From Amarillo to Brownsville and Beaumont to El Paso, we believe in a Texas that works for all of us. Media: media@aclutx.org | Take Action: aclutx.org/takeaction
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NEW: An abortion medication ban now awaits the governor's signature. In the face of anti-abortion extremism, we’re building a network of local advocates to defend our reproductive rights. The Texas Abortion Advocacy Network (TAAN) Academy returns September 16. Learn more:
Texas politicians created time for organized prayer in schools. Now, they’re pushing students to recite a prayer “taught by Jesus Christ.” Let’s be clear: It’s not the government’s role to decide what children should pray — or whether they should pray at all.
Fort Bliss military base — located in El Paso — has been used as an internment camp for people of Japanese descent during World War II and as a site for family separation during Trump's first term. Now it's reopened to fast-track deportations with minimal transparency.
These laws will continue to affect our classrooms, courtrooms, and communities. But we’re ready and working to help Texans stay informed, safe, and supported.
S.B. 412 ⬇️ Repeals an affirmative defense designed to ensure that no one calls the police just because a biology class discusses human anatomy. These changes to law intimidate teachers and students.
S.B. 33 ⬇️ Bans cities and counties from helping residents cover costs of essential services like travel, lodging, meals, and childcare when seeking abortion care out of state — even when the funds don’t go toward the procedure itself.
H.B. 229 ⬇️ Rigidly defines sex based on someone’s ability to reproduce and requires state agencies to identify Texans as either “male” or “female” across all government records.
S.B. 1257 ⬇️ Requires health insurance companies to cover “all possible adverse consequences” of gender-affirming health care, regardless of whether a patient was enrolled in the program at the time they received it.
S.B. 2972 ⬇️ Limits bipartisan free speech protections passed in 2019 and allows the government to restrict when, where, and how Texans can express themselves on public college and university campuses — even when that speech is protected under the Constitution.
S.B. 13 ⬇️ Ban broad categories of books in public school libraries and puts school boards, instead of trained librarians, in charge of determining the books that students can read.
S.B. 17 ⬇️ Prohibits the sale of land in Texas to people and companies from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia — and any other country the governor chooses to ban. It even prohibits certain people from leasing homes or apartments for more than a year.
S.B. 12 ⬇️ Bans K-12 public school teachers and student groups from discussing topics related to race, gender, or sexual orientation. It also prohibits school employees from “assisting” a student’s gender transition and could lead to districts “outing” trans and nonbinary students to parents.
S.B. 10 ⬇️ Requires public schools to display a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. S.B. 11 ⬇️ Creates an optional time for organized prayer in schools and eliminates the prohibition on teachers encouraging students to pray.
S.B. 9 ⬇️ Adds new offenses — including some misdemeanors — to the list requiring payment of money bail to secure release. It also allows prosecutors to unilaterally delay releasing people accused of certain offenses, even after a judge has found that releasing them would be safe.
#TXLEGE: 11 key laws go into effect today. Instead of preparing Texans for real crises, lawmakers prioritized bills that go against our Texas values. Here's a breakdown of some of the bills that have passed. 🧵
The Trump regime continues to deny Texans our fundamental right to a fair day in court — with inexcusable errors and devastating consequences.
🗣️ Every Texas student deserves to feel valued and supported — no matter their identity.
Allowing schools to support Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ Texans enriches the learning environment for all students by highlighting a wide range of perspectives and experiences that deepen students’ understanding of the world around them.
Texas lawmakers passed a bill during the regular legislative session that threatens to shut down cultural heritage programs, LGBTQIA+ student groups, and inclusion trainings. S.B. 12 hurts public and charter schools and censors critical conversations about systemic inequality.
BREAKING: We and partners are suing to block key parts of Senate Bill 12 — an unconstitutional ban on programs that mention race, gender identity, or sexual orientation in Texas public schools. Celebrating our diversity leads to better schools, smarter students, and a brighter future for all.
BREAKING: The Texas House just voted to expand the state’s extreme abortion ban by criminalizing anyone who makes, prescribes, or transports abortion medication — even out-of-state. Texas already has poor reproductive health care, and this will make it worse.
BREAKING: The Texas House just voted to deny trans and intersex people the basic dignity of safely using public restrooms. Instead of solving real problems, politicians are playing bathroom monitor — exposing every Texan to the prying eyes of strangers and government officials.
Texas history has ALWAYS included student-led protests. Together, we can protect student rights. Join our Free Speech Academy — a 7-week program that empowers parents and community members with tools to defend students’ free speech in K-12 schools. Apply by Sept. 1: aclutx.org/FreeSpeechAcademy
DISGUSTING: The Trump administration has opened the country’s largest immigration detention camp at Fort Bliss in Texas.
NEW: We and our partners sent a letter warning Texas superintendents not to implement S.B. 10, after a federal court ruled it “plainly unconstitutional” to display the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Schools must uphold students’ constitutional rights. aclutx.org/sb10letter
The Texas Abortion Advocacy Network Academy returns September 16! Join a network of local advocates working to restore and expand abortion access. Together, we'll: 🧠 Learn from experts. 🫂 Protect access to contraceptives and family planning resources. 🤝 Build community with other Texans.
BREAKING: Without any public input and before providing any flood relief, the Texas House just passed new congressional maps that further disenfranchise voters of color. This is an affront to our fundamental right to vote. Texans should pick our politicians — not the other way around.
We'll keep working toward permanently blocking this unconstitutional law. Learn more: www.aclutx.org/en/press-rel...
BREAKING: A federal court has preliminarily blocked the Texas public school districts in our lawsuit from displaying the Ten Commandments in every classroom. 📢 This win for religious freedom reaffirms what we already know: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing.
Forcing lawmakers you disagree with to comply with 24/7 police surveillance is a gross civil liberties violation. President Trump and his allies in Texas will stop at nothing to silence voters of color, including targeting the elected officials who represent them.
Texas students, like our client Oscar Silva, have worked hard to pursue higher education. Now, they may not be able to afford it. Dreamers represent the best of us in our classrooms, board rooms, and communities — and we’re suing to defend their access to in-state tuition rates.
TEXAS 👏 SHOWED 👏 OUT More than 5,000 Texans came together at the State Capitol this past weekend to resist lawmakers’ attempts to dilute the electoral power of voters of color. No matter the color of our skin or where we live, Texans support each other. We deserve lawmakers who will do the same.
"I’m a Texas teacher. My students and I are afraid." State lawmakers are making Texas public schools increasingly unwelcoming — even hostile — to LGBTQIA+, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and religious minority students. STUDENTS: You have rights. Visit aclutx.org/students to learn more.
BREAKING: The Trump administration began detaining people in tents at Fort Bliss in El Paso, set to become the nation’s largest immigrant detention center. It revives a shameful legacy of racist internment and severe abuse at the site — and will rip more families apart.
Let’s protect ourselves and those we love by knowing our rights. Learn more about what to do when interacting with police or ICE — including at Texas hospitals — at aclutx.org/rights (Spanish: aclutx.org/derechos).
Texans who are undocumented are avoiding leaving their homes — even when they need medical care. In places like the Rio Grande Valley, one of the nation’s poorest and unhealthiest areas, the situation can be dire for Texans — many of whom have long lived in the state.
Texas is being used as a testing ground for extremist policies that don’t reflect our values. This Saturday, we’re coming together to show lawmakers: Texas is for the PEOPLE. Bring a friend and spread the word: act.aclu.org/a/texasrally
A Texas woman was arrested and unlawfully charged with murder after having a medication abortion. A new court filing exposes the illegal actions and misconduct of the officials who prosecuted her.
📢 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WHILE PROTESTING: a thread 📢
🔍 iSpy an opportunity to help ensure Texas students can learn in a safe and inclusive environment that prepares them for their future. Join our Free Speech Academy, a program designed to empower you with the tools to understand, defend, and exercise students’ free speech rights. Apply by Sept. 1 ⬇️
Texas legislators are openly using a special session to redraw voting maps in their favor at the expense of voters of color, instead of getting disaster relief to flood victims. This race to the bottom erodes our democracy, regardless of which party benefits.
Attempting to remove 13 democratically elected officials who oppose your political agenda is an abuse of power and affront to Texas voters. In a democracy, voters choose their leaders — not the president, not the governor, and not the state attorney general. www.texastribune.org/2025/08/08/k...
Texas public school students don’t lose their rights at the schoolhouse doors — despite attacks on their free speech. Get the tools we need to protect our rights. Find out how with the ACLU of Texas' free and virtual Free Speech Academy! 🗣️ Apply by September 1. aclutx.org/FreeSpeechAcademy
✊ WHAT DO WE DESERVE? Fair maps and accurate representation! 👎 WHAT ARE WE GETTING? Leaders who are trying to consolidate power rather than put Texans first. Fair and equal representation is a cornerstone of our democracy. Let's protect it, together.
📢 WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING? Texans far and wide can testify against Senate Bill 4 in person on Thursday, August 7 🎤 or submit written comments online at any time throughout the legislative redistricting process. 💻
⁉️ WHAT’S HAPPENING? Gov. Abbott is chipping away at our rights and democracy by redrawing maps — so he and his allies can weaken the power of voters of color. Texas has a long history of drawing racially discriminatory voting maps. The last thing we need right now is more illegal gerrymandering.
🚨 TEXANS: Your help is needed. Instead of prioritizing disaster recovery and preparedness, Texas politicians are trying to further disenfranchise voters of color. Texas senators will meet tomorrow, August 7, to hear from us directly. Let's make sure they do. Here's how:
Gov. Abbott is trying to remove elected lawmakers while leaving the 18th Congressional District seat vacant for months. He isn’t protecting democracy — he’s consolidating power. In a democracy, it’s the will of the voters, not the will of the governor, that should decide who represents us. #txlege
This attempt to replace democratically elected lawmakers is a dangerous effort to overturn elections and undermine our democracy. It’s the will of the voters, not the will of Governor Abbott or President Trump.
"Requir[ing] every Texas public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments isn’t the way to teach children virtue. It’s the fastest way to politicize and cheapen it." Texas pastor Rev. Griff Martin speaks to why religious instruction has no place in a public school classroom. ⬇️
Breaking: Gov. Greg Abbott threatens Texas House Democrats with removal from office for fleeing state.
Texas House Democrats fled the state Sunday in a bid to block a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year from passing. bit.ly/4ooW2R2
Texas lawmakers want to make it illegal for trans and intersex Texans to access restrooms that match our lived experience and identity. Bathroom bans don’t protect anyone — they endanger all of us and open the door to gender policing. #SB7 #txlege
The Jeans fled gang violence in Haiti to legally immigrate to Texas. Now, the Trump administration is putting the Jeans and 500,000 other Haitians in danger of deportation — for them: a “death sentence.” While politicians fail them, their rural Texas church has stepped in to help.
NEW: Our "Civil Rights Guide for Incarcerated Texans" helps people take action when their rights are violated — from medical care to legal support. Texas prisons are overcrowded, overheated, and built to isolate Black, Brown, disabled, and low-income people. 🔗 aclutx.org/civilrightsguide
Across the country, we’ve witnessed stories of people afraid of masked, unidentified agents and violent raids. Our communities should not be forced to live in fear of masked agents who refuse to answer basic questions about who they are. Tell Congress: STOP MASKED AGENTS!
Despite it being halfway into the decade — and years after the last U.S. census — Gov. Abbott put redistricting on the agenda for the current special session. 📢 TAKE ACTION! The Texas House and Senate will hear public comment over the next few days, with virtual and in-person options.
After the U.S. Census is held every 10 years, Texas must redraw its maps to account for population growth and redistribution in the state. When redistricting is done incorrectly, legislators often manipulate lines to dilute the power of Black, Brown, and AAPI voters.
Gov. Abbott is trying to rig our electoral system by redrawing maps — so he and his allies can silence voters of color. What is redistricting — and what can Texans do? 🧵
"We were kidnapped." The Trump administration unlawfully deported over 200 Venezuelan migrants — including people from Texas — to a mega-prison in El Salvador infamous for its human rights abuses. Now, after more than four months, they have been released.
Texas politicians are trying to redraw electoral maps to hold on to power. We’re hosting two VIRTUAL trainings to: ➡️ Explain redistricting. ➡️ Share ways you can help. ➡️Guide you through public testimony. TONIGHT — July 22 at 6 p.m. CT WEDNESDAY — July 23 at noon CT
Alligator Alcatraz already has a reputation for abusing immigrants. Since it opened: 🔴 The facility has flooded. 🔴 Mosquitoes fill the air and maggots are in the food. 🔴 The lights are on 24/7 and people are being denied basic rights. Sign our petition to help stop this inhumanity ⬇️
NEW: Gov. Abbott’s special session begins today, while Texans are still reeling from catastrophic flooding. During the regular session, lawmakers prioritized their own political agendas over real issues. Now, it’s time they put Texans first — and deliver real results.
Texas’ money bail system keeps thousands of people in jail simply because they cannot afford to pay their way out. This isn’t just wrong — it’s expensive, dangerous, and makes our communities less safe. Money bail doesn’t work, but we have better options ⬇️
“I get to live at the intersections of masculine and feminine energy... I am able to be fluid, owning both parts when I need to.” Houston artist Wyntress X’ion reminds us that the freedom to express who we are — through art, gender, and identity — is a right worth protecting.
NEW REPORT: Americans’ support for immigration is at a record-high — while Trump’s unlawful anti-immigrant agenda is widely unpopular. We should never compromise our values around immigration. Cruelty toward migrants is NOT a policy solution. 📢
A 22-year-old Palestinian man was detained without explanation at a Houston airport for nine days even though he had received an immigration visa to reunite with his father. Muhanad Alshrouf was kept in detention without a bed, blanket, or ability to shower.
Texas families with trans youth continue to face a difficult decision: Stay in the state or leave — something not all families can afford to do. The Supreme Court has turned its back on the people it should protect by ripping away health care from transgender youth who deserve the chance to thrive.
NEW DATA: Texas had the most residents traveling out of state for an abortion in 2024 — in many cases going further than anyone else in the country. Every person in Texas deserves safe access to abortion.
A federal court temporarily blocked President Trump’s anti-trans passport policy — so you may be able to get a passport with accurate sex markers while this litigation is pending. Here’s what you need to know:
It’s PRIME time to snag some ✨ new ✨ ACLU of Texas merch 😏 Celebrate your Pride 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 Embrace our diversity 🤠 Support the cause 🫶
A North Texas woman went on her honeymoon. When she returned, she was detained by ICE. Immigration officials tried to violate her right to due process and deport her twice — nearly sending the 22-year-old Palestinian woman to Israel. Almost five months later, she's back home.
ICYMI: The Fifth Circuit upheld a block on Texas’ attempt to override the federal government’s jurisdiction on immigration. S.B. 4 would allow local police to make arrests based on immigration status, and allow state officers to deport people. No matter our place of origin, immigrants belong here.
There are ways to help our neighbors navigating this catastrophic natural disaster. Check out suggestions from Austin public radio ⬇️
Our hearts are heavy: The Texas Hill Country flooding has led to the tragic loss of at least 90 lives with others still missing. Texans will continue to show up for one another as we rebuild our homes, communities, and lives.
NEW: The Fifth Circuit upheld a block on Texas’ extreme anti-immigrant law, S.B. 4 — a cruel attempt to override the federal government’s authority over immigration enforcement. S.B. 4 is unconstitutional. Immigrants belong here.
BREAKING: Congress just gave final approval on a budget bill that guts Medicaid, defunds Planned Parenthood, and supercharges funding for ICE. We the people will bear the brunt of these harmful policies — and we won’t forget who caused this devastation to our health, rights, and dignity.
Texas public schools are 🚨NOT🚨 Sunday schools. Full stop.
“The state of Texas has no right to dictate to children how many gods to worship, which gods to worship, or whether to worship any gods at all.”
We’re bringing this lawsuit to ensure that all students — regardless of their faith or nonreligious beliefs — feel accepted and free to be themselves in Texas public schools. We’re joined by the @aclu.org, @americansunited.bsky.social, @ffrf.org, with Simpson Thacher Bartlett LLP.
BREAKING: We and partners are suing on behalf of 16 Texas families of different religious and nonreligious backgrounds to block a new state law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. How or whether we practice religion is up to us — not the government.
The Senate just voted to strip Medicaid away from millions of people across the country. There's no time to waste — tell your Representatives to protect our health care and save Medicaid.
It was an honor to be in community at our 2025 Advocacy Summit in Houston. Thank you to our featured panelists — Elizabeth Farfán-Santos, Joe Jiménez, and RoShawn C. Evans — and to our emcee, Ella Russell. Nothing cements how crucial this work is more than being in community with y’all. 💙
On the last day of #Pride, we’re reaffirming our commitment to showing up for trans Texans, today and everyday. Trans people have always existed and will always exist. We’ll continue resisting efforts by politicians to control our families and our bodies.
ICE is already more than $1 billion over budget this year — now, they’re asking for more money. This is the result of a system that invests in cruel punishment and separation instead of community support and care.
BREAKING: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law that requires adults to prove our age before accessing sexual content online. This burdens the speech rights of adults and won't protect children.
Houston police called ICE on a woman after she reported her ex-husband's abuse. Partnerships between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents are harmful to every Texan, regardless of citizenship status. No one should fear deportation for reporting abuse or seeking help.📢
TEXANS: Join the ACLU of Texas on Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m. CT for a virtual training to learn more about your rights after one of the most severe anti-LGBTQIA+ legislative sessions in Texas history. Sign up: secure.ngpvan.com/4WACCYHMgkGs...
This victory for marriage equality was — and remains — a culmination of decades of advocacy from LGBTQIA+ activists across the nation. Today and every day, we celebrate this milestone in the movement for LGBTQIA+ equality — and fiercely recommit to the work that still needs to be done.
TEXANS: Join the ACLU of Texas on Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m. CT for a virtual training to learn more about your rights after one of the most severe anti-LGBTQIA+ legislative sessions in Texas history. Sign up: secure.ngpvan.com/4WACCYHMgkGs...
BREAKING: We and partners are intervening in federal court to defend in-state tuition for undocumented students. The Trump administration and state officials are trying to cancel the law — punishing hardworking Texans and threatening our state’s workforce, economy, and future.
NO THC BAN: Gov. Abbott vetoed S.B. 3, a harmful ban on hemp-derived THC that would’ve disrupted livelihoods and damaged our state’s economy. Lawmakers should pursue sensible regulation — not criminalization that disproportionately impacts communities of color.
Last week, a court ordered the Trump administration to allow all trans people to update their passports with the gender marker that's right for them. Learn more about how and when to apply.
We’re taking this discriminatory law to court alongside a coalition of Texans whose constitutional rights are being violated. If you’ve been impacted, share your story: aclutx.org/intake
Texas students should be free to learn about themselves and the world around them. Yet, S.B. 12 sends the false message that Black, Brown, LGBTQIA+, and other students don’t belong in the classroom or in our state.
S.B. 12 bans all programs and activities that mention race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation in K-12 public schools in Texas, including charter schools. It would whitewash public education and prohibit groups like Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs).
BREAKING: We and SEAT intend to sue over Texas’ DEI ban, S.B. 12 — one of the most extreme attacks on public education in the country. Our schools should prepare students of every race, gender, and background to succeed.
hot take: if you don’t like drag shows...don’t go to any 💅
This is a huge and joyous day for Mahmoud and his loved ones, as well as a win for our First Amendment rights. Dissent is never grounds for deportation.
BREAKING: A federal court has ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student detained as punishment for his advocacy for Palestinian human rights. Mahmoud spent over 3 months in ICE detention, during which time he missed the birth of his first child and his own graduation.