News & Commentary

ACLU of Hawaiʻi attorney Leilani Stacy has filed several winning habeas petitions. (Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026)

Locked Up Too Long? Legal Tactic Challenges Hawaiʻi ICE Detentions

Joaquin David Rico-Tapia had been held at Honolulu’s Federal Detention Center for six weeks when his attorney filed a special petition last September arguing he had been illegally detained as his deportation case went forward.

Latest Press Release

Apr 10, 2026

Community Advocates and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda Show Support for Survivors and Demand Accountability and Compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act

HONOLULU, HI – U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda joined community advocates from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi (“ACLU of HI”) and Indivisible Hawaiʻi Statewide Network in delivering a message of support to the survivors of the Epstein crimes.
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Stay informed on civil rights issues. Discover our latest actions and updates in the Press Release section.

Nov 11, 2022

Our Veterans Need Support, Not Incarceration

Investing in community-based treatment instead of locking people up for the psychological wounds of war would honor veterans.

Shawn Jensen (third row from bottom, ninth from left) pictured with the First Recon team in early 1968.
Nov 07, 2022

For People with Disabilities on Parole and Probation, Accessible Communication is Essential

Our clients were repeatedly denied sign language interpretation necessary to understand the conditions of their release. They paid the price with their freedom.

An American Sign Language interpreter interpreting at an anti-racism rally and march.
Oct 31, 2022

What You Need to Know about Affirmative Action at the Supreme Court

Two cases before the high court will determine whether race conscious admissions policies can be used by universities.

The Supreme Court Building
Sep 12, 2022

Despite Backlash, Voters and Lawmakers Continue to Choose Criminal Justice Reform

National headlines don’t tell the full story; reform continues to win across the country.

Shelby County Court
Aug 18, 2022

Native Families' Right to Stay Together is at Stake at the Supreme Court

The Indian Child Welfare Act — a law that protects Native children from forced removal from their families, tribes, and culture — is currently under attack.

Children from the Zuni Pueblo lead the U.S. pledge of allegiance in the Zuni language in the New Mexico state Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M.
Jun 24, 2022

Abortion is legal in Hawaiʻi, but access needs to be more equitable

ACLU of Hawaiʻi Statement on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Photo Credit: Nicole McCann
Jun 01, 2022

The Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Policing is a Foundation to Build Upon

Two years after the murder of George Floyd, a new executive order on police reform offers a starting place, but does not go far enough.

Protesters holding signs depicting George Floyd.
May 24, 2022

Setting the Record Straight On Bail Reform

ACLU of Hawaiʻi Statement on HB 1567 and a vision for real bail reform in Hawaiʻi.

Bail Reform Bill
May 11, 2022

To See the Future of Roe, Look to the States

We don’t know what the final opinion will look like, but here’s what we do know about abortion access nationwide.

Protesters marching in Washington, DC, and carrying signs saying Abortion Is An Unalienable Human Right.