News & Commentary

Freedom, equality, privacy, and justice are values that many Montanans hold dear. Indeed, we are taught from a very young age that these concepts represent the basic foundation of our democracy.While these are the values that should guide our lawmakers as they return to Helena for the 2021 Montana legislative session, we’ve already seen multiple bills filed that would harm people and erode our basic civil rights and liberties.  Here are some issues of freedom and equality that are at stake in our state this legislative session.  We must protect the the fundamental right to an abortion. The complex and often difficult decision to have an abortion is deeply personal, and we cannot presume to know every person’s individual circumstances or needs. This decision should be left to the pregnant person, not politicians. Efforts to ban or create barriers to constitutionally protected abortions are an attack on the basic right to privacy. The government has no place between doctors and their patients, and Montanans should not have to justify their personal medical decisions to the government.  We must fight the expansion of President Trump’s draconian anti-immigrant policies and practices. Immigrants are part of our families and communities and should be able to go about their daily lives without living in fear of local police. Some lawmakers this session want to force local law enforcement to act as federal immigration agents. This erodes the trust between law enforcement and the communities they are meant to serve, making us all less safe.  In fact, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing, and law enforcement leaders from across the country have all adopted positions opposing local entanglement with immigration enforcement on the ground that it harms public safety. We must ensure the equality and dignity of trans youth. Trans, two-spirit, and nonbinary youth deserve to be treated the same as everybody else. We know that when young people are supported by their families and communities, they thrive. When trans youth are not supported, they have worse health outcomes, lower self-esteem, and higher rates of suicide. Trans people deserve respect, equality, support, and freedom to live their lives. Given how much anti-trans laws and attitudes harm (and sometimes kill) young people, it is unconscionable that Montana lawmakers would consider supporting bills that infringe on the rights and freedoms of trans youth. Yet we’ve already seen two bills introduced, including legislation that would ban young trans athletes from participating in athletic activities consistent with their gender and legislation that would  ban gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth....  Continue reading. This piece was originally published in the Helena Independent Record.   

While a dozen senators, including Senator Steve Daines, have stated their plans to object when members of Congress meet today to count and confirm the Electoral College votes, in a letter sent today, the American Civil Liberties Union urged Congress to oppose the efforts led by President Trump to trample the will of the American electorate. These efforts to undermine the will of the voters are unprecedented in U.S. history and have no legal basis.

 The 2021 Montana State Legislative session started this week. With a new administration that isn't aligned with our values on numerous issues, plentiful bills that attack the rights and liberties of Montanans, and the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, this legislative session will test us.Together with our partners, we're ready to face these challenges head-on. Our list of priorities this session includes:•    Reforming our harmful, unfair, and wealth-based criminal legal system.•    Supporting Indigenous people and communities as they work to uphold their sovereignty, dignity, and autonomy.•    Protecting the dignity and equality of LGBTQ Montanans, including trans and non-binary youth.•    Protecting reproductive freedom in Montana.•    Ensuring our communities are welcoming and safe for immigrants.•    Protecting all Montanans' right to vote in a safe and accessible manner.

In a letter sent Thursday, the ACLU of Montana asked Governor Bullock, Governor-Elect Gianforte, and Acting Director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services Erica Johnston to prioritize certain vulnerable or marginalized populations for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

We’ve faced enormous challenges this year, as a country and here in Montana. But, together with our partners and supporters, we’ve done good work, won important victories, and made a real difference in the lives of Montanans. Here are a few highlights of our work from 2020. 

Ana Suda and Martha “Mimi” Hernandez, two American citizens detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for speaking Spanish while shopping at a local convenience store in Havre, Montana, have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the Trump administration. Their lawsuit brought to light systemic racism on the northern border.

"The ACLU of Montana will work with our members and partners to hold Governor-elect Gianforte accountable for protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of Montanans. Governor-elect Gianforte has a dismal track record when it comes to reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, immigrants’ rights, and ensuring that people have access to services and treatment for mental health issues or substance use disorders. His stances on many issues are not aligned with the values that Montanans hold dear. We won’t back down. Legal action is not off the table if executive orders or legislation pass his desk that violate the rights of Montanans."

The ACLU of Montana is a non-profit organization which focuses on protecting constitutional rights and freedoms in the state of Montana. We also prioritize Indigenous justice - part of which recognizes and works to overcome historical disenfranchisement of the Native vote.

Three days after the Blackfeet Nation brought a federal lawsuit against Pondera County arguing that the county was violating the voting rights of tribal members, Pondera County has agreed to make changes to make voting more accessible.