Explore

GLAD Law to Honor Civil Rights Advocate Vanita Gupta with 2026 Spirit of Justice Award

GLAD Law to Honor Civil Rights Advocate Vanita Gupta with 2026 Spirit of Justice Award

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) will present its 2026 Spirit of Justice Award to Vanita Gupta, a prominent civil rights lawyer and advocate. The award recognizes individuals whose courage, vision, and impact embody the fight for justice. Gupta's career has focused on ensuring equal justice under the law and strengthening democratic principles, addressing critical human and civil rights issues such as criminal justice reform, racial justice, voting rights, environmental justice, gun violence prevention, reproductive rights, immigration, and LGBTQ+ rights. She is currently the inaugural Director of the Center for Law and Public Trust and a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at NYU School of Law, where she works on reimagining and rebuilding American democratic institutions. Her previous roles include serving as Associate Attorney General from 2021-2024, making her the first woman of color to hold the third-ranking position at the Department of Justice (DOJ). In this role, she was instrumental in...

The Rock Hall Honored Belafonte as an Early Influence in 2022

The Rock Hall Honored Belafonte as an Early Influence in 2022

on March 1, 1927, in New York City, was a multifaceted American artist renowned as a singer, actor, and civil rights activist. His career, spanning...

EEOC Clarifies Anti-Discrimination Laws Apply to AI in Employment Decisions

EEOC Clarifies Anti-Discrimination Laws Apply to AI in Employment Decisions

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has affirmed that anti-discrimination laws extend to automated decision-making processes in employment. This clarification means that employers are held accountable for discriminatory outcomes, even if those outcomes are produced by third-party software vendors or algorithms. The EEOC's stance emphasizes that the legal assessment of employment decisions focuses on the outcome, not solely on whether a human or machine made the decision. This is particularly relevant as companies increasingly use automated tools for tasks such as tracking productivity, flagging underperformance, and even triggering terminations. The EEOC's position indicates a growing regulatory interest in AI-driven employment decisions, with an expectation of increased enforcement activity as these automated systems become more prevalent in the workplace.

Grand Forks International Airport Resumes Las Vegas Service, Expands Flight Options

Grand Forks International Airport Resumes Las Vegas Service, Expands Flight Options

Grand Forks International Airport is reinstating its service to Las Vegas, with flights scheduled to recommence this month. Allegiant Air's website indicates that bookings for Las Vegas flights have been available since last Thursday. In addition to the Las Vegas route, the airport plans to resume flights to Mesa in November and Orlando in February. This expansion follows the introduction of a daily flight to Minneapolis via Delta Air Lines in April. Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski and the Air Service Expansion Committee have been actively working to increase flight availability, specifically targeting the addition of service to Denver through either United Airlines or American Airlines. The city and the committee engaged Meehan Aviation Group as a consultant in 2024 to assist with these expansion efforts. The U.S. Department of Transportation has also supported the airport's initiatives by awarding a $1 million small community air service grant to facilitate the addition of more flights.

Supreme Court's Cisco Decision Eliminates Modern Human Rights Claims Under Alien Tort Statute

Supreme Court's Cisco Decision Eliminates Modern Human Rights Claims Under Alien Tort Statute

The U.S. Supreme Court's June 2026 decision in *Cisco Systems Inc. v. Doe* has effectively closed the door on modern human rights claims brought under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). This ruling determined that the ATS's implied cause of action does not cover such claims. The ATS, passed in 1789, grants federal courts jurisdiction over civil actions by aliens for torts violating the law of nations or U.S. treaties. Previously, in *Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain* (2004), the Supreme Court recognized an implied cause of action for violations of modern human rights norms that were as generally accepted and specifically defined as the 'Blackstone three' (violations of safe-conducts, infringement of ambassadors’ rights, and piracy) familiar to the First Congress. However, a series of Supreme Court cases between 2013 and 2021 progressively narrowed the ATS's implied cause of action. The *Cisco* decision took the final step, asserting that courts cannot create new causes of action for violations of international norms und...

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Launches 'Freedom to Thrive' Exhibit Commemorating State's 150th Anniversary

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Launches 'Freedom to Thrive' Exhibit Commemorating State's 150th Anniversary

The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum has unveiled a new exhibit titled 'Freedom to Thrive,' which commemorates Colorado's 150th anniversary and the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary. The exhibit aims to broaden the understanding of the Pikes Peak region's history by highlighting the contributions of lesser-known figures alongside prominent ones. It features individuals such as Joyce Gilmer, the city's first Black female real estate broker; Charles Banks, a Buffalo Soldier who spearheaded civil rights actions; and contemporary activist Isabella Snowbird, who advocates for missing Indigenous people. The exhibit also includes figures like Delia Armstrong-Busby, the first Black female principal at Mitchell High School, and Casimiro Barela, known as the 'Father of the Colorado Senate,' who advocated for state laws to be published in English, German, and Spanish. The museum's curator of history, Leah Davis Witherow, stated that the exhibit's purpose is to use the past to help people understand the presen...

Habeas Corpus Petition Filed Against DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin in Florida Southern District Court

Habeas Corpus Petition Filed Against DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin in Florida Southern District Court

A petition for a writ of habeas corpus has been filed in the Florida Southern District Court against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, among other respondents. The case, titled 'Paz Murillo v. Mullin et, al.' (0:26-cv-62486), was filed on September 8, 2026. The petitioner is Lenar Paz Murillo, represented by Christina Michelle Coello of The Law Office Of Gonzalez And Associates, LLC. The nature of the suit is classified as '463 Immigration - Habeas Corpus - Alien Detainee,' with the cause being a '28:2241 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (Federal).' Other named respondents include Todd Blanche, Field Office Director, Todd Lyons, Garret Ripa in his official capacity as Director of Miami Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Warden of Broward Transitional Center. The case is being overseen by Judge Raag Singhal.

Harry Belafonte Took His Fight for Justice Far Beyond Civil Rights

Harry Belafonte Took His Fight for Justice Far Beyond Civil Rights

Harry Belafonte was not only a celebrated entertainer but also a formidable political activist, using his platform to advocate for social justice a...

Pacific Legal Foundation Challenges Native Hawaiian Programs, Citing Ancestry-Based Discrimination

Pacific Legal Foundation Challenges Native Hawaiian Programs, Citing Ancestry-Based Discrimination

The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a conservative public interest law firm, is actively challenging programs designed to benefit Native Hawaiians, arguing that these initiatives are unconstitutional due to their ancestry-based requirements. Two lawsuits have been filed by PLF. One seeks to block the eviction of David Kalahiki and Linda Twitchell from their apartments in a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) property, contending that removing residents based on ancestry is unconstitutional. The second, broader lawsuit aims to dismantle the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act's blood quantum requirements entirely, which would open up leases to all Hawaii residents regardless of Native Hawaiian ancestry. PLF asserts that the U.S. Constitution mandates a 'colorblind' approach to government benefits and burdens, citing the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This legal strategy is part of a larger national campaign by conservative and libertarian groups to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion p...

Kentucky Attorney General Sues Nonprofit Over Abortion Pill Advertising

Kentucky Attorney General Sues Nonprofit Over Abortion Pill Advertising

Kentucky's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Mayday Health, a reproductive health nonprofit, alleging that the organization violated state law by advertising mail-order abortion pills. The lawsuit claims Mayday Health placed advertisements in Kentucky gas stations with messages like, 'Pregnant? Don't Want to Be? Learn more at Mayday.Health,' and flew aerial banners over Louisville and the Kentucky State Fair stating, 'ABORTION PILLS BY MAIL. Mayday.Health.' The Attorney General argues that these advertisements constitute unfair, false, misleading, or deceptive practices because Kentucky law prohibits the distribution of abortion pills by mail. While Mayday Health's website does not directly sell abortion pills, it reportedly directs individuals to third-party providers who ship these pills across the United States, including Kentucky. The Attorney General asserts that Mayday Health is actively assisting sellers in finding customers and that the ads create the false impression that mail-order abo...

Hawaiian Man Becomes Face of Anti-Homelands Campaign Challenging Native Hawaiian Programs

Hawaiian Man Becomes Face of Anti-Homelands Campaign Challenging Native Hawaiian Programs

David Kalahiki, a Hawaiian man with a quarter Hawaiian blood quantum, has become a central figure in a legal campaign challenging programs designed to serve Native Hawaiians. Kalahiki, facing eviction from an apartment complex purchased by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) because he does not meet the 50% blood quantum requirement, sought assistance from the Pacific Legal Foundation. This right-leaning law firm is now representing Kalahiki and another resident, Linda Twitchell, in a lawsuit to block their evictions. Concurrently, the foundation has filed a broader lawsuit aiming to dismantle the homestead program's blood quantum requirements entirely, which would open up leases to any Hawaii resident regardless of ancestry. This action is part of a larger effort by conservative and libertarian groups to challenge programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, arguing they are race-based and unconstitutional.

Maurice 'Mo' Jourdane, California Lawyer Who Fought for Farmworkers, Dies at 83

Maurice 'Mo' Jourdane, California Lawyer Who Fought for Farmworkers, Dies at 83

Maurice 'Mo' Jourdane, a California attorney renowned for his advocacy for farmworkers, passed away at the age of 83. Jourdane died at his San Diego home after a two-year battle with cancer. He is best known for leading the legal effort to outlaw the short-handled hoe, a tool that caused severe back and skeletal injuries among farm laborers. His family noted that he died on Labor Day weekend, a fitting tribute to his lifelong commitment to workers' rights. Jourdane's son, Jonathan Julio Jourdane, emphasized his father's belief in taking action when witnessing harm. The attorney's fight against the short-handled hoe began in 1969 after he personally experienced the tool's debilitating effects. The United Farm Workers described the tool, often called 'el brazo del Diablo' (the devil's arm), as a cause of 'crippling back [pain] and skeletal injuries.'