In honor of the brave men and women who served our country, here are five ideas of how we can make life better for our most vulnerable patriots.
1. Let Veterans Vote
In many states, if you are convicted of certain crimes, you lose your right to cast a ballot. These disenfranchised citizens include . We should honor their service by allowing their voices to be part of our democracy again.
2. Provide Transgender Veterans With Medically Necessary Health Care
There are more than . Yet they are not able to receive full health care. The Veterans Health Administration and TriCare, the healthcare program of the Department of Defense, must provide full medical care, including treatments specifically related to gender transition and gender affirmation.
3. Abolish the Death Penalty
A by the Death Penalty Information Center reveals that at least one in every 10 people on death row is a veteran of the U.S. military. Too often, the courts don't consider PTSD and other potential impacts of military experience on a veteran's mental health. Our justice system makes these grave errors and many others in death penalty cases. We shouldn’t put anyone’s life at risk this way. Our veterans — and the civilians they protected from harm — deserve better.
4. Honor Immigrant Veterans
When immigrant veterans are convicted of crimes, even non-violent and non-serious crimes, they and permanent separation from their families. The Department of Homeland Security should give special consideration to the veteran’s military service, the possibility of rehabilitation, and the impact on the veteran’s family before deporting those who served this country.
5. Don’t Discriminate Against Survivors of Military Sexual Violence
After being sexually assaulted, many veterans still have to fight to receive the benefits they deserve. According to the ACLU and Service Women’s Action Network report, Battle for Benefits: VA Discrimination Against Survivors of Military Sexual, the Department of Veterans Affairs granted disability benefit claims for PTSD related to military sexual trauma at significantly lower rates than for other forms of PTSD, disproportionately impacting female veterans. We must reform VA regulations and improve training and oversight so veterans who experienced sexual assault are not traumatized again by poor care.
Learn More About the Issues on This Page
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News & CommentaryDec 2024
Voting Rights
Election Day is Over. Why is the Electoral College Voting Now?Election Day is Over. Why is the Electoral College Voting Now?
The Electoral College meets December 17th to certify the results of the 2024 election, but why? The ACLU breaks down if the process is worth keeping. -
New York Supreme CourtDec 2024
Voting Rights
New York Communities for Change v. Nassau CountyNew York Communities for Change v. Nassau County
This case in New York state court centers on the landmark John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA) and the New York Municipal Home Rule Law (MHRL). The NYVRA, like several other state voting rights acts enacted in recent years, expands upon the federal Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial vote dilution. The MHRL prohibits racial discrimination and partisan gerrymandering in local-level redistricting. The ACLU’s Voting Rights Project and State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the New York Civil Liberties Union, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Steptoe LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of voters of color in Nassau County, New York alleging that a redistricting plan implemented in 2023 for Nassau County’s legislative districts dilutes the voting strength of Black, Latino, and Asian residents and is gerrymandered for partisan advantage in violation of the NYVRA and the MHRL. -
ArizonaNov 2024
Voting Rights
American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona v. RicherAmerican Civil Liberties Union of Arizona v. Richer
We sued elections officials in Arizona to extend the mail ballot “cure” deadline after ballot processing delays threatened to disenfranchise thousands of voters without notice. -
Press ReleaseNov 2024
Voting Rights
Civil Rights Groups Respond to Flawed Trial Court Opinion on New York Voting Rights ActCivil Rights Groups Respond to Flawed Trial Court Opinion on New York Voting Rights Act
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — On November 7, a New York State Supreme Court trial judge issued an opinion striking down the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York (NYVRA). Today, the Legal Defense Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, New York American Civil Liberties Union, and Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law issued the following statement in response to the ruling: “The NYVRA is unquestionably constitutional, and protects the freedom to vote for all New Yorkers by helping to ensure voters are not subjected to discrimination when participating in the political process. “The Nov. 7 decision by a state trial judge is deeply flawed and plainly incorrect. We fully expect the decision to be reversed on appeal. It flies in the face of basic legal principles and constitutes a stunning overreach in striking down the entire law, including provisions that are not at issue in the case. “To put it simply, the NYVRA does not discriminate, it bans discrimination – and in doing so protects New Yorkers’ most fundamental right. “New York is stronger when everyone has an equal opportunity to vote.”