ACLU of South Dakota

What the National Guard is not supposed to do:
🔴Police our communities

The idea of military troops going into our neighborhoods, arresting residents, and tearing families apart goes against everything this country is supposed to stand for.

What the National Guard is supposed to do:
🔵Aid in disaster relief
🔵Respond to domestic emergencies
🔵Train for overseas combat

Well Speaker Hansen, it seems attacking a vulnerable community to get what you want failed. We wouldn’t recommend trying it again. #transrightsmatter

Lawmaker highlights transgender inmate policies prior to prison vote In a letter, Rep. Jon Hansen said the South Dakota Department of Corrections is hiding its transgender policy from the public. To the ACLU, the timing of the letter is no mistake.

Hours before the South Dakota Legislature voted to approve the new prison, Speaker of the House Jon Hansen attempted to use transgender South Dakotans as pawns to grow opposition for the project by “uncovering” that inmates have a right to gender-affirming care while in custody of the DOC.

City updates rules on public assembly, after ACLU reaches out with ‘grave concerns about the First Amendment rights of Spearfish citizens’ SPEARFISH — On Oct. 9, an amendment to Spearfish’s ordinance on assemblies, parades, and processions is expected to go into effect, carving out new exceptions for protests and gatherings that

VICTORY: We recently became aware that Spearfish's ordinances violated First Amendment freedoms by requiring a permit to protest in public spaces. After we reached out to the city council, they have amended the ordinance and although there is still work to be done, this is a victory for free speech!

Some lawmakers skeptical as governor pledges rehab task force ‘following the passage’ of prison bill • South Dakota Searchlight Lawmakers expressed doubts the governor would change any minds with his pledge to create a task force after his prison plan passes next week.

Expanding inmate rehabilitation programs shouldn't be contingent on whether or not lawmakers approve a $650 million prison. Even if the prison project doesn't pass, South Dakota needs smart criminal justice reform now.

The right to vote is the fundamental right on which all other civil liberties rest. On this National Voter Registration Day, take time to register to vote or confirm your voter registration at vote.gov.

S.D. Highway Patrol conflated arrests made in Rhoden's Prairie Thunder saturation The Dakota Scout identifies erroneous crime stats used to tout governor's public safety campaign

An investigation by The Dakota Scout revealed that the number of drug arrests reported during the first deployment of Operation Prairie Thunder was egregiously inflated.

When resources are being diverted to fund a so-called "public safety" campaign, South Dakotans are entitled to full transparency.

Just us reminiscing on last week's Pints and Politics event in Rapid City! 🎉

Thank you for joining us for craft brews and conversations surrounding threats to free speech. We were truly inspired by the passion in the room, and we will continue to defend all South Dakotans from government overreach.

South Dakota troops join Trump’s law and order push in Washington, D.C. Gov. Rhoden deploys Rapid City guard unit to nation's capital

The President has demonstrated his willingness to use our military against our country’s own people. Gov. Rhoden is empowering this extraordinary abuse of power instead of keeping our troops at home where they’re needed.

Live from SeriesFest: Our Right to Laughter | American Civil Liberties Union

Can humor help us make sense of unprecedented threats to our civil liberties? That's the question W. Kamau Bell and Mo Fry Pasic explore in this week's episode of the At Liberty podcast.

www.aclu.org/podcast/live...

We have a free drink for the first 50 who RSVP to our Pints & Politics event in Rapid City! Let’s talk about threats to free speech, get to know each other, and build the collective power we need to protect our rights in South Dakota. 🍻
aclusd.org/pints

As students head back to school this fall, remember this; Classroom censorship doesn't help students learn — it keeps them from being able to ask important questions and freely discuss the history, viewpoints, and ideas of all communities in this country.

There are real people affected by every policy passed by our legislators. I just wish more of them remembered that. This is why I do the work that I do.

Surveillance Company Flock Now Using AI to Report Us to Police if it Thinks Our Movement Patterns Are “Suspicious” Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project The police surveillance company Flock has built an enormous nationwide license plate tracking system, which streams

Surveillance cameras are no longer just recording our comings and goings — they're using AI to decide whether we should be reported to law enforcement.

An algorithm can't be trusted to determine who is a threat.

A family opened a town’s first bookstore. A bathroom bill is driving them away. The Phelans ran the only bookstore in Vermillion, South Dakota. They sold it and moved after a new law would’ve required their daughter to use a boys’ bathroom.

Anti-trans legislation permanently impacts real South Dakotans. Not only are transgender residents suppressed by these laws, but their communities lose business owners, neighbors and friends when they're forced to leave as a result.

The state is essentially forcing public assistance applicants to avoid registering to vote if they want their application to remain private, the ACLU said.

60 Years Later: How a Civil Rights-Era Defamation Case Empowers the Press Ellessandra Taormino, she/her/hers, Intern, Media and Strategic Engagement, ACLU The United States used to set the standard for press freedom. Now, it’s dropped its status as a worldwide leader,

As the Trump administration continues to attack the press, we investigate how a historic civil rights-era Supreme Court case defended journalistic freedom.

We the People: Sarah Parkin Legal documents and legislation can be boring, right? Well, not for Sarah Parkin. The ACLU’s new digital communications associate loves breaking down complex issues and making people aware of the

Up next on the We the People blog series is Sarah Parkin, our new Digital Communications Associate! Read what Sarah had to say about her experiences and how they shaped her passion for human rights and civil liberties.

📣 A free press is at the core of a free society!

Welcome, Sarah!

Sarah's skills in multimedia production combined with her background in journalism and nonprofit communications made her a natural fit for the digital communications associate role at the ACLU of South Dakota, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team!

We're in the fight of our lifetime to defend our civil rights. Let's discuss the recent Supreme Court term and where we go from here. Join us at 4 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. MT tomorrow: www.youtube.com/live/oGcVlEB...

Congress: Save Medicaid Now Politicians are attempting to pass devastating cuts to Medicaid right now and we must act fast. Send a message telling your member of Congress to fight back now.

If the Senate passes President Trump's budget bill, millions of us will lose access to critical health care services.

Our lives and communities are on the line. Tell Sens. Thune and Rounds: Protect Medicaid at all costs. action.aclu.org/send-message...

Who We Fight For: The Journey to Trans Liberation | American Civil Liberties Union

New podcast alert!

We asked trans rights activists how they’re navigating President Trump’s escalating abuses of power and how they’re finding joy this Pride month.

Hear their answers on the latest episode of At Liberty: www.aclu.org/podcast/who-...

Criminal Justice Reform Better Than Building New Prison We need to dramatically reduce our reliance on incarceration and invest instead in alternatives to prison, including approaches better designed to break the cycle of crime and recidivism by helping

Our state's "tough on crime" policies have led to more arrests and increased costs while disregarding real people’s lives. It's time to embrace a smart justice vision of our criminal legal system. Prioritize people, not prisons.

Graphic with an image of Sonia Sotomayor that reads:"By retreating from meaningful judicial review exactly where it matters most, the Court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims. In sadness, I dissent."

Today’s ruling is a devastating loss for transgender people and our families, and an affront to the Constitution.

We'll continue to fight alongside trans youth in Tennessee and across the nation for the health care they deserve.

BREAKING: The Supreme Court ruled Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth can remain in effect.

This is devastating for trans people and our families but doesn’t end our work against President Trump’s attacks on trans people and our health care.

Planning to protest? Know your rights.

Communities nationwide are taking to the streets on June 14 to tell the Trump administration: We won't stay quiet when our freedoms are under attack. Will we see you out there?

🛑 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS 🛑
You have rights. In today’s climate, it's more important than ever to know how to protect them.