Press Releases

As the leading civil rights organization in our state, the ACLU of South Dakota believes in keeping the public informed about the state of their civil liberties. The work we do at the legislature, in the courts, and in our communities is important, but there is no better defender of civil rights than a public that is informed and engaged. For media inquiries, email [email protected].

Oct 08, 2024

ACLU of South Dakota Demands Immediate Reinstatement of Voters Purged from Registration Rolls

Voter purge violates National Voter Registration Act. Swift action is needed to ensure no eligible voters are disenfranchised.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
Sep 03, 2024

Civil Rights Groups Tell Federal Appeals Court that Protections for Pregnant Workers Cover Abortion Care

The amicus brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit supports the EEOC in a challenge by 17 red states that are trying to block the PWFA regulations’ coverage of accommodations for abortion-related care.
Issue Areas: Women's Rights
Aug 23, 2024

ACLU Urges Eighth Circuit to Protect Students' Right to Learn about Race in School

The courts must safeguard classroom discussions against political censorship
Issue Areas: Free Speech
Jul 12, 2024

South Dakota Joins Lawsuit Challenging Transgender Health Care Protections; ACLU Comments

This case isn’t just about enforcing South Dakota’s ban on gender-affirming care. It’s about the harmful rhetoric surrounding the question of whether providers should be allowed to discriminate against a broader group of people, including trans adults.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Rights
Jun 24, 2024

Rejecting Ballots in Minnehaha County Based on Mass Eligibility Challenges to Voters’ Residency Status is Unlawful, ACLU Says

The ACLU of South Dakota urges the Minnehaha County Recount Board to count all unlawfully rejected ballots and asks that no voters will be removed from the voter registration rolls based on these challenges and that no improper challenges will be entertained during the Nov. 5 general election.
Issue Areas: Voting Rights
May 07, 2024

South Dakota Joins Lawsuit Against U.S. Department of Education Over New Title IX Regulations; ACLU Comments

Across the country and right here in South Dakota, political attacks against transgender people have grown exponentially over the last several years. This lawsuit is just the latest attempt to erase transgender people from society.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Rights
Apr 30, 2024

Noem, Jackley Statement on Title IX Final Rule is Little More than Political Grandstanding, ACLU of South Dakota Says

This isn’t about leveling the playing field for student athletes or protecting fairness in women’s sports. If it were, Gov. Noem and Attorney General Jackley would be tackling the actual threats to women’s sports, not using trans youth as a political punching bag.
Issue Areas: LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Rights
Mar 27, 2024

Sarah Goth Joins the ACLU as Office Manager

As office manager, Goth is responsible for ensuring the chapter’s physical offices are running smoothly and efficiently while also managing the needs of remote staff across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
Mar 08, 2024

S.D. Office of Hearing Examiners Wrong to Not Protect Tribal Sovereignty in Public Records Dispute Between Oglala Sioux Tribe and City of Martin

The South Dakota Office of Hearing Examiners affirmed last month that the Oglala Sioux Tribe could not be required to pay the City of Martin’s legal fees to receive public records. Unfortunately, in that same decision, the examiner failed to protect the Tribe’s sovereign immunity.
Issue Areas: Indigenous Justice, Voting Rights