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A stylized graphic showing a large crowd of people gathered for a protest or rally on a city street lined with multi-story buildings. The photo is in blue tones and framed by a bold red outline with jagged edges. On the right side, there is an illustration of the Statue of Liberty’s torch, and on the left, a red geometric shape resembling a map outline.

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Know Your Rights
A black‑and‑white photo of a protest crowd holding a sign that reads “America would be nothing without immigrants,” overlaid with an orange geometric shape and a stylized illustration of two hands reaching toward each other.

Know Your Rights when Interacting with ICE in the DMV

Your rights do NOT change when you cross the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virgina)
Action | Sign the Petition
Collage-style graphic featuring two armed military personnel in camouflage uniforms standing in front of layered geometric shapes. In the foreground, a person holds a protest sign reading “STOP THIS LAWLESSNESS RUN A MOK.” A large neoclassical government building appears at the bottom right. The image uses muted green, blue, and gray tones with a dark green background and textured design elements.

No One is Above the Law: Hold Federal Agents Accountable

Support this petition to urge the D.C. Council to pass legislation allowing people to sue federal agents when officers violate people's constitutional rights in Washington, D.C.
Resource
National guard agents stationed in front of the U.S. capitol

Holding the National Guard Accountable

For more than a year, ACLU-D.C. has been fighting back against the unprecedented deployment of National Guard troops in our neighborhoods and the threats it poses to civil rights, civil liberties, and D.C.’s right to self-government. From defending people whose rights have been violated by Guard members to challenging federal overreach and advocating for D.C. statehood, ACLU-D.C. is working to ensure that federal power does not go unchecked.

Press Releases

Sep 4, 2026

ACLU, ACLU of D.C., and National Press Photographers Association Tell Court that Blocking Drone Photography of DHS Operations Violates First Amendment

In Friend-of-the-Court Brief, Free Speech Groups Urge Court to Block Airspace Restrictions Affecting Journalists

Sep 3, 2026

The ACLU and Affiliates Nationwide Underscore Urgent Need for National Guard to Leave the Nation’s Capital

In a letter addressed to the American public, ACLU and affiliates warn prolonged deployments carry nationwide costs and risk normalizing military presence on American streets

Aug 27, 2026

ACLU-D.C. Statement on the Withdrawal of Michigan’s National Guard Troops from Washington

Michigan’s National Guard troops have left Washington, D.C.

Issues We're Monitoring

D.C. Statehood D.C. Home Rule Immigrants' Rights Freedom of Speech and Association Criminal Justice Reform Police Practices and Police Misconduct View All Issues

Featured Case

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O’Hara v. Beck – Defending the Right To Protest the National Guard

In Star Wars, the Imperial March is the music that plays when Darth Vader and his storm troopers enter the scene. It’s also the soundtrack of Sam O’Hara’s protest against the National Guard’s presence in D.C.