A panel of conservative judges on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that private individuals or groups cannot bring suit under the Voting Rights Act, severely curtailing the effectiveness of the landmark civil rights law. This decision has been met with criticism from voting rights organizations, who argue that the VRA is an important tool for protecting the rights of minority voters. The decision has been seen as a major setback for voting rights organizations, who have relied on the VRA to protect the rights of minority voters.
Posts tagged as “NAACP”
The case challenges South Carolina's congressional district map adopted in 2022, which was brought by Black South Carolinians alleging that the state is diluting Black voters’ power. A three-judge federal district court panel found that the map had “bleached … African American voters out of the district”. The Supreme Court will decide whether the process was illegal racial discrimination or simply partisan politics.
House Democrats have introduced the End Solitary Confinement Act, a bill that would limit the use of solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails and detention centers, with exceptions for sleeping, medical quarantine, and deescalating emergencies. It would also ensure incarcerated people access to 14 hours of daily time out of their cells, including 7 hours of programming. The bill has been endorsed by the ACLU, NAACP, and NAMI, and seeks to reduce the number of people currently in solitary confinement in the US.
The Supreme Court's decision to reject affirmative action in higher education has been met with sharp criticism from two of the court's liberal justices and civil rights groups. The ruling is likely to reshape how higher education institutions consider applicants, as they can no longer use race as a factor in admissions. NAACP President Derrick Johnson argued that the decision will make it more difficult for students of color to access higher education, and called on Congress to pass legislation to protect affirmative action in higher education.
The NAACP is expressing deep frustration over the White House's decision to end the pause on federal student loan payments, which they argue will erode economic progress for Black Americans and disproportionately impact Black borrowers. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the organization is calling for targeted relief for those struggling to repay their loans and advocating for policies that will help close the racial wealth gap.
Michael Tisius, 42, is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Missouri for the murder of two jailers 23 years ago. Organizations such as the American Bar Association, the NAACP, the European Union, and the Vatican have urged Gov. Mike Parson to grant clemency, but he has refused. Some of the jurors who sentenced Tisius to death now say they would back or wouldn't object to a commutation to life in prison. This will be the first execution in Missouri since 2017 and the first in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Several civil rights organizations have issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that newly passed state laws may pose risks to minorities, immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. The advisory was issued in response to several new laws, including a ban on transgender women competing in women's sports, and is intended to rally the Black residents of the state to counter Republican-led policies. The organizations are urging people to be aware of the risks posed by the new laws and to get involved in the fight for civil rights in the state.
A coalition of civil rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, have issued a travel advisory for Florida due to newly passed laws and policies, such as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The advisory warns potential visitors to be aware of the risks associated with the state before making any travel plans. Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement, “Those who visit must join us in their vocal opposition to these dangerous policies.”