Whether law-enforcement officials should green light facial recognition technology searches of approximately 117 million Americans with drivers licenses, both at U.S. airports and in police department investigations--or whether the sleuthing technique violates the right to privacy--is highly controversial at a time when 31 states already allow … [Read more...]
Delaware Fails to Pass Equal Rights Amendment
Delaware failed to pass an Equal Rights Amendment last month, when several legislators who pledged their support for the measure voted nay. The bill died in the Senate with a vote of 11-9, needing two-thirds of the total (or 14 votes) to pass. Sen. Margaret Rose Henry used a procedural mechanism to set the stage for potential revote later this … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Foreign Corporations
The Supreme Court ruled last week that foreign corporations may not be sued for human rights violations in another country. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the opinion for the plurality, arguing that Congress would have to weigh-in before claims could be brought. The question before the court boiled down to the following: can foreign corporations be … [Read more...]
Eighth Circuit Grants Immunity to Guard Accused of Excessive Force
The US Prison system stands as an abhorrent example of degraded human rights. The UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) has urged the US to radically alter its system, specifically targeting the widespread practice of solitary confinement. According to a UN report, “physical and social isolation of individuals who are confined to their cells for 22 to … [Read more...]
Special Administrative Measures Violate International Law, Study Claims
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Yale Law School’s Allard K. Lowenstein’s International Human Rights Clinic recently released a report condemning the use of so-called Special Administrative Measures (SAMs), arguing that they violate International and US Laws. SAMs involve the extreme isolation of individuals, who may or may not be … [Read more...]
DC Court of Appeals Delays Abortion of Illegal Immigrant
On October 20th, the DC Court of Appeals rendered a 2-1 decision in favor of the US government, allowing the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to refuse facilitating abortions for illegal immigrants being held by the government. The plaintiff, provisionally named Jane Doe (JD), will now have to wait at least 11 more days while the ORR attempts … [Read more...]
Nursing Home Abuse Goes Severely Underreported
Under federal law, as it currently stands, nursing homes are required to report elderly abuse two hours following a serious incident. Less serious injuries must be reported 24 hours after the event. Failing to do so could result in the nursing home paying out $300,000 in fines. In violation of this clearly written law, most nursing homes fail to … [Read more...]
The Proliferation of Anti-Protest Laws
The events in Charlottesville have led to varied responses from every gradient of the political spectrum. The loudest and arguably most controversial response came from the very the top of the United States government. Following the protests, President Donald Trump stated that – in an event involving anti-Semitic, anti-Black, “free speech” neo-Nazi … [Read more...]
US District Judge Stays Texas’ Ban on Sanctuary Policies
On August 30th, a US District Judge in San Antonio ordered a preliminary injunction on certain provisions of a controversial bill banning sanctuary city policies in the state of Texas. The bill, known as SB 4, contains a number of restrictions limiting a city’s ability to impede federal immigration law enforcement. There are two provisions that … [Read more...]
The Proliferation of Anti-LGBTQ Laws
Over time, and through great struggle, federal law has been established to defend against discrimination based on sex, age, nationality, disability, religion or race in a variety of different forums, including housing, education, employment, voting rights, and access to public space. In certain states, people of varying sexual orientations and … [Read more...]
