grey suit jacket, white collar shirt, striped tie with brown wall background. Text next to photograph "Eddie Meyer, Immigrants' Rights Senior Policy Advocate, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties"

Today, ACLU-SDIC Immigrants’ Rights Senior Policy Advocate Eddie Meyer gave public comment at the San Diego County community budget priorities session.

Read our full public comment here: www.aclu-sdic.org/news/aclu-sd...

Black background. White ACLU logo at bottom right corner. White text at top: "ICE's budget is already larger than the entire military budgets of most countries." In red text at bottom "Tell congress: ICE doesn't need another dime."

ICE is the highest funded law enforcement agency in the U.S., yet Congress is debating giving them even more money to wreak havoc on our communities.

Demand no additional funding for ICE or Border Patrol at aclu.org/stop-ice-attacks_

Black background with white text: "Democracy doesn't defend itself - we the people do. One year into President Trump's term and we're not slowing down." ACLU logo in white, at bottom left corner of image.

We will not understate the harm President Trump has brought to our communities in his first year back in office. Yet we also know that our fight is unwavering — and more often than not, we saw success in our legal actions defending against the Trump administration over the past year.

Black background, basketball court outline in neon green-yellow. White text at the top of the image "More than a game". ACLU white logo at bottom of the image. Middle of image, neon green-yellow rectangle with black and blue text: "Trans kids belong on our teams, in our schools, and in our communities."

Every kid deserves the chance to play sports with their friends.

We refuse to let politicians pick and choose who gets to play sports. Our rights, our families and our futures are more than a game.

White text over black background. ACLU logo in the bottom left corner. Text: "We filed 239 legal actions against President Trump in his first year. The majority of those actions defeated, delayed, or diluted the Trump administration's policies."

We’re not new to suing the president.

One year into President Trump's second term, we’re better prepared than ever to use our full legal might to continue challenging this administration’s attacks on our communities.

Read our full report on the first year at aclu.org/defeat_delay_dilute

Families of two men believed to have been killed in military strike on boat sue US government over 'unlawful' attacks | CNN Politics As the US military began launching strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean last year, a young Trinidadian man who was in Venezuela for work was searching for a way home, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.

In October, the Trump administration bombed a civilian boat, killing Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo as they were traveling home to Trinidad and Tobago.

We’re suing the government on behalf of their families to get justice for these murders.

Leave an eComment, or give public comment in person or by phone urging the county to SUPPORT funding these critical services. Go to the link in our bio to receive our toolkit.

The county should invest in safety-net programs that keep residents healthy, housed and supported. This includes the Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP), which helps close the justice gap in the federal immigration system by giving legal representation to detained immigrants facing deportation.

Take action with us to support the county’s funding of critical county programs on or before Tuesday, January 27, when the board of supervisors is holding a budget workshop and community input session.

Federal cuts require local leadership.

White and yellow text over maroon background: "Federal cuts require local leadership. Call on San Diego County to continue funding critical programs like the Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) and other local programs for health care, housing and nutrition." Graphic: Half-transparent photo of San Diego County Administration Building over maroon background. ACLU SDIC Logo in white.

White and yellow text over maroon background: "We urge the county to maintain funding and universal access for the ILDP. This program gives people a fairer chance at seeking relief from deportation and rejoining or remaining with their families and communities through free legal representation. ALL people deserve due process."

White text over maroon background: "The county budget should support these local safety-net programs". Graphics of a house, a heart with a cross in the center, people with hard hats on and a gear above their head, a small building with a person in the window and a box with a heart and various food items inside. Graphics have titles of "Housing & Tenant Protections", "Health Care", "Worker's Rights", "Small Business Relief" and "Nutrition Security", respective to descriptions above.

White and yellow text over maroon background: "San Diego County has a moral obligation to step up where the federal government has failed. Leave an eComment before the budget workshop (3pm) or give public comment in person or by phone at the community input session (5pm) on Tuesday, 1/27. Sign up to get our toolkit at bit.ly/SDBudget-Jan27."

🚨San Diego County Budget Workshop & Community Input Session on January 27🚨

San Diego County has a moral obligation to step up where the federal government has failed.

Sign up to receive our toolkit to submit an eComment before January 28 at the link in our bio!

We need your support in urging the board of supervisors to vote YES on the CLEAR Ordinance. This is a crucial step towards ensuring county resources are used to protect all people’s rights rather than facilitate surveillance, detention or deportation.

"Everyone deserves dignity & safety. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is voting on Wednesday, 1/28 on the CLEAR Ordinance." Image has text over light yellow background. There is a blue and white graphic with a hand putting a piece of paper into a voter ballot box.

On January 13, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors took a big step forward by approving the Civil Liberties Enforcement and Accountability Rules (CLEAR) Ordinance on its first reading by a 3-1 vote.

But final approval is still pending – on January 28, the board will have a second reading.

The ACLU provides tons of opportunities not just for you to volunteer with us, but for us to say thank you to YOU for all the work you do.

To learn more about volunteering opportunities and how you can join us in the fight for civil rights, visit the link in our bio!