ACLU of Hawaiʻi Highlights Immigration, Criminal Justice, and Gender Equity Reforms for Upcoming 2026 Legislative Session

HONOLULU, HI - On January 12, the ACLU of Hawai‘i (“ACLU-HI”) held a press conference to announce its 2026 legislative priorities, which include criminal legal system reforms, increased protection for Hawai‘i’s immigrant communities, and stronger efforts to defend gender equity and LGBTQ+ rights.

Joining the press conference were ACLU-HI Executive Director Salmah Y. Rizvi, ACLU-HI Policy Director Mandy Fernandes, ACLU-HI Policy Fellow Donavan Kamakani Albano, Hawai‘i State Senator Karl Rhoads, Tina Sablan and Dr. Amy Agbayani from The Legal Clinic (“TLC”), and Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights (“HCIR”) Executive Director Liza Ryan-Gill.

ACLU-HI, HCIR, and TLC are collaboratively launching a legislative campaign for immigrant justice with the goal of advancing policies that protect the dignity, safety, and constitutional rights of all Hawai‘i residents regardless of immigration status. Key policy solutions include restoring protections at schools, hospitals, courts, and shelters; ending secret or unaccountable law enforcement practices; ensuring language access and consent for those detained by immigration enforcement; and protecting survivors through fair U & T visa certification.

Salmah Y. Rizvi, ACLU-HI Executive Director, shared:

ACLU of Hawai‘i is determined this session to build “state veils” to combat what we see happening on the federal level. And we know that local law enforcement agencies do have jurisdiction to hold the federal government and its agents accountable when they commit crimes in our jurisdiction. We have the power to ensure Hawai‘i remains the beautiful, diverse, and open society we all enjoy.

Tina Sablan, TLC Community & Policy Advocate, added:

One of the reasons why it’s so important to restrain state and local law enforcement from collaborating with ICE and civil immigration enforcement is that every Hawai‘i resident should feel safe reporting serious crimes, no matter what their legal immigration status might be or where they might live in the state.

ACLU-HI is also committed to supporting measures for bail reform, diversion, and community-based safety solutions that will shrink the jail population. This is in direct response to proposed plans to build a new jail on O‘ahu, which would cost taxpayers an estimated $1 billion.

Mandy Fernandes, ACLU-HI Policy Director, shared:

For $1 billion, we could fund so many necessary services and benefits in our communities, such as universal pre-K. So we need to make sure we are spending it wisely . . . . We’ve heard from the department about ongoing problems like chronic understaffing of the jail and overcrowding and the solution is staring us in the face. There are alternatives to cash bail that we know are just as effective for ensuring appearance in court and keeping our communities safe.

Additionally, the ACLU-HI joins a coalition of organizations dedicated to expanding protections established under Act 2, SLH 2023 to include gender affirming health care services, including medically necessary health care and mental health or behavioral health that respects and honors the gender identity of every patient.

Donavan Kamakani Albano, ACLU-HI Policy Fellow, shared:

These medical decisions should be left to individuals and their doctors, not from the government, outside states, or the courts. This is about the fundamental right to bodily autonomy. This is about restoring a vital part of Hawai‘i’s cultural and genealogical integrity. And this is about community safety where every person in Hawai‘i is free to grow and live without fear.

The ACLU-HI invites the public to participate this legislative session and learn more about these issues by visiting acluhawaii.org.