News & Commentary

Mississippi has its share of policies that subject LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that are not specifically covered by the other five initials) persons to discrimination, from the prejudiced Religious Liberty Accommodations Act, to the most recent anti-trans student-athlete law, and more.

Even with the number of controversial bills coming out of committees in both chambers, we had a very successful 2021 legislative session. Deputy Director Alicia Netterville recaps the accomplishments and setbacks.

In recent months, at least seven children have either died in custody or after being detained by federal immigration agencies at the border. These children came to the United States desperate for shelter and safety, but found inhumanity and suffering, under our government’s care, instead.Their deaths reveal just how dire the conditions are under which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are holding hundreds of children. Detention facilities are dangerously overcrowded, where migrants are forced to wear soiled clothes for days at a time. To make matters worse, CBP also appears to be holding children for extended periods of time in direct conflict with the Flores agreement, a set of legal guidelines that provide humane conditions for immigrant children in detention — guidelines the Trump administration is now attempting to dismantle, 

The ACLU of Mississippi and our Transgender Education & Advocacy Program (TEAP-MS) are thrilled to participate in the first-ever base-wide Keesler Air Force Base LGBTQ Observance. This education and resource event is a follow-up to a more intimate workshop we hosted at the base back in April. 

In response to the block of Mississippi’s 6-week abortion ban in federal court, Joshua Tom, legal director of the ACLU of Mississippi, had the following statement:

By LaLa B Holston-Zannell, Trans Justice Campaign Manager

By Joshua Tom, ACLU of MS Legal Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 17, 2019CONTACT: Mia Jacobs, 201-919-0333, mjacobs@aclu.orgWASHINGTON — The House of Representatives passed The Equality Act (H.R. 5,)  by a 236-173 margin today.This vote marks the first time in U.S. history that a chamber of Congress has advanced legislation providing for nationwide, explicit, and comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The legislation also fills significant gaps in our federal civil rights laws for all women and people of color, clarifying that everyone is protected under the law.Ronald Newman, national political director at the ACLU, had the following response:“This vote is a monumental step forward in the fight for true, lived equality for LGBTQ people. For too long, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and especially transgender and non-binary members of our communities have had to live with the constant threat of discrimination and harassment. This law would protect them from being fired from their jobs if they came out as trans, turned away from a business serving the public because of their gender presentation, or denied a lease agreement if they applied with their same-sex partner.

WASHINGTON — For the first time since President Trump issued his Muslim ban, Congress proposed legislation today to protect Muslims and immigrant communities from discriminatory bans.