Speaking Freely With the ACLU-PA

In October, ACLU-PA released a new report called Cold Reality: Uncovering the Cruelty and Chaos of ICE Practices in Pennsylvania. The report is an analysis of documents obtained from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, and what they show about the harm that ICE enforcement actions do to families and communities. Here to talk about it are Vanessa Stine, senior staff attorney for immi...

Both the U.S. and Pennsylvania constitutions guarantee the right to an attorney for someone facing criminal charges, regardless of a person’s ability to pay. But for decades, Pennsylvania has been woefully inadequate in ensuring that people living in poverty receive effective representation. So in June, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, with volunteer attorneys from several law firms, sued the governor an...

Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. And based on his first turn as president and his rhetoric in the campaign, we know that he and his cronies are a clear and present danger to our most basic freedoms and to democracy itself. So what does that mean for the ACLU, as an organization dedicated to defend people’s civil liberties? And what does it mean for the ACLU of Pennsylv...

In 2024, ACLU-PA and our partners have taken a different approach with our legal strategy than in past election cycles. This year, we’ve implemented a proactive strategy to make sure that voters who want to cast a ballot can do so without unnecessary hurdles. Vic Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, joins the pod to talk about it. By the time you listen to this, it’s possible that...