News & Commentary
Nov 05, 2025
Closure Reached in Suit Against Providence for Failing to Provide Special Education Services to Preschool Children
Closure reached in a federal class-action lawsuit filed in May 2023 against the Providence school district and the R.I. Department of Education, alleging that hundreds of children with disabilities between the ages of three and five were routinely not receiving critical and legally-required special education services.
Apr 18, 2025
ACLU files class action lawsuit challenging terminated student status of students in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico
Four ACLU affiliates and law firm Shaheen & Gordon filed a federal class action lawsuit today seeking to represent over 100 students in who had their F-1 student immigration status unlawfully and abruptly terminated with no specified reason as to why
Jan 29, 2025
ACLU Slams Brown University’s Ongoing Suspension of Pro-Palestinian Student Group; Calls for Immediate Reinstatement
In a letter sent today to Brown University President Christina Paxson and other members of the University administration, the ACLU of Rhode Island and its student chapter condemned the school’s three-month-long “interim” suspension of the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
Jul 20, 2023
Civil Rights Groups Announce Implementation of Major Revisions to ACI’s Solitary Confinement Policies
The ACLU of Rhode Island and the R.I. Center for Justice announced today that, in response to mediation arising out of pending federal litigation challenging the R.I. Department of Corrections’ (RIDOC) use of solitary confinement on individuals at the ACI
Mar 16, 2023
Federal Judge Rules Unconstitutional State’s Residency Restriction For Sex Offenders
A federal court ruled unconstitutional a state law that makes it a crime for certain sex offenders to reside within 1,000 feet of a school, finding that the statute would require individuals subject to it to guess whether they were in compliance with it.
Dec 16, 2022
Statement from the ACLU of RI and Center for Justice on this Afternoon's Denial of a Request for an Injunction in Doe v. McKee
The ACLU of RI and the Center for Justice issued the following statement in response to this afternoon's ruling on Doe v. McKee, a lawsuit filed on behalf of two dozen homeless individuals to allow them to continue camping at the State House to protest the lack of adequate housing in Rhode Island.
Dec 13, 2022
ACLU of Rhode Island and Center for Justice Seek Court Injunction Against Removal of Camping Protesters from State House Grounds
Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and the R.I. Center for Justice have today filed a complaint on behalf of two dozen homeless individuals to allow them to continue camping at the State House to protest the lack of adequate housing for individuals in Rhode Island.
Dec 08, 2022
Citing "Serious Legal and Policy Concerns," ACLU Calls on Governor to Rescind Notice Kicking People Off State House Grounds
The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island has called on Governor Daniel McKee to rescind a notice requiring all persons currently camping in front of the State House to vacate their property by 9 AM tomorrow or else face arrest.
Jun 28, 2022
Suit Settled Over State Police Exclusion of Twin River Employee without Due Process
The ACLU of Rhode Island announced the favorable settlement of a five-year-old lawsuit against the RI State Police (RISP) for retaliating against a Twin River Casino employee who declined to serve as an informant in a criminal gambling investigation.
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