ACLU of Idaho

A dramatic image with bold text about Idaho House Committee's passage of a social transition ban, set against a grayscale domed ceiling background. Transcribed Text: BREAKING Idaho House Committee Passes Extreme Social Transition Ban HB 822 is alarming government overreach that would allow Idaho politicians to decide how youth dress and act.

BREAKING: An Idaho House Committee passed HB 822. This dangerous and unconstitutional bill would require trusted adults, such as teachers and counselors, to monitor children for signs that they are not conforming to gender stereotypes. Learn more about the bill: buff.ly/7kw0CXu

Transcribed Text: OPPOSE HB 557: Ban on City & County LGBTQ+ Protections HB 607: Policing Bathrooms in All Public Buildings HB 700 + 704: E-Verify Bills HB 659: Statewide 287(g) Mandate HB 822: Social Transitioning Ban HB 752: Criminalizing Bathroom Use HB 764: Criminalizing Aid for Undocumented Immigrants HB 794: Anti-Student Protest See all bills we’re tracking at acluidaho.org/legislation

State lawmakers are advancing an alarming wave of bills that encroach on the authority of local governments, law enforcement, and businesses. Here are some of the bills we are concerned about in the Idaho legislature. See all bills we're tracking here: www.acluidaho.org/legislation/...

Text on a gradient background discussing transgender identity and racism. Transcribed Text: Being transgender is an identity. Brownface is an act of racism. Equating the two is inaccurate and harmful to the transgender community and people of color.

Comparing brownface to someone's gender identity trivializes racism and dismisses the legitimacy of trans people’s existence.

Brownface reinforces harmful stereotypes and has a long history rooted in dehumanization.

Transgender people aren’t impersonating anyone. They are living as themselves.

BREAKING: HB 764 was held in committee. This would have made it a crime to help an undocumented person.

Thank you to the nonprofits, attorneys, faith leaders and their community, law enforcement leaders, and community members who came together in opposition to HB 764.

A girl holds an American flag while sitting on a man's shoulders, with accompanying text about Idaho legislation. Transcribed Text: Idaho legislators want to make it a crime to help undocumented people.

A public hearing will take place TOMORROW (Tuesday, March 3) at 1:30 p.m. MST for HB 764.

HB 764 would make it a crime for any organization to help undocumented immigrants. Learn more about this cruel anti-immigrant bill: buff.ly/VOhRzlC

Trans people deserve the same rights as everyone else, including equal access to public spaces, personal identification, and voting.

Deputized for Disaster | American Civil Liberties Union Deputized for Disaster, details how the Trump administration is drastically expanding the federal 287(g) program to transform state and local law enforcement into a national deportation policing…

Learn more about the danger of the 287(g) program: buff.ly/Hq0lQMl

"Graphic about Idaho lawmakers and ICE agreements, featuring an officer image and ACLU Idaho logo." Transcribed Text: "Idaho Lawmakers Want Mandatory ICE Agreements for All Idaho Law Enforcement. What to know about HB 659. ACLU Idaho."

House Bill 659 is headed to the House floor. This bill would require all Idaho law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE through 287(g) agreements. Idaho lawmakers should let local police focus on community needs rather than divert taxpayer money away from public safety.

Pink and red image of a public bathroom with text that reads: There is no evidence that trans individuals accessing gender-aligned bathrooms are a threat to safety or privacy.

Bathroom laws don’t improve safety and privacy. They only put trans people in danger.

Text overlay on a dimly lit meeting room with a projection screen in the background. Transcribed Text: Another member of the public, who testified shortly after Pettinger, pointed out during their testimony that the committee's lack of action against Pettinger's demonstration was unacceptable. The chairman chastised and cut them from their testimony for pointing this out, but did not chastise Pettinger. What this committee did here is support racist behavior, and it's absolutely unacceptable. We are calling on leadership to enforce their own decorum standards and be held accountable.

"A committee meeting scene with text overlay regarding rules and lawmakers." Transcribed Text: "The committee allowed him to testify this way, clearly violating the statehouse’s rules of decorum, which states “demonstrations, applause, clapping, and signage are prohibited during a committee meeting.” Some lawmakers were seen laughing along with Pettinger, including Rep. Josh Wheeler (sitting in for Rep. Jordan Redman) and Rep. Brent Crane, who chairs the House Ethics Committee."

Public hearing setting with text overlay. Transcribed Text: Yesterday, during a public hearing in Idaho’s House Business committee, David Pettinger — known for often staging protests around Idaho with such alarming antics that he’s been arrested for it in the past — stood before committee members to speak about a bill that would widely enact E-Verify. Pettinger came dressed in brownface, pretending not to speak English, and brought a “translator” in a clear, obscene mockery of Latinos in Idaho.

A person stands in front of a house hearing panel with a projected screen displaying "HOUSE HEARING EW41." Transcribed Text: Joint Statement Idaho Leaders Condemn Overtly Racist Actions Supported by Idaho Lawmakers

This harmful, racist demonstration was a clear violation of basic decency and Idaho lawmakers' own decorum rules. If you agree with us that it is unacceptable for lawmakers to give this a tacit endorsement, contact the House Ethics Committee:
hethics@house.idaho.gov
208-332-1111

Black background with a faded picture of the House chamber empty seats. Words in white lettering over the top of it says "The ACLU of Idaho condemns the disrespectful actions from lawmakers in the House Business Committee today. During a public hearing on an anti-immigrant bill, a man in brownface testified using a racist mockery of Latines in Idaho. Lawmakers allowed him to testify, and some even laughed along with him. No matter your politics, this is racist and absolutely unacceptable behavior from our elected officials."

Black background with a faded picture of the House chamber empty seats. Words in white lettering over the top of it says "Our elected officials should be leading public forums with civility and respect, not hate. We will be sharing a full statement addressing this deplorable incident tomorrow. But make no mistake. We demand respect for all Latine Idahoans, especially from people in positions of authority. Especially when Latines live in fear of being terrorized because of their skin or accent."

Unacceptable. Point blank, period.

A majority of Idahoans support marriage equality: 2023 data from the Public Religion Research Institute found that 59% of Idahoans support same-sex marriage. Source: prri.org/wp-content/u...

A dome of a classical building with a "BREAKING" news headline about Idaho lawmakers and marriage equality. Transcribed Text: BREAKING Idaho lawmakers voted to introduce a memorial on marriage equality. While this memorial would not create or change law, it sends a clear anti-LGBTQ message.

This latest attack on marriage equality is part of a calculated effort to erode LGBTQ+ freedoms. Lawmakers continue to waste state resources over an issue that has already been decided by the courts and accepted by a majority of Idahoans.

"Idahoans value responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, but not all government functions can be reduced without consequence."

There is absolutely no room to cut public defense funding. The system has been underresourced for years, and we cannot keep sliding backward. tinyurl.com/bp9rfms7

"Graphic about Idaho lawmakers and public bathrooms with text and bathroom sign." Transcribed Text: "Idaho lawmakers want to police all public bathrooms."

Idaho's new bathroom bills would ban trans people from accessing public spaces and make it a crime for them to simply exist in a public bathroom. These harmful bills would also increase policing of physical appearance, making bathrooms less private and safe.

988 ended his call. Now an Idaho teen is pushing for a fix to state’s parental consent law. • Idaho Capital Sun An Idaho teen had his call to the 988 hotline end because of Idaho's parental consent law. He's now urging lawmakers to change the law.

Idaho youth are already experiencing consequences from a harmful so-called "parental rights" law signed in 2024. Contact Rep. Ehardt at behardt@house.idaho.gov to demand a fix to the “Band Aid law” that allows suicide hotlines to hang up on kids in crisis. @babevote.bsky.social

Call Rep. Ehardt at 208-332-1189 & tell her to fix the “Band Aid law” that is killing children. Details in graphics & in comments. #idpol

Idaho activists, officials decry anti-LGBTQ+ bills as House passes trans bathroom ban in businesses • Idaho Capital Sun The Idaho House widely passed a bill that expands on the state’s law banning transgender people from using their preferred school bathrooms.

“Over the last several years, (Idaho) legislators have gone from refusing to protect us to actively targeting us,” said Nikson Mathews, who serves as chair of the Idaho Democratic Queer Caucus. #idleg #idpol

Our Annual Meeting is tonight at 6:30 pm MT on Zoom. Join us for fun trivia, updates on our work, and a Q&A with our team. RSVP to receive the meeting link: action.aclu.org/webform/id-2...

Two new bills in the Idaho legislature would force government buildings and private businesses to police which bathrooms people are using.

This type of legislation harms the trans community, poses right to privacy concerns, and infringes on private businesses' right to establish their own policies.

Idahoans since 2015: We would like basic, statewide anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

State lawmakers in 2026: Here's a bill that would erase local LGBTQ+ protections for thousands of Idahoans.

Contact your elected officials and ask them to oppose HB 557: buff.ly/MpSasyO

ACLU's lawsuit over ICE raid at an Idaho racetrack could be a game changer The filing aims to hold rogue federal agents accountable by linking them to a conspiracy.

Hundreds of masked ICE agents descended on a community event in Idaho, violently arresting children and their families at gunpoint.

We're suing the Trump administration and 4 local police agencies for abusing criminal warrants to carry out unconstitutional immigration raids.

Black graphic with a quote attributed to Juana Rodriguez, ACLU client challenging an unlawful immigration raid in Wilder, Idaho: "My toddler was forced to witness an incredible amount of violence against people he loves and hear racial slurs about Latinos, experiences that no child should ever be exposed to. I'll never forget hearing his little voice pleading with me to give him food and water for hours on end."

As a proud U.S. citizen, Juana never thought she'd be zip-tied and detained by ICE for hours with her 3-year-old son, especially while attending a family-friendly event.

They’re two of hundreds of people we’re defending in court for being targeted in an unlawful militarized immigration raid.

A child in a folding chair with overlaid text expressing a parent's plea for food and water for their child. Transcribed Text: “I'll never forget hearing his little voice pleading with me to give him food and water for hours on end. As a parent, nothing is more heartbreaking than hearing your child cry out in fear and being told you cannot hold or comfort them.” ~ Juana Rodriguez, U.S. Citizen, plaintiff in our Rodriguez v. Porter lawsuit.

Juana is a proud U.S. citizen and one of three plaintiff families in our Rodriguez v. Porter case. The inhumane treatment of Juana and her 3-year-old at the hands of law enforcement is inexcusable. Juana and her child were among hundreds who were terrorized by the government in Wilder that day.

if you remember the FBI + ICE + local raid on a horse race track in Wilder, Idaho that detained hundreds of families (including many kids & U.S. citizens) the @acluidaho.bsky.social just announced a lawsuit.

The complaint is just as disturbing as previous reporting www.aclu.org/press-releas...

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Federal, State, and Local Police for Mass Immigration Raid at Family Event in Wilder, Idaho - ACLU of Idaho The putative class action lawsuit challenges an immigration raid carried out at a popular family event in Wilder, Idaho.

Photo credit: Erick Juarez-Angiano
Read the full press release: buff.ly/fwKCoeh

A law enforcement officer leading a handcuffed man on a sandy ground, with others and a vehicle in the background. Transcribed Text: LAWSUIT FILED We are suing ICE, the FBI, and state and local police for the civil rights abuses that occurred in Wilder, Idaho on October 19.

We are going to court to seek justice and demand accountability after the unconstitutional, military-style operation in Wilder, Idaho on October 19.

No one is above the law.