ACLU of Washington

@acluwa

Protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all in Washington state. Advocating: ⚖ in the Courts 🗽 in the Legislature 🤝 with community

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ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 11d

Everyone deserves the opportunity to live and work freely. We’ll never stop fighting for that right.

Yellow graphic with a black border decorated with red, blue, white, green, and yellow stars. Text explains how federal law protects people with disabilities from discrimination in employment. You do not have to inform an employer of your disability when you apply for a job. An employer cannot refuse to hire/promote you, fire/demote you, harass you, or to pay you less because of your disability. You are also protected from unnecessary medical inquiries at work.

Yellow graphic with a black border decorated with red, blue, white, green, and yellow stars. Text explains that you have the right to request accommodations for job applications and interviews. Private employers with less than 15 employees are not covered by federal disability nondiscrimination laws.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 12d

José, his pregnant wife, and their children deserved so much better than the horror they experienced while in federal custody. That’s why we’re fighting for justice – so that no person ever has to go through an experience like this again.

U.S. Port of Entry sign at Blaine, WA. Below, white text on black background reads, "For nearly a month, CBP held the family of six under inhumane conditions in a single, cramped cell meant only for short-term detention. CBP rarely allowed the family out of the cell, which was unbearably hot and filthy. The cell had no natural light or window to the outside world, and was bare, except for thin mats, space blankets, a toilet, and a sink." What it was like for our clients detained in Blaine, WA

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 13d

For nearly a month, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held José’s family of six under inhumane conditions in a single, cramped cell meant only for short-term detention.

Photo of family walking. Text reads, "I want people to know what happened to my family. I want people to know the truth about how much the government hurt my children, my wife, and me. I hope that if people know the truth, this will not happen to another family." Quote was by José, our client who was detained with his family in Blaine, WA for nearly a month

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 14d

8pm next Tuesday. That's when the ballot lying on your counter (or kitchen table) needs to be returned to an official ballot drop box.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 15d

No matter how you need to vote, it is your right to participate. Under federal law. voting must be equally accessible to people with disabilities as for people without disabilities. 🗳️Tap through for an overview of your rights as a voter! https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/disability-rights

Yellow graphic with text that reads "Federal disability rights laws not only protect what many people think of as a disability, but also a wide range of physical and mental health conditions.

People with intellectual disability, chronic illnesses, and developmental disabilities are all protected. Virtually any condition that interferes with your ability to vote is protected.

Under federal law, voting must be equally accessible to people with disabilities as for people without disabilities."

Yellow graphic with text that reads "Voters cannot be turned away from the polls because a poll worker thinks they do not have the mental (or physical) capacity to vote.

Voting absentee should be as accessible as voting in person.
Information about voting must be available in accessible formats. Websites must be accessible to screen readers and other assistive technology.

Materials must be available in large print or other accessible formats, if requested."

Yellow graphic with text that reads "Election departments and polling place personnel must make reasonable modifications in how things are done, in order to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to vote.

This may mean providing assistance in applying for an absentee ballot, or providing seating if there are long lines, or any other “reasonable” step to help a person with a disability participate in the voting process."

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 18d

Washington, it’s time to vote! Ballots must be returned to an official ballot drop box by 8pm on Primary Election Day, August 4. If you decide to mail your ballot, be sure to send it at least a week early – by July 28. If you mail it any later than that, your ballot may not be counted.

Cream graphic with red and blue stripes on the bottom. Text reads "As a primary voter, you decide who ends up on the ballot for the general election.

This year, there are a lot of important races on the ballot. Up for election are:

All 98 members of the Washington House of Representatives
24 of 49 spots in the Washington Senate
5 of the 9 seats on the Washington Supreme Court
10 members of the US House of Representatives"

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 19d

This #DisabilityPrideMonth, make sure you know your rights as a renter. Tap through for an overview of how federal disability rights laws can offer protection.

Yellow graphic that explains your right to be treated to be treated like any other prospective tenant when applying to rent a home. Discrimination on the basis of disability is illegal under federal law. You are allowed to make physical changes to your rental unit to make it more accessible to you. You have a right to reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 22d

Judges have more power than you might realize – and in Washington you get to choose them. TONIGHT online @ 5:30pm: Hear from candidates running for seats on the highest court in Washington at Ummah Bar Association’s community forum!

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 25d

📪Your ballot is waiting for you📪 Washingtonians, today is the start of an 18-day voting period for the August 4th Primary Election, and your ballot should be arriving soon. This election will determine what's on your ballot in November. So, let's make a plan to vote before August 4! ⤵️

Primary election dates in Washington: July 17 ballots mailed and voting begins; July 27 last day to register to vote or update your address by mail or online; Aug 4 Election Day, ballots due 8pm. You can still register to vote or update you address in person on this day.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 26d

We get to vote for our judges in WA - do you know who's on your ballot for the primary election? To help you get to know the judicial candidates, the Ummah Bar Association and partners are hosting a free community forum next Monday, July 20. RSVP TODAY, July 16, to attend in person ⬇️

Judicial Candidate Forum for WA State Supreme Court hosted by the Ummah Bar Association & partners — July 20, 2026, 5:30–8:30 PM at Kent Community Center; RSVP by July 16 to attend in person.

Graphic listing participating judicial candidates in the Ummah Bar Association community forum. Moderated by ACLU‑WA Executive Director Michele Storms. The candidates listed are:
Justice Theo Angelis, Judge Ian Birk, Attorney Laura Christensen Colberg, Judge Mike Diaz, Attorney Scott Edwards, Judge Jaime Hawk, Judge Dave Larson (retired), Attorney Karim Merchant, Judge Sean O’Donnell, and Chief Justice Debra Stephens

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· 28d

Alice Wong amplified the lived experiences and stories of people with disabilities through co-founding the Disability Visibility Project. In the wake of her passing last year, her advocacy continues to shape national conversations around accessibility and the rights of disabled people.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 9

June may be over, but Pride is all summer long! Find more events happening across Washington this month through September ⬇️

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 7

Bad actors will claim the opposite to throw you off your game. Sharing rights information keeps all of us sharp and ready to support each other.

Green graphic with text that reads "Telling someone their rights can include:
Offering practical advice for interacting with law enforcement
Suggesting specific words they can say to exercise their rights or understand if they’re under arrest."

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 7

Pass it on: you can tell other people their rights — even when they have broken the law or are breaking the law.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 4

For 250 years, we the people have been working to make our union more perfect. As we face unprecedented attacks on our rights and freedoms, we’re defending our democracy with everything we’ve got.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 3

That’s why it’s important to remember: We are the changemakers we've been looking for.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 3

Our country has never truly lived up to its promise of freedom. We've made progress because of courageous ordinary people working every day to bend the moral arc of the universe toward justice. It is the legacy of those everyday people that shows us a different world is possible.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 3

No matter what the courts or the Trump administration say, we will never stop fighting for the rights of trans youth. To all trans youth: We're with you today, tomorrow, and every day.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 3

This week, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order attacking birthright citizenship. President Trump was trying to dictate who belongs in this country – and he lost.

Maroon graphic with a quote that reads "Immigrants make [our state] and our country stronger, and we will continue to do everything in our power to fight back against this administration’s attempts to redefine who belongs in America."— ACLU of Washington executive director michele storms.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 3

If you’re born here, you are a citizen. That is the promise of birthright citizenship. And it remains the law of the land – despite the President's efforts.

Maroon graphic with a quote that reads "Birthright citizenship is a foundational concept in our democracy, and here, the court upheld the clear language of our Constitution.

The Constitution is for everyone, including and especially those who are the most vulnerable." — ACLU of Washington executive director michele storms.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 2

Pride is a celebration, but it’s also a reminder that queer and trans Washingtonians are facing attacks on their safety and freedoms. Right now, we're supporting @nohateinwastate.bsky.social to fight against two ballot initiatives that aim to discriminate against 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in our state.

Photo of a person from behind with a pride and trans flags on a backpack at a Pride march, holding a sign that says "No Hate in WA State. Vote no on I-001 & I-638." The photo has a rainbow border and an illustration of a rainbow and clouds with the words "we've got your back" in the center.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jul 2

We’ve had so much fun celebrating Pride across WA – celebrations that don’t end in June. Thank you to everyone who joined us in the Seattle Pride parade or visited our booths at @spokanepride.bsky.socialand Trans Pride Seattle. No matter the celebration, no matter the fight, we’ve got your back.

Photo of a Pride parade crowd with a raised blue and pink sign that reads 'Together WE WIN — fight for the T in team." The image has a rainbow border and an illustration of a rainbow and clouds with the words "we've got your back" in the center.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 29

Two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that cities can punish people for sleeping outside — even when they have nowhere else to go, stripping unhoused people of vital constitutional protections. Let's be clear: Housing is not a reward for good behavior. It is a human right.

Black, white, and green graphic. 2023 quote from Justice Sonya Sotomayor from her dissent in Grants Pass v. Johnson

"Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime. For some people, sleeping outside is their only option."

Black, white, and green graphic. 2023 quote from Justice Sonya Sotomayor from her dissent in Grants Pass v. Johnson

"The City of Grants Pass jails and fines those people for sleeping anywhere in public at any time, including in their cars, if they use as little as a blanket to keep warm or a rolled-up shirt as a pillow. For people with no access to shelter, that punishes them for being homeless. That is unconscionable and unconstitutional."

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 24

All of us deserve to be free and to be ourselves. Countless everyday people have fought for that right – people like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Pride is a chance to honor their lives and activism and celebrate the joy of belonging.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 24

Even if you are coming from a country with different rules, in the United States, the government has to follow the Constitution. And we're here to hold the government accountable.

Text reads "Can police or immigration officers randomly search me? No, police and immigration officers need your consent or probable cause to search you or your belongings. You don’t have to consent to a search. Police may pat down your clothing if they suspect you have a weapon."

Text reads "Do I have to show my immigration documents if an officer asks for them? Yes, if you are not a U.S. citizen and an immigration officer requests your immigration documents, you have to show them. Never provide fake documents."

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 24

Know your rights — and your risks — during the 2026 World Cup ⤵️

ACLU of Washington green graphic reading "Know Your Rights. What if I get stopped by police or ICE officers?"

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 22

All of us, including transgender and non-binary people, need accurate and consistent identity documents that reflect who we are. That’s what IDs are for. These documents allow us to travel, start new jobs, open bank accounts, and enroll in school.

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 19

Juneteenth is more than a simple story of freedom. It is one of hope for a better tomorrow, ripe for celebration — and reflection that freedom delayed is freedom denied.

Juneteenth graphic. Red and blue gradient background, white text box, with Juneteenth flag at the top. Text reads, "While we celebrate the joy of Juneteenth, this day is also a reminder that victories for freedom and justice can – and have been – denied, ignored and withheld. In Texas, enslaved Black people waited two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation to learn that they were free."

Juneteenth graphic. Red and blue gradient background, white text box, with Juneteenth flag at the top. Text reads, "Today, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decisions undermining the Voting Rights Act and the Trump administration’s ongoing assaults on equity, inclusion and justice, we’re facing another moment of freedom and belonging denied for Black people, trans people, immigrants, so many others."

Juneteenth graphic. Red and blue gradient background, white text box, with Juneteenth flag at the top. Text reads, "This Juneteenth, we can find strength in each other and in remembering those who fought AND won for freedom and justice in the past. Only by working together can we build a society where everyone is free and equal." Quote by michele storms, Executive Director of ACLU Washington.
Read the full letter at aclu-wa.org/Juneteenth

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 18

Do you know the meaning behind the Juneteenth flag and why it differs from the stars and stripes of the American flag?

ACLU of Washington@acluwa· Jun 17

Let us be unapologetically loud and clear when we say: Trans youth belong in our families, in our schools, and on our teams.